Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

The young king tried to speak, but his tongue seemed to ________ the roof of his mouth, and his lips refused to move.

cleave to

The correct option to fill in the blank is cleave to.

The verb "cleave" means "to stick or adhere firmly to something". It is the most accurate word to describe the tongue of the young king sticking to the roof of his mouth.

The other options are incorrect.

• Divide to means "to separate or split into parts". It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because the tongue is not separating or splitting into parts.
• Link to means "to connect or join something to something else". It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because the tongue is not connecting or joining to something else.
• Leave to means "to allow or permit something to happen". It is not the correct word to use in this sentence because the tongue is not allowing or permitting something to happen.