Filed to story: Between Two Kings: A Split or Swallow Book PDF Free
“You shall see.”
Everyone except for the final twelve contenders left the stage. Behind Tem, the banquet hall went silent. For some reason, she found herself holding her breath as a woman emerged from the crowd and ascended the stage. Her stomach was swollen.
Tem glanced at Adelaide.
Is she pregnant?
Adelaide shook her head.
No. She is a new mother who just gave birth.
Tem looked around for a baby but didn’t see one. Then she remembered what Adelaide had told her about basilisk children, how they were raised away from the caves until they came of age and were ready to have sex. Tem couldn’t figure out why a new mother would be here without her child.
What is her purpose?
Adelaide didn’t reply. Something was happening; the contenders were kneeling.
What are they doing?
They are paying their respects.
But why?
She represents Kora.
Kora. Goddess of fertility, benevolent ruler of all.
She will touch the person she believes will be the victor of the tournament.
This was all new information to Tem, and it was completely terrifying. The victor of the tournament had to be Caspen.
Needed to be Caspen. What if the woman touched someone else?
How will she make her decision?
It is believed that Kora will tell her whom to choose.
The woman walked slowly down the line of men, pausing before each one to look them in the eye, as if judging their capability. The men looked up at her with utter respect, as they would have their own mothers, kneeling before her as they would in church.
Tem held her breath as the woman stopped before Rowe. After what felt like an eternity, she continued along, trailing her fingertips through the air as she walked. She moved with undeniable grace, her hips swaying as she approached the end of the line. Apollo was second to last, right before Caspen. The woman stopped before him.
Tem immediately stiffened.
No. She can’t choose him.
Adelaide didn’t reply. Tem could do nothing but watch in horrified silence as the woman held out her hand, touching Apollo gently on the forehead. Tem had never seen Apollo so proud. It was clear this was the highest honor possible, that he was receiving a gift of incalculable value. Apollo took the woman’s hand in his, raising it and pressing her wrist to his lips.
The crowd erupted into cheers. Beside Apollo, Caspen’s face expression was unreadable. Was he angry? Jealous? Afraid? Tem reached for him with her mind, but he was closed off to her. It didn’t surprise her. If his thoughts were anything like hers, they were not safe for anyone else to hear.
It will have no bearing on the actual outcome, Temperance, Adelaide said.
It is merely her opinion, nothing more.
But you said that she was guided by Kora.
That is what we believe, yes.
Have you ever known Kora to be wrong?
Adelaide didn’t answer.
You can’t possibly tell me that her picking Apollo is a good thing.
Not a good thing, necessarily. But an interesting one.
How is it interesting? It seems terrible to me. Caspen will be-
Caspenon will not be angry.
Tem found that hard to believe.
He understands the rules of the tournament, Temperance. He will take it as a challenge.
That was even worse.
It is merely her opinion. Nothing more.
But Tem just shook her head.
“Temperance,” Adelaide said gently. “I understand that this is difficult for you. But everything is proceeding exactly as it should. Now that you have chosen your contenders and Kora has chosen hers, the tournament can proceed.”
Tem closed her eyes. In her heart, she knew Adelaide was right. She respected the process. It didn’t matter if it appalled her; the tournament was happening either way. But that didn’t make it any easier.
“Apollo can’t win,” she whispered. “It’s not possible.”
“If he wins, it is because he was always supposed to win. We believe our fates are already written.”
“But that’s-“
“That,” Adelaide said firmly, placing her hand on Tem’s shoulder, “is the basilisk way.”
Tem fell silent. How nice it must be to leave everything up to fate, to believe that your destiny was decided for you. But that was not the way Tem did things. She was too driven by desire to accept that her decisions did not matter. The basilisk way was not her way. It never would be.
The woman descended the stage, disappearing back into the crowd. Tem watched her go, a horrible pit in her stomach. She barely noticed as the crowd dispersed around her and basilisks began seating themselves at the tables. It was time for the feast.
“You will eat at the head of the hall,” Adelaide said in her ear, steering her toward a table that was perpendicular to all the others. It was not unlike a wedding table, where the bride and the groom would sit, overseeing the festivities. Only this table had three seats, and two of them were already filled. Adelaide guided her to the seat in the middle.
“If you need anything, I will be close by.”
Then she left her alone with the Drakon brothers.
Tem stared straight ahead, utterly unsure what to do with herself. She couldn’t touch Caspen, and she didn’t dare touch Apollo. There was absolutely nowhere to go.
Finally, she turned to Caspen. “Are you prepared?”
He blinked. “For what, my love?”
“For the fight with Rowe.”
To her surprise, he laughed. “I do not need to prepare.”