Page 176 of The Last Syphon

For the first time, Lady Niya spoke. “Very well, my Prince. A fair trial will be conducted.”

“This is lunacy!” Lord Villani screeched. “She cannot be allowed to remain in the kingdom! She will kill us all!”

Inara really fucking wanted to, that was for sure. But she didn’t have a death wish. If there was a path that would spare Felix, and maybe even her, she would take it.

“Might I suggest something?” Lord Odami stood, folding his hands in front of his body, one over the other. “It is only fair she be in suppression cuffs until the trial. That way, we can guarantee the kingdom’s safety, which I am sure we can all agree is the most important thing.”

Okay. No. Inara took it back. She would not take it. If suppression cuffs worked anything like the collar around Fraener’s neck, it would mean she wouldn’t have access to her magic.

“No,” Inara said immediately, shaking her head. “No way.”

Lord Villani smirked evilly. “If she will not wear them, we cannot guarantee the safety of our citizens. Therefore, she must be put to death at once. The protection of Arelia must come before all else.” That fucking smirk pissed her off. It was victorious. Triumphant. As if he’d won.

Prince Walder turned and stood in front of her, blocking out their view. She didn’t look at him, keeping her eyes plastered to the dragon on his breastplate.

“Inara.”

She still did not look. Anger bombarded her from all sides, and she clenched her jaw tightly. This was stupid. This whole thing was fucking stupid. Inara should just kill them all. She could do it and not even break a sweat. There was so much power around her, and the second she started taking it. they would all feel it. They would get weaker and weaker while she grew stronger and stronger, and then⁠—

“Inara,” he said again, this time softer. With…tenderness?

No. That was insane to think, and yet, she’d never heard her name uttered with such affection before.

She finally looked up.

Piercing violet eyes ensnared her, swirling with so much emotion it made her heart stop. “Trust me,” he whispered. His hand twitched at his side, almost as if he longed to touch her.

Indecision warred within her. She would be trusting him with not only her life, but also the life of someone she loved dearly.

Inara couldn’t see Felix. Prince Walder’s body blocked out everything behind him. She desperately wished to see her best friend’s face. See what he wanted her to do, even though she knew what he would want. He would want any path that prolonged her life because he loved her as much as she loved him.

“Trust me,” Prince Walder said again softly, filled with earnestness.

Frustration mounted.

The Dark Voice finally returned. You can’t trust anyone but yourself.

Inara didn’t believe that. In a world filled with violence, bloodshed, and prejudiced justice systems, one needed allies. Friends. People in their corner. People who would defend them. Protect them. Help them.

Inara wasn’t sure if that was Prince Walder yet. If he would break the very foundations of his being to help her.

But she hoped he would, and hope was much stronger than anything else in the realm.

With a begrudging sigh, she nodded once.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

The dungeon was not a nice place. Not that Inara had expected it to be. It was cold. Wet. Damp. A tiny space with barely enough room to walk in. Thick, metal bars in the shape of squares separated her cell from the ones beside her. Chains were bolted to the walls with dried blood coating the metal. A dense, bulky bench ran along one side—her bed, not that she would get an ounce of rest on that thing. It was far too hard to be even remotely comfortable.

It had been several hours since Inara had been brought down here, and at first, she’d been fine. Like any new environment, there were things to explore.

That lasted…Oh…about five minutes.

Inara had grown very bored very quickly, and now she had nothing to do but sit here with her raging thoughts pounding in her head every second. With her mind conjuring up every single scenario that could possibly happen, magnifying her anxiety tenfold.

Oh.

And Felix’s horrible singing.