Filed to story: Spit or Swallow: Kiss Of The Basilisk
Tem wished she could go find Gabriel, but the man at the door had told her not to wander. And why shouldn’t I wander? she thought with sudden conviction. This could be my castle someday.
So Tem turned on her heel and made her way back through the crowd. She slipped into the hallway, sighing in relief at the sudden silence. The hallway stretched out for what seemed like forever in both directions. The walls were covered in dark oil paintings depicting long-dead members of the royal family. There were centuries of history here-centuries of heirs birthed solely because of the help of the basilisks.
Tem stopped in front of a particularly large painting of a battle scene. It reminded her of the insignia on the roof of the carriage. Dozens of snakes-huge snakes-were slithering over the ground, headed for a group of horse-bound riders. Some of the riders held roosters, some held mirrored shields. It was the final battle before the war was won; Tem could tell by the way the sky was painted deep bloodred. All the old songs spoke of the red sky on that final day. They said that Kora herself bled to make it that color.
Tem felt suddenly overwhelmed. There was a tight, twisting pain in her chest that had nothing to do with her nerves. She turned away from the painting, heading toward the first door she could find. By pure happenstance, it was a bathroom. The sink was gold, of course, and Tem splashed her face with water in an effort to cool down. She was just reaching for the towel when the door banged open.
A girl with a head of thick, icy-blond hair bound in. She was clutching a flute of champagne, her cheeks tinged with pink. One of the other contestants.
“Oh,” the girl said when she saw Tem. “Sorry. I didn’t know there was anyone in here.”
“It’s fine,” Tem said quickly. “I was just leaving.”
“No, no.” The girl waved her off, sloshing her champagne in the process. “Don’t leave on my account. I’m only here because I needed a break from the party. It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” answered Tem honestly.
“I’m Lilly,” the girl said, extending the hand that wasn’t holding the champagne. “Well, technically Lilibet.”
“I’m Tem. Well, technically Temperance.”
“Temperance is a pretty name.”
“So is Lilibet.”
The girl rolled her eyes. “Hardly. It sounds like a toilet accessory.”
“Does it?”
“I think so. But that’s what nicknames are for.” The girl tipped the rest of her champagne into her mouth before asking, “So what do you think of the prince?”
Tem shrugged. “I haven’t met him yet.”
“Hm. Well, when you do, tell him he lost a bet.”
“Excuse me?”
“He bet me he wouldn’t find any of the girls pretty.” Her eyes flicked over Tem’s dress. “But I have a feeling he won’t be able to resist you.”
Tem was becoming more confused by the moment. “I’m sorry. I thought you were-“
“In the running to marry my own brother? That would be the scandal of the century.”
Tem’s mouth fell open. She was talking to the prince’s older sister. She should’ve known by the name Lilibet. Everyone had to memorize the royal family tree in school, but Tem hadn’t thought about it in years.
Lilly laughed at the expression on Tem’s face. “So? Aren’t you going to ask me how to win his heart?”
Tem didn’t know how to answer that. The only heart she really wanted to win was Caspen’s.
At her silence, Lilly’s face split into a grin.
“Ah, so you’re not here to grovel at his feet. Interesting. Come to think of it, that might be exactly what wins you his heart. He always wants what he can’t have.”
A sudden cheer echoed outside the bathroom.
Lilly glanced at the door. “I’d better go. It was nice to meet you, Tem. And good luck! Not that you’ll need it.”
With that, the princess was gone.
Tem stared at the place where Lilly had stood, wondering what the hell had just happened. Another cheer broke out, but Tem had no desire to return to the party. Instead, she splashed some more water on her face, glanced at her reflection in the mirror, and slipped back into the hallway.
She wandered aimlessly through the castle halls, heading vaguely upward, taking a staircase whenever she encountered one. Eventually, she found herself in a room that looked like a study, with books on the walls and a heavy wooden desk at one end.
Tem took in the ornate rugs, the golden trim, the rich oil paintings. It was utterly different from her humble home, with its rough wooden floors and shuttered windows. She couldn’t believe such wealth existed. She could understand why her mother admired such things when she had none of her own. For the first time, Tem felt compassion for what she’d interpreted as her mother’s endless coveting. Maybe she had simply yearned for more, as Tem did.
Her eyes traced along the deep mahogany shelves, landing on an enormous, fanged skull that rested on a velvet pillow. As if in a trance, Tem reached for it. Just as her fingers were about to touch the bone, a jolt shot through the claw, up her spine and down her arm, forcing her to yank her hand back immediately. Caspen’s voice thundered through her head, as strong and clear as if he were standing in the room with her:
Do not touch that.
“Why?” Tem whispered aloud to the empty room, cradling her hand against her chest. It still throbbed with his energy.
Because it does not belong to you.
His voice was so angry, she wanted to cry. Too late, Tem realized what she had been reaching for. Without warning, Caspen’s mind overtook hers, and she saw a horrible montage of war: basilisks against humans, battles fought deep within the caves, the eventual near extinction of Caspen’s entire family. Tem felt devastation and didn’t know whether it was his or hers.
I’m so sorry, she thought, but Caspen was already gone. Her mind was empty, the claw suddenly cold. She stared at the skull numbly, wondering how humans could be so cruel. She couldn’t get the images out of her head-so much blood, so much death. Both sides had suffered, but it was clear the basilisks had sustained far greater losses. It was just like the painting she had seen downstairs.
Tem was just about to try to call Caspen back when she heard “Looking for something?”
Tem whipped around.
A young man stood in the doorway, staring at her. He leaned against the doorframe, his angular face cocked to the side. His ice-blond hair was parted and slicked back, his sharp cheekbones catching the dim light of the candles. He wore a velvet suit of deep maroon, with a jeweled snake pinned to his lapel. There was a slim elegance to him that seemed vaguely familiar, and Tem realized he looked just like Lilly. They had the same thick hair, the same full lips.
So this was the prince.
She’d never seen the prince up close-he was always waving from a balcony or sitting in a carriage in a parade. He was quite tall, his head nearly brushing the doorway. Tem didn’t have an answer to his question, so she said the only thing she could think of.
“Is it real?”
The prince stepped into the room. “Is what real?”
Tem pointed at the skull. She wanted him to refute what Caspen had shown her. She wanted him to tell her it was merely a trinket-nothing more than plaster and clay.
Instead, he said, “What do you think?”
During her silence, he approached, stopping when he was standing beside her.
“You’re displeased,” he said quietly.
“No, I-” Tem started, but she had no idea how to finish. “I’m…just surprised.”
It was half the truth at least.
“I’d rather you didn’t lie to me,” the prince said. “Plenty of people do that already.”
She looked up at him in surprise. His honesty was making her uneasy. She figured the royals were well-mannered and careful with their words. She hadn’t expected him to speak so candidly.
Rather than reply, Tem simply looked at him, and he did the same.
His eyes lingered on the low cut of her dress, taking in the curves the clingy fabric had given her. The open hunger on the prince’s face was so different from anything she’d ever known from a man. Caspen’s desire for her was always masked-lurking just under the surface, hidden beneath a restrained facade of indifference. The prince’s face hid nothing, and Tem felt an odd thrill at the thought. Before she could help herself, she whispered, “You lost a bet.”