Page 139 of The Last Syphon

He was staring at her, and Inara wasn’t sure what to say until a conversation back in his office came to her mind. “I told you I was the most powerful being in the realm.”

His gaze moved over her face slowly, as if committing every detail to memory. “Yes. You are.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Inara opened the door to her bedchamber, wincing at the creak echoing into the air. She froze, staring into the darkness, waiting to see if she had awoken Felix. Seconds ticked by with no movement. Breathing out a small sigh of relief, she squeezed through the door and quietly shut it behind her.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Furniture slowly came into focus, and she inched forward, creeping on the tips of her toes.

Inara hadn’t planned to stay out as late as she had. It was a few hours until morn. She was exhausted. Covered in mud and dirt. Her hair was a mess. She could feel sludge in between her toes…

And truthfully? She had never been happier, as weird as that sounded.

Apart from the whole almost dying thing at the ball, the night had been good. Almost rejuvenating for her soul.

The markets had an amazing atmosphere, and the game afterwards had been just pure carnage. The type of carnage that Inara thoroughly enjoyed. It was fun. Entertaining. A complete and total rush.

And also…confusing.

Was she imagining things, or did Prince Walder look at her differently? As if he…liked her?

No. Surely not.

The idea of Inara and Prince Walder was laughable. Impossible. Fucking out of this realm.

And yet, that same idea made her heart race faster than it ever had before. The way the prince stared into her eyes as if he could see every thought that had ever entered her mind. As if he could see…her. Who she really was, deep inside. Not the facade she put up for other people.

It was crazy. The whole thing was utterly crazy, and if she were smart, she would banish that idea back to the abyss where it had come from.

But Inara never said she was smart, did she?

Her eyes flicked to the bathroom off to the side. She needed to shower and wash away the entire night and all these confusing feelings along with it.

She took one step in that direction and froze at the sudden sound of her best friend’s voice.

“And where have you been all night?”

A bright, blinding light flooded the room, and Inara cringed, shying away from it. Felix sat in a chair in the corner of the room, his hand on the cord attached to a lamp. He sat with his legs folded over one another, her robe draped across his body.

Her mouth bobbed open, not a single sound coming out.

“I have been worried sick about you all night, young lady.” He chastised. Felix took in her dishevelled appearance and frowned. “What the Fates happened to you?”

She hadn’t caught a look at her reflection, but she could only imagine how she looked.

“I can explain,” she started.

“Can you?” He flowed to his feet in one elegant move and popped his hands on his hips. “Well, I’d love to hear it.”

The words still escaped her. “Have you been waiting up for me all night?”

“I said I’d meet you back in the room. Imagine my surprise when hours went by, and you still had not returned.”

“I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“I was worried at the start.” He nodded in acknowledgement. “But then Chompers returned, and he didn’t seem remotely distressed by your absence, so I figured you were okay.”

“I just…lost track of time.”