Page 55 of Split or Swallow

She poked her head into the kitchen to see the footman from the other night standing awkwardly in the doorway.

“Miss?” he brandished a package at her. “The prince requested you wear this.”

Tem sighed.

Now she understood why there had been no dress from Caspen. Of course Leo wanted to pick something for her to wear. Just another way to control her—to make sure she knew he was in charge. Tem loathed the thought.

She snatched the package from the footman before slamming her door and tossing it onto the bed. Half of her was dying to see what it was. The other half had no intention of wearing it.

You will wear it.

Tem jumped. It was Caspen’s voice. He’d been absent all day, and he chose now to show up? Tem tried to send him a thought back, but found that she could⁠n’t. Her words pressed up against the same wall that had always been erected between them. Instead she spoke them out loud:

“Says who?”

His reply came with humorless rigidity:

Says the prince.

“And you? Do you want me to wear it?”

But he was gone.

Tem stared at the package. With a sigh, she ripped the paper perhaps more aggressively than necessary, and a dress tumbled into her hands. It was beautiful. There was no doubt about it. Tight and velvet and dangerously low cut. But Tem hated it. It was sexy and revealing and clearly meant for Leo’s pleasure alone. Caspen’s dresses had complimented her, accentuating her beauty. Leo’s dress had a decidedly different purpose: to reveal as much of her body as possible. Tem’s ingrained stubbornness balked at the idea of wearing such a dress. All she could think about was how different it was from what Caspen would have chosen.

But it didn’t matter what Caspen would have chosen. He didn’t care about her. He refused to have sex with her. And he certainly wasn’t going on a date with her tonight.

There was nothing for it.

By the time she’d pulled the dress on, it was time to go. Tem kissed her mother goodbye and bundled into the carriage, her stomach already twisting itself into a knot. She had no idea what to expect, and the long ride to the castle didn’t help. All she could think about was Caspen. Why was there a one-way barrier between them? Why wouldn’t he let her speak to him? Why did he insist on keeping his distance when all she wanted was to pull him closer? His apathy was infuriating, and she was almost thankful that the night’s events would provide a welcome distraction from the anxieties eating away at her mind. When the footman dropped her off at the castle entrance, Tem took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

To her surprise, Leo opened it.

The prince leaned casually against the doorframe, his head cocked to the side as his eyes raked over her body, taking in every detail of her dress.

“Stunning,” he said. “As always.”

Tem crossed her arms.

“You picked it out.”

He cocked his head in the opposite direction. “I thought it would suit you. Don’t you like it?”

“I like making my own choices.”

“Ah,” his mouth quirked into a smile. “So I’ve offended you already.”

“I’m not offended. Just annoyed.”

Leo extended his hand.

“Then allow me to make it up to you.”

Tem glared at his hand. Then, after a very long moment, she took it. The prince intertwined his fingers with hers, pulling her inside the castle and into a room just off the foyer. It was large and warm, with a crackling fireplace on the far end. Oil paintings lined the walls, and the smell of pipe smoke clung to Tem’s nostrils.

“What is this?” Tem whispered.

Leo dipped his mouth to her ear.