Page 22 of Split or Swallow

“Mine looked at me too,” Tem said.

“Of course he did. That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

Tem set her jaw.

“He looked at me for a long time.”

Vera sneered. “Well, so did mine. Forever, practically. And by the time he was done, I was wet. I’m sure he could sense it.”

Tem had nothing to say to that.

“And that wasn’t all,” Vera continued.

Tem stiffened. Was she about to say that her basilisk had touched her? Kissed her? Done something beyond what Caspen had done with Tem? She braced herself, ready to hear confirmation that she had somehow messed things up already, that Vera was further along in the training after just a single night in the caves.

“He told me that I’m the prince’s type. Apparently, he wants a curvy girl,” her eyes raked snidely over Tem. “A girl like me.”

Tem felt her anger flare.

“Caspen said that I—”

“Caspen?” Vera hissed, her face pinched with sudden jealousy. “He told you his name? Mine didn’t tell me his. He didn’t even touch me.”

“Mine didn’t touch me either,” Tem admitted. But she left out the part where he’d undressed for her, as she had for him. She left out the part where they’d touched themselves in front of each other. And she certainly left out the part where he’d given her a piece of himself, and that piece was inside her right now.

“Well, why would he?” Vera snapped.

Tem shrugged. The words hurt, but the hurt was alleviated by the pulse between her legs, and she wondered whether Caspen had felt her pain. She closed her eyes, focusing on the sensation. It was gentle at first, then more insistent. Tem couldn’t help but smile; he was teasing her, the pulses lasting far longer than usual.

“And what, exactly, are you smiling at?” Vera interrupted her thoughts.

Tem’s eyes flew open.

“Nothing,” she said, stifling her expression and brandishing the basket. “Take your eggs.”

Vera huffed away, making a big show of retrieving Tem’s payment before handing it over.

“I guess I’ll see you tonight,” she said.

“You sure will,” Tem replied.

She left the bakery with a spring in her step. For the first time in her life, an interaction at the bakery hadn’t left her in tears. Not only that, she still had one more card to play with Vera: as soon as she found out that Tem was with the Serpent King, she’d be so jealous she might actually respect Tem enough to leave her alone.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of farm chores. Tem went through the motions mechanically, cleaning out the chicken coop on autopilot. She couldn’t think of anything but tonight. How would the basilisk greet her? Would they talk about the pulses he had sent during church? Would they finally touch? Kiss? More? The claw didn’t pulse for the rest of the day, and Tem’s heart was pounding by the time night fell and she joined the line of girls headed for the caves.

Her mother didn’t escort her this time; she simply clasped her hands in hers, ran her fingers over Tem’s freckles, and kissed her on the forehead before ushering her out the door.

When they reached the end of the trail, Tem was sick with anticipation. All she could think about was what might happen tonight. She could do nothing but put one foot in front of the other, and by the time she entered the cave, the pain in her chest was borderline unbearable.

There was Caspen, standing calmly in the center of the room. Tem’s heart only beat faster as he closed the distance between them.

“Tem,” he said quietly, and she remembered the deep smoothness of his voice. “How are you?”

“Oh,” she said, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. How are you?”

He smiled, baring his teeth, but didn’t answer. Instead, he nodded at the fireplace built straight into the stone wall. A thick mat had been laid out in front of it.

“Come,” he said. “Let us begin.”