Spit or Swallow: Kiss Of The Basilisk

“I had to talk to you.” “You should not have come here alone.” “I know.” “It is dangerous for you. I cannot protect you if-” He cut off, his eyes traveling over her with sudden concern. His nostrils flared. “Rowe. I can smell him. Was he here?” Tem shook her head. If one more thing…

Tem couldn’t believe the agony in his voice. She had forgotten that underneath Leo’s bravado, he had a heart just like hers. A heart that was capable of want-of love. Leo’s ego shielded him from vulnerability; it was easy to forget how sensitive he was. But in moments like these, Tem understood him better than…

“You cannot be silenced, Tem. That much is very clear.” “Did you kill Jonathan and Christopher?” Caspen lifted his chin, looking down at her. “Of course I did.” “I told you I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” “And I told you some things do not concern you.” “Loss of human life concerns me.” “Their…

“His Highness will see you now.” There was no time to decompress after what just happened. The butler was already ushering them through the crowd, toward the doorway at the end of the ballroom. Tem felt a sudden prick of fear. Not only was Caspen about to be face-to-face with Leo, but he was already…

Leo frowned. “Why?” “Because…” She could come up with nothing to say. There was no logical reason why she would need to check on her teacher, and they both knew it. But the fact remained that she had to see Caspen. So she said the only thing she could think of. “I’ll be right back,…

“Whiskey.” She didn’t know why she’d said it. But for some reason, in that moment, she’d thought of Leo. Caspen disappeared again, and when he reappeared, he handed her a whiskey. “Thank you.” “My pleasure.” He stepped closer. “You are not wearing the dress I sent.” Not a question. Simply a statement. “The prince sent…

He stood half a foot taller than the others, his gold eyes appraising his surroundings with barely masked disdain. Wherever he moved, the crowd parted for him like water. Tem simply pointed. “That’s Caspen?” Gabriel hissed. “Yes.” “You little liar.” “Excuse me?” “You little liar, Tem. You failed to mention that he was a perfect…

Tem watched him as he slept, realizing it was the first time she’d ever seen him do that. He breathed impossibly slowly. Tem tried to hold her breath in between each rise and fall of his shoulders but found she couldn’t make it a single time. There was something inherently peaceful about his expression-it was…

Tem looked at it in wonder. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Two shimmering swirls combined to make a single claw. The best parts of them, joined together in one object. When Caspen held it out to her, she shook her head. “I want you to do it.” His mouth twitched….

“Is there any way to bring them back?” Her mother shook her head. “No, my dear. They are petrified. It is permanent.” “But if there was some magic-some way to reverse-“ “You cannot reverse death, Tem. Their souls have gone to Kora.” Neither of them said a word the rest of the way home. Tem…