Page 170 of The Last Syphon

There was denial first. Then refusal. Refusal to believe her words. Then confusion. Shock. And finally, acceptance. The prince didn’t entirely believe her, but he also didn’t entirely disbelieve her either.

She could take that.

“It explains why your people haven’t been coming back,” she said sadly. “The moment they went to investigate what was going on, the land drained them of all their magic. They died.”

“Where did the magic go?”

Inara had a theory about that. “To him.”

“What?” He blew out, frustrated.

“I think he needed their magic to break out of hibernation. Think about it. When the kingdoms came together all those years ago to defeat him, he would have been injured. What if, to save himself, he sank into the earth and went into a deep hibernation with his Guardian, and they all thought he’d just died? He would need time to recuperate. To heal. Every time someone or something came near Tolanaa, he subconsciously drained them of their life force in an effort to wake himself up, but it was never enough.”

“Until we got there,” he said, voice rough. “We woke him.”

Me, she thought to herself.

It wasn’t Prince Walder. It was her. For some reason, when she touched the ground, there was a pulse of power that washed over the land. Then, and only then, did the spectral energies below begin to move. She awoke him.

It was her fault. Inara wished she could say that. Tell him it wasn’t him at all, but that would beg more questions, and right now, she didn’t need any more questions.

“I’m only guessing here. I could be completely wrong.” Her hands trembled, and she squeezed them tightly to try to hide it. “Maybe the land really is just cursed. But I know I saw someone out there. I know it. And the pieces…They fit. We can hibernate, can’t we?”

He hesitated before nodding once grimly.

“So…it is possible then? It really could be him?” She couldn’t deny it. Inara had been secretly hoping he would tell her how idiotic she was being. That it was ludicrous to even think. Even utter. That there was no way such a thing was plausible. The Cursed King was dead. Inara had simply been so close to death’s door that it messed with her brain a little bit.

He did none of those things. Simply bowed his head once.

For the first time since Inara had truly processed this information, true terror filled her. It smothered her chest, and she had to gasp for breath.

This couldn’t be happening.

What were they going to do?

The Cursed King was a Syphon. A fucking Syphon. Last time, he had almost destroyed the entire realm, and it had taken all three kingdoms to put him down. And even then, it couldn’t be done.

He was here. Right now. And it was only them to stop them.

You can’t, though, can you? the Dark Voice uttered, its words ringing in her head. If you stop him, they’ll know what you are. They’ll kill you too.

They would, and Inara knew it without a shadow of a doubt. They were already talking of killing off other abilities. If she showed them what she was, they would schedule her day with the executioner. It wouldn’t matter that she was a Chosen. Syphons were outlawed. They would sacrifice Fraener to save themselves from the threat she posed.

Inara had never been so conflicted.

She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want Fraener to die with her. But what about Felix? Venerable Cias? Princess Phaedra?

Prince Walder?

Could she sacrifice all of them to save herself?

Could she do that?

Save herself, or save the realm?

How could she possibly make such a decision?

What makes you think you can even win? the Dark Voice taunted.