Page 346 of Split or Swallow

Finally, Tem blacked out.

When she came to, she didn’t know how much time had passed. But Caspen was beside her in his human form once more.

Tem.

She could smell his rage.

Tem knew she would never get that image of Caspen out of her mind—bent over Bastian, eating chunks of flesh from his chest. She would see it in her nightmares.

Tem?

Caspen placed a tentative hand on her cheek.

He was soaked in blood and venom, bits of Bastian’s organs sliding slowly down his torso in wet, gelatinous streaks. The smell was overpowering. She was going to pass out again.

“I—” Tem started.

But a searing pain cut off her words. Everything hit her all at once—the mangled remnants of her body screaming in sudden unison. She reached for her power, but it was barely there.

Caspen. I can’t heal myself.

Caspen’s hands were on her, trying to pull her upright.

Try harder, Tem.

Tem couldn’t reply. The pain in her body was worsening. She was in agony as a crushing wave of sensation overtook her.

Fight it, Tem. You must fight it.

Tem tried. She harnessed her power, throwing up a shield against the pain. But her body was broken—both parts of her were weakened. No one could withstand what she had just gone through.

I’m not healing, Caspen.

She was using every drop of her power to stay conscious—she had nothing left over to fix the wound in her shoulder. Blood was pouring down her body, dripping onto the stage. Caspen immediately placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to heal her himself. But she had crossed the threshold—she could feel it in her gut. No matter what Caspen did, she only bled more.

Hold on, Tem. Just a little longer.

Tem couldn’t hold on any longer. It was too much. Her injury was draining her, slowly but surely. Her shoulder was bleeding out, streams of her blood merging with Bastian’s. There was some poetic irony there, but Tem was too tired to find it.

I can’t fight it, Caspen. It’s too much.

You need power.

Any ideas?

A long pause. And then:

Crest Leo.

Tem shook her head. She didn’t even have the energy to answer.

Yes, Tem. You must.

But Tem couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She’d just narrowly avoided performing the crest on the royals. She had no desire to force another human being to bond with her—to wield her power in such a brutal and unforgiving way.

I don’t want to.

She’d claimed Leo to ensure that nobody would ever crest him. If she did it herself, it would defeat the purpose. Caspen was still talking: