Kiss of the Basilisk (Split or Swallow, #1)

by Lindsay Straube

“You hold the stars in your hands,” her mother had always said, rubbing Tem’s fingers between hers. “Just like your father.”

When she finally slept, she dreamed of fire. It didn’t burn her. Rather, it warmed her gently, from the tips of her toes to the base of her skull. The fire felt familiar somehow, as if it were sent by someone she had known a long time ago. Flames licked her fingers, her palms, her arms. A single breath brushed her cheek. Then it was over.

If what he said was true, it meant that Caspen was the Serpent King: the legendary basilisk whose power was far superior to all the others. His reputation was exemplary in the village; people talked about him like he was a god. Tem had the most coveted teacher.

“Like I said, it will connect us. I can make it…pulse.”

“Pulse?” He smiled, and she melted. “When it pulses, you will know I am thinking of you.”

They stared at each other for a long moment. His next words were barely a whisper. “You are not meant to be tamed, Tem.”

“I hate that you have this much power over me.” To her surprise, he laughed. “What’s so funny?” His grin only widened. “Of the two of us, I am not the one with the power, Tem.”

“Am I not allowed to protect you?” he murmured. “You are,” she murmured back. “I just didn’t realize you wanted to.” Caspen held her gaze. “Protecting you is only the beginning of what I want to do.”

He wanted her more than life itself because a life without her wasn’t one he cared to live.

“This is not just a necklace,” he said softly. “Then what is it?” Caspen paused, his fingers stroking the charm. “It is…a gesture of intent.” Tem frowned. “Intent to what?” His eyes found hers. “To marry you.”

“Temptation, salvation, heaven, hell—you are everything, Tem. You are my undoing. You are beyond comprehension. There are no sufficient words to describe you, either in my language or yours.” His hands moved to her face, cupping her jaw. “My compass points to you. I could not change direction even if I wanted to.”

Her path may not have been a conventional one, but it was hers, and she wouldn’t trade it for anyone else’s.