Filed To Story: Between Two Kings: A Split or Swallow Book PDF Free
Her parents’ cottage was dark; it was late-or maybe it was early-and they were surely asleep. Tem knocked on the door anyway, pounding her fist until her father opened it, staring at her with bleary eyes.
“What is the matter, child?”
But Tem did not have the words. Everything was the matter.
“Temperance?” Her mother emerged from the bedroom. “What are you doing here?”
At the sight of her mother, Tem fell to her knees in a defeated heap, sobs racking her body. She was dimly aware of hands on her shoulders, lifting her up. The familiar scent of the sea enveloped her. A mug of tea was pressed into her hands, and she savored the heat. All three of them sat at the kitchen table, in silence, until Tem was ready to speak.
“I think I made a mistake,” she whispered. “I’ve ruined everything.”
“You are allowed to make mistakes, my child. They are a part of life. Everyone makes them.”
“You don’t.”
Kronos smiled softly. “Of course I do. I make them all the time. Do you truly think that I have lived as long as I have without making any mistakes?”
Tem deeply wanted to believe him. But she felt so horrible it was difficult to do so.
“It is not your mistakes that matter, child. It is how you fix them.”
But Tem couldn’t fix them. Not this time. What she’d done was unfixable. “I don’t want Leo to die,” she whispered.
Kronos sighed, placing his hand on her arm. “Have you been able to transition at all?”
She shook her head.
“Then you must make your choice soon. He will not have long.”
“If I just had more time, I could-“
But what, exactly, could Tem do? More time wouldn’t change her circumstances. It would only prolong them.
“If time is what you need, there is one thing you can do.”
“What?”
Kronos glanced at her mother, who gave him a sad, knowing smile.
“The crest must be consummated with sex. But if you do anything leading up to that act, his fate will be delayed.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you kiss him, if you do anything other than sex, it will buy him some time.”
Tem didn’t bother asking how he knew that. She had seen the look between her parents-she knew they had a long history together. She was grateful for that history-it informed her future.
“You must know that is not a permanent solution,” her father continued. “The draw of the crest will not wait forever.”
Tem stared at her tea, trying to imagine a world in which she and Leo would even be allowed to kiss each other. She doubted Evelyn would ever let them be alone together again. And after what just happened with Caspen, he probably wouldn’t either.
“I can’t kiss him,” she whispered. “I can’t do anything else either.”
“Then you may have to watch him die.”
They didn’t speak any more after that. The sun was rising anyway, and her mother went out to tend to the garden. Tem spent the day in her parents’ bedroom, alternating between sleeping and eating the meals her father brought her. Eventually, it was evening, and Tem still wasn’t ready to return to the mountain. She knew Gabriel had the day off, and she knew where to find him.
“Tem, dearest,” he said when she walked into the Horseman. “It’s been too long.”
It had been barely a day, yet Tem agreed. She returned his embrace, holding him tighter than usual. “Did you enjoy the rest of the celebration?” she asked.
“Of course I did. What about you? I’m surprised you’re able to walk after all that.”
Tem didn’t have the heart to tell him her body had been through far worse than the tournament. She decided to change the subject. “Is Damon taking care of you?”
Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows at her. “As best he can.”
Tem shoved him. Some things would never change.
Suddenly Gabriel’s eyebrows rose. Tem followed his gaze to see the last person she expected to see: Vera.
She looked rather worse for wear-her blond hair was ragged and lank, her usually pink lips were pale. Tem hadn’t seen her since the wedding, and it would appear that the food shortage had affected her as well.
“Rumor has it she’s dating Jeremy now,” Gabriel murmured as Vera walked toward them.
“Jonathan’s brother? Really?”
He gave her a pointed look. “You’re not one to talk, dearest.”
Before she could retaliate, Vera paused at their table, staring down her nose at Tem.
“Vera,” Tem said cautiously. “How are you?”
A quick sneer turned those pale lips. “Better than you.”
So nothing had changed, then. Despite her bedraggled appearance, Vera was still a bitch.
“At least I have a husband,” Tem said. It was the one thing that might hurt her.
Vera’s mouth fell open.
“Close your mouth, Vera,” Gabriel said cheerfully. “A bug might fly in.”
Tem held back a laugh. Vera leaned in.
“Your husband is a snake. It’s revolting. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t think anyone has forgotten what you did. You ruined everyone’s chances with the prince, and then you didn’t even want him anyway.”
She couldn’t be more wrong. Tem still wanted him. She always would. “You don’t know anything about that,” Tem said quietly.
“I know plenty,” Vera snapped. “And I know your husband should watch his back.”
Then she flounced away.
Tem turned to Gabriel. “What did she mean by that?”
“I don’t know.” He stared after her darkly. “But there have been…whispers.”