Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube

Here is a summary with spoilers for Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube

It’s been days of bliss for Tem. She is happily with Caspen, and the two have been taking their responsibilities as a royal couple very seriously. Their little bliss ends, however, when they receive a summons from Leo, the newly appointed King and, technically, still Tem’s husband. As Tem commanded, Leo went to find his true love, Evelyn, and she has taken a step back. But it is time to annul their marriage, so Tem goes to visit him for the first time. He seems off, and she doesn’t ask about Evelyn, though she wants to, especially when they have to visit his father in prison and he makes some pointed comments about Evelyn. With the annulment completed, Tem has to come to terms with not seeing Leo, though that quickly changes when he offers her and Caspen the chance to come to dinner once a week to strengthen relationships.

When Tem tells Caspen about this, he immediately says no, because the humans need to apologize or there needs to be some sort of retribution for what has happened to the basilisks. Caspen spends much of his time teaching Tem the ways of the basilisks, as she still has much to learn. On top of that, he encourages her to be more interactive with the others, not just him. Much of it still shocks her, especially given how sexual the basilisks are. One of these events is their version of a marriage, which they want anointed by her, their queen. She manages to complete what needs to be done.

Afterward, Caspen shares news that worries her. His mother died at the hands of his father because she fell in love with another man and slept with him. It broke their bond, and his father had no choice. This worries Tem, as she still feels she might have lingering feelings for Leo. After one such event, Tem is introduced to two of Caspen’s brothers, one of whom is named Apollo, who seems to have quite the eye for Tem. She is shocked to learn that if Caspen were ever to die, Apollo would have first rights to Tem’s hand in marriage, and it would be expected of her to accept. Just like that, Tem decides she will try to stay clear of Apollo.

After an intense week, she is happy to go to the human world to meet Leo and finally meet Evelyn. During the dinner, Evelyn shows hostility toward the two, complaining that there is no food because the basilisks no longer perform the bloodletting. Their kingdom is short on gold, and the village is suffering. Tem feels bad and offers herself for the bloodletting, but both Leo and Caspen refuse. She insists, sparking a fight with Caspen that lasts for days. During that time, Tem visits her old friend Gabe, who is running protests against Leo. To temporarily stop him, she invites him to the den during mating season. During that visit, Caspen and Tem briefly reconcile, and Caspen’s younger brother (Darien?) chooses a mate—Gabe.

One major issue for Tem during her time in the den is her ability to transform into her basilisk form. When she visits her parents, she talks to her father about it. He learns about the cresting and the bond between her and Leo. He explains that their bond was never fully completed through intimacy, and delaying it will make the transition harder. Tem cannot go back to Leo, as he has a new fiancée he loves, so she tries to put it out of her mind. Her resolve falters, however, when she attends her first bloodletting and Leo is present, and they share a moment together.

When she returns, Caspen is still angry about her decision to continue the bloodletting. Apollo is also present, and despite Tem wanting to avoid him, she begins to enjoy his company, though she refuses to sleep with him until she is ready. He offers to teach her how to petrify someone. After he teaches her, they share an intimate moment, and Tem returns to Caspen, who already knows what happened. He is upset about her petrifying, but they sleep together, and Tem fears it might be their last time for a long while.

The next morning, she wakes to find that she and Caspen cannot touch each other. They discover their marriage is being contested by another quiver, Rowe’s. There will now be a trial for Tem’s hand in marriage, involving Apollo, Rowe, Caspen, and a few others Tem chooses. After a fight and some sexual encounters, she is given an elixir to help her heart decide who is right for her. Before the event starts, Apollo is chosen by the Mother as the preferred winner, though this does not guarantee he will win.

The first contest is Rowe versus Caspen. Rowe uses an illegal move that injures Caspen, but Rowe still wins. Caspen cannot compete in the other rounds, though Tem can still choose him at the end. After an intense sexual competition, Tem drinks the elixir, and her heart is torn between Caspen and Leo. Apollo sees her struggle and harms her to remove all her love for Leo, forcing her to choose Caspen. Though Apollo’s actions erase her feelings for Leo, it leaves her with an unsettling emptiness.

She is happy to be back with Caspen, though things feel slightly off. Returning to the human world, Tem encounters Vera, an old enemy, who warns her that her husband should be cautious. A few days later, while lying with Caspen, they hear screams—a weasel has been sent into the den, killing many basilisks. Being half human, Tem is able to stop it, though many basilisks die.

As Leo and Evelyn’s wedding approaches, Caspen refuses to attend, believing the attack was orchestrated by Leo and other humans. Tem goes alone to confront Evelyn, accusing her of being selfish and only with Leo for money. On the wedding day, Tem notices tension between Evelyn and Leo and overhears villagers speak poorly of her. Leo defends her but mistakenly calls her “my wife.” During a private conversation, Tem reveals Evelyn’s true intentions. Leo tells her to leave and not attend the wedding.

Tem does not go, but she attends their weekly dinner alone. Evelyn is absent. Leo wants to apologize for his people, so Tem takes him to a council meeting where he does so. The quiver begins questioning Tem’s loyalty if she maintains ties to the king. Things turn hostile, and Caspen urges Tem to sleep with him. Leo consents, but Tem warns Caspen that he would have to kill her if they follow through. Caspen leaves, and Tem finally bonds with Leo, sleeping together and rekindling her love for him.

Their renewed love is interrupted when Apollo warns that Rowe and Caspen are both coming to kill her. She asks for Apollo’s help, and the fight escalates. Because she slept with Leo, Tem can transform into a basilisk. As Caspen intervenes, Apollo kills his own brother, Caspen. Tem is devastated, holding Caspen as he dies. Apollo had promised Caspen he would protect Tem if necessary. With Caspen gone, Tem’s half-basilisk nature disappears, leaving her fully human.

Leo advises Tem to stay in the den and take time to process everything. She attends Caspen’s funeral and says her goodbyes to Apollo. Before leaving, Apollo relinquishes his claim to her hand, allowing her a clean break from the basilisks. Apollo becomes king and establishes a new safe haven for the basilisks away from humans. Tem returns to Leo, and they are quickly married, though she still often thinks of Caspen. One day, Leo gives her letters he wrote while with Evelyn. The top letter is from Caspen, expressing regret for pushing her too hard, acknowledging mistakes, but cherishing the time they shared. Reading these, Tem realizes that even while with Evelyn, Leo could never stop thinking about her.