Page 262 of Between Two Kings

What has begun?

But Caspen was already in motion, moving so quickly Tem didn’t have time to blink before he had corralled both her and Leo into the passageway. The moment they were away from the council room, he turned to Tem.

“You must sleep together. Now.”

Leo blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

Caspen ignored him, looking only at Tem. “You must consummate the crest. And quickly.”

Tem stared at him with her mouth open. “What are you talking about? We can’t just—”

“You can. Go to our chambers and sleep together. Do it now.”

“You know I can’t.” She looked desperately at Leo, who clearly had no idea what was going on. “If we do that, you’ll—”

“You must, Tem. Right now. There is no time to delay. I did not think the Senecas would attack so soon.”

Despite the urgency of the moment, Tem paused. “You didn’t think? So you knew this was going to happen?”

“Yes. But I did not know when.”

“How could you let me bring him here?” Tem gasped. “If you knew this might happen, then you knew how dangerous it would be for—”

“I did not think they would attack tonight, Tem. But they are. And if you do not sleep together, you cannot transition. You will not be safe if things get worse.”

Realization hit her. “Wait,” Tem cried, “are you saying you brought him here on purpose? For this?”

Caspen was the one who insisted Leo apologize in person. He’d forced Tem’s hand, demanded Leo come beneath the mountain even though it was incalculably dangerous for him. He hadn’t wanted an apology; words were meaningless to him anyway. He needed them to sleep together. And soon.

Another crack sounded above them. Dust filled the passageway.

“Tem.” Caspen placed his hands on her shoulders. “There is no time. The Senecas are here, which means Rowe is here as well. He will come after you. I do not want him near you when you are vulnerable.”

“What do you mean he’ll—”

“You will not be safe if you cannot transition,” Caspen said over her. “And you cannot do so until you sleep with him.”

She shook her head. It was not so simple. There was another side to the coin, another catch. “Caspen,” she said as steadily as she could. “If I sleep with him, you’ll have to kill me.”

“What?” Leo cried.

In the chaos of the moment, Tem had nearly forgotten he was listening. This entire conversation would be unfathomable to him—there was no hope of explaining it under such circumstances.

“I could never kill you, Tem,” Caspen said, ignoring Leo’s outburst.

“I should hope not,” Leo snapped.

Tem shook her head. “You won’t have a choice.”

In reply, Caspen stepped closer. He cupped her face in his hand, looking deep into her eyes. “Tem,” he said quietly. “Can you not smell it?”

She frowned. “Smell what?”

“The decay.”

Her frown deepened. Then tears filled her eyes.

Because she could smell it. Leo’s scent was no longer summer fields and cigars. Now it was the same smell Apollo had taught her to identify. Tem knew it beyond doubt. Death was on Leo’s doorstep.