Page 167 of The Last Syphon

He nodded and ran forward, raising his arms. Half a dozen people floated in the air with a frightened screech. He manoeuvred them onto Fraener’s back, placing them down softly. Another six rose, but this time, he sent them speeding to Tydus, putting them on his back.

He finished quickly, and the villagers were safely on Fraener and Tydus, spread out between them.

“Go,” she whispered. “Get them out, and then I’ll drop the shield.”

“What about you?”

“Fraener will get me. Go.” She dropped to one knee. Darkness danced at the edge of her vision. She was going to pass out. “Go,” she whispered.

He grimaced, indecision warring on his face.

Fraener rose slowly. The villagers on his back shrieked and screamed, clutching anything they could get their hands on. He jumped and pumped his wings hard, rising into the air.

“Go!” she screamed at Prince Walder, and it spurred him into action. He ran towards Tydus and sent a pulse of magic into the ground. He flew upwards, using his hands to steer himself onto Tydus’s back.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry,” Inara chanted to herself. She couldn’t drop the shield until they were clear. Otherwise, the rot would get them.

Tydus rose up and up and up, passing out of Inara’s shield.

Fraener flew in a circle, gaining momentum and then sped down towards her.

Seconds ticked by, but they felt like a lifespan. Inara screamed out her frustration and pain at the top of her lungs.

YOU. WILL. NOT. WIN!

Fraener plucked her off her feet, and her entire body sagged. Her shield disappeared. The darkness shot forward, reaching for her with an almost outstretched hand. The dragon pumped his wings harder, rising up higher into the air, urgency in every movement, desperation flowing from him right into her.

The darkness strained, brushing against her cheek and then fell away, no longer able to reach her.

Relief filled her chest as they soared upwards, leaving the darkened land behind.

They made it.

Fraener gently switched her to his other paw, lowering her fragile body ever so softly into his wide open palm while he flew them all away to safety. Inara couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Her limbs dangled between the open spaces of his claws. They felt…so heavy. Her head lolled off to the side. She didn’t even have the strength to lift it. All she could do was lie there, staring at the destruction below her.

Black, rotting land consumed everything as far as the eye could see. From here to the horizon. Wind battered her, but she did not have an ounce of strength to fight against it. Her eyelids grew unbearably heavy. Sleep called to her and she welcomed it. All she wanted to do was rest.

It was as her eyes drifted closed that she saw him. A lone figure, standing amongst the darkness. He was too far away for Inara to see any of his features. Just the outline of his body, and yet, Inara somehow knew he was staring right at her.

The last thing she felt before slipping into unconsciousness was this deep, overwhelming sense of dread.

What have I done?

When Inara awoke, she didn’t know where she was, just that she was…safe. She was outside. That much, she knew. Stars glittered above her in the pitch-black sky. How much time had passed? Warmth surrounded her body. Fraener was curled around her, not only his body heat strengthening her, but also the constant stream of magic he pumped down the soul-link. It rejuvenated her. Helped replace the energy she’d lost—that was taken from her.

How strange it all was.

Inara had lived her whole life aware of the devastating effects of her powers. But knowing and experiencing were two very different things. As she stood there before Ravagen, trying desperately to keep that horrible magic at bay, her power being sucked out of her…she’d never felt so fucking powerless.

Is that what it felt like for all those she’d drawn power from?

Inara didn’t feel too bad. She only ever used her syphon power when it was life or death. Kill or be killed. Anyone she used it on deserved it ten times over.

Still…The fear they must have felt in their final moments, not being able to do a damn thing to stop her.

Movement to Inara’s left caught her attention, and she turned her head. Even that small action caused pain to shoot down her neck. Ugh. She was still so fucking exhausted. Magic drainage was no joke.

There was a fire. Orange flames danced before her, tiny embers flickering and crackling into the air. Prince Walder sat beside it, his head down, elbows braced on his bent knees, fingers interlocked.