Page 168 of The Last Syphon

Inara studied him. The harsh, deep lines of his face. The shadows moving across his jaw. He looked…tired. She wondered how long he’d been sitting there.

As if sensing her eyes on him, he looked up, bright, glowing violet orbs locking on her. They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them saying anything. Not with words anyway. No. It was all in the expressions. Relief flashed across his face at seeing her finally awake, and she already knew the same emotion was mirrored on hers. Inara had felt it the second she’d laid eyes on him and seen that he was okay. That he’d made it out too.

“You’re awake.” The prince didn’t move, staying exactly where he was, that piercing gaze never wavering. “How do you feel?”

“Like shit.” Her voice was hoarse. Rough. She needed water.

Prince Walder rose, picking up a leather canteen. He dropped to one knee beside her and offered it to her.

Inara eagerly took it, drinking the whole thing in one go. “Thank you.” She breathed out, giving it back to him.

He placed it on the ground at his feet and nodded in acknowledgement.

“How long have I been out?”

“Only a few hours. Fraener has slowly been healing you and replenishing your magic. Without him, you would have died.”

Yeah, she believed that.

Limbs shaking, Inara sat up, every part of her body groaning in protest at the movement. Curses.

Inara’s gaze wandered their surroundings, and she instantly recognised where they were. They were home, in Deadhaven.

Another round of relief exploded in her chest. The darkness had not gone that far.

Not yet, the Dark Voice whispered in her head.

One fucking problem at a time.

Fraener’s head was curled around so it was snuggled into her left side. His eyes were closed. Inara sensed he was resting, and she didn’t want to interrupt or wake him. He needed rest just as much as she did. Even more so, now that he’d been expending his own energy to keep her alive.

“Have you been sitting here the whole time?” she asked.

He shrugged. “It wasn’t that long.”

“Don’t tell me you were worried about me, Overlord.” She chuckled, and then groaned, clutching her chest.

He scowled sternly. “Don’t make yourself laugh.”

“But I love to laugh.” She might listen to him, though. It fucking hurt.

Violet eyes studied her closely. He focused entirely on her, his gaze softening just a touch. His hand rose, as if entranced, and he slowly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, the tip of his finger grazing her cheek. “I am glad you are not harmed,” he whispered.

Inara sucked in a sharp breath at the contact. Prince Walder’s eyes moved to her lips at the sound and held. She didn’t want to move an inch, afraid that any movement would break whatever spell had overcome him.

He swallowed thickly then, as if it pained him, pulled back, clearing his throat.

Holy Fates.

“Did, uh…Did everyone make it?” she asked, desperate to fill the silence.

Prince Walder nodded. He was fully composed again. Whatever had taken over him was gone, like it had never been there to begin with. “They’re a little shaken up, as to be expected, but they all made it.”

That was a relief. “No one fell off midflight?” She joked, but there was also a hint of concern lying beneath her words.

“No. The Guardians flew very carefully and did not jump.”

“Good. That’s good.” It had been a fear of hers. Riding horseback was hard enough, but on a dragon—especially when most had never even been that close to a dragon before, let alone ride one—she had feared there would be casualties.