Page 134 of The Last Syphon

Well, Inara couldn’t really argue with that, could she?

They put their belongings in a pile off to the side of the field. A small crowd had started to form around them, eager for the game to begin. Thaso watched curiously as Prince Walder removed the belt around his waist containing his swords and added them to the top of the pile.

“Impressive weaponry,” he commented, eyeing them.

Inara snorted a laugh. There was a joke in there somewhere. She was sure of it.

“That’s the Crowned Family’s sigil on the hilt. You work for our illustrious reigning monarch?”

“Something to that effect,” was all Prince Walder replied with.

Thaso’s gaze snagged on the ring on the prince’s finger, and his face paled. “You’re…Fuck…You’re⁠—”

“You’re the prince,” a sweet little voice interrupted. Inara looked behind Prince Walder to see a little girl standing there, no older than five, and she had a stuffed animal clutched in her grasp. Thick, wavy blonde hair sat on top of her head, and she wore a long white tunic with no shoes.

Prince Walder turned to face her. “Am I?” he asked, voice soft and playful.

Inara had never heard his voice like that before.

“Uh-huh. My daddy works in the palace. I see you there sometimes. You sit in that big chair in the hall. I tried to sit in it once, but my daddy told me not to.”

The faintest traces of a smile graced his lips. “You should listen to your father.”

An older woman joined their circle, causing Thaso to stiffen. “Well, I guess we found our sixth player.” The woman was short and bulky, as if she’d worked every day of her life doing manual labour and grown a considerable amount of muscle because of it.

“Now, hang on a second, Billie. I’m the one that brought them in. That means I get first choice,” Thaso rushed out.

“We’ll flip for it.” She dug a bronze coin out of her pocket, flicking it into the air. “Call it.”

“No, I’m not calling it—heads! No, tails! Heads!”

Billie caught the coin in her palm and flipped it, slapping it onto the top of her hand. Slowly, she lifted her fingers. She smiled. “Tails. Looks like he’s mine, Thay-os.”

Inara narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t like what the other woman had said.

He ground his teeth together. “My name is Thaso, and you know it.”

“Whatever.” She shrugged. “Your name doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we’re going to win. Again. Come with me, please, Your Highness.” She went to grab Prince Walder’s hand, and he immediately pulled back, snatching it out of her reach. She placed her palms out in a form of surrender. “Don’t like to be touched. Got it. You’re on our team. Has dimwit explained the rules to you?” Billie asked as she led him away to join the four other people waiting at their end of the field.

“Curse it,” Thaso hissed, kicking at the grass.

“What’s the big deal? Neither one of us has played the game before. We’re both a disadvantage to have. What does it matter that she has him on her team?”

“Because he’s the Crowned Prince.”

Inara blinked. “And?”

“And—” he spluttered. “She knows none of us would dare hurt him. Which means he’s going to run that ball every damn play and score because who the fuck wants to be responsible for injuring the Heir to Arelia?”

Her arm shot up. “Me!” She shook her hand furiously. “Oh, me, me, me. Please pick me.”

“You’re volunteering?”

Fuck yeah, she was. Everyone else might have been terrified to hurt him, but she wasn’t. The man needed to be brought down a peg in her opinion.

“She’s crazy. I like her.” An older man joined them, giving her a friendly smile. At his back were three more people. Another man, a woman, and a young boy around twelve, if Inara had to guess. “I’m Feario. This is my son, Ky”—he pointed to the older man—“my daughter, Pria, and my youngest, Eli. You’ve already met my oldest, Thaso. Welcome to the team.”

Inara nodded in greeting. “Family team?”