Page 280 of Split or Swallow

The king was admitting that he had played a part in the demise of Leo’s relationship with Evelyn. Perhaps he had paid her to leave the village.

Perhaps worse.

“I am not Evelyn,” Tem said quietly. “I will not be so easy to get rid of.”

Maximus frowned, and Tem realized he hadn’t known that she knew about Leo’s first love. Tem seized the advantage, driving her point home:

“You tried to control him once. If you try to do it again, I will turn him against you.”

Maximus’s nostrils flared.

“You would not dare.”

“I would,” Tem snapped. “And I would relish it.”

She stepped even closer, and Maximus’s eyes widened as she finished:

“When Leo chooses me, you will honor his choice. If you do not, I will tell him you were the one who destroyed his future with Evelyn. And you will lose him forever.”

Maximus squared his shoulders.

“My son would understand.”

“Would he?” Tem arched her eyebrow petulantly. “Your son already considers you cruel. Somehow I doubt this would help his impression.”

Maximus opened his mouth to retaliate. But another voice spoke before he could:

“Tem?”

Tem turned around to see Leo on the staircase. Concern for her clouded his face. He stepped closer.

“What’s going on?”

“Temperance was just leaving,” Maximus said coolly. “She got lost on her way to the kitchen.”

Leo’s eyes remained locked on Tem’s. She arranged her face into a neutral expression.

“Yes,” she said with a nonchalant shrug. “I was hungry.”

The tiniest smile twitched Leo’s mouth.

“You always are,” he said quietly.

The smile disappeared a moment later. They were still at odds, still in a battle of wills. Not even a shared common enemy in Maximus could bring her and Leo together right now.

The prince turned back up the stairs. Without a backward glance at Maximus, Tem ran after him. She’d just told the king that the prince intended to marry her—the last thing she needed was for him to see that they were barely speaking. When they reached the landing, Leo stopped.

“What did my father want?”

Tem pursed her lips.

“He would prefer that I not wander the castle.”

Leo shot her a look.

“That preference hardly warrants a personal conversation. What did he really say to you?”

Tem avoided his eyes.