Page 52 of The Last Syphon

Inara sat back down. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Fraener came over and curled up in her lap. The soul-link pulsed, and a warm, soothing feeling filled her body. She instantly calmed down.

“Little testy there, Inara. What was all that about?” Felix whispered.

She picked up her glass and took a sip. The water was cool and refreshing. “What do you mean?”

“You have pretty good survival skills. Standing up to him like that? Not exactly smart.”

If Felix was telling her that, then he was probably right. “I just don’t like him. I don’t like the way he was willing to just destroy an entire village for what he perceived as a grievance. It’s not right.”

“True. But he’s also the Crowned Prince of Arelia. You have to be more cautious.”

Inara sighed. “Okay. I’ll rein it in.”

He nodded and turned his attention back to Princess Phaedra. “Okay. Back to the trials. What else can you tell us?”

Kronan pushed her chair back in as she took her seat once again, and Princess Phaedra went into a few more details about what was to be expected. Considering the trials began on the morrow, there was not much time to prepare, but Inara was fine with that. She didn’t need it. The princess graciously offered to handle the sign ups for her. She would make sure their name was added to the list of participants without any questions being asked.

“What happens if she wins?”

“If?” Inara asked, affronted.

“When. When she wins.” Felix corrected.

“As I said, competitors are scored on how well they do, and those scores are reflective of who they will be assigned as a Charge for the next year.”

“And who are the Charges?” Inara ran her fingers delicately down Fraener’s spiky back. The Guardian yawned, stretched, and burrowed further into her lap.

“The High Council and royal families. Their royal status determines which Shielder they will be assigned.”

Inara could put two and two together. “So, the most important Charge will go to the Shielder who places first?”

She nodded. “Correct.”

“The king?” Felix breathed out. “I heard no one has seen him in years.” He was absently picking at what little food remained on his plate. Several Guardians in their miniature forms had flown overhead, attempting to steal some of it, and he’d had to shoo them away.

“Not the king,” Princess Phaedra quickly rushed out. “He—My father—” Her voice cracked, and she looked down, avoiding their eyes. Kronan placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. His face did not change. It was still hard and stoic, and very don’t fuck with me, but his eyes…Inara could have sworn his eyes softened the slightest bit. “My father’s Shielder does not change. If you place first, you will be assigned to my brother.”

Oh, Fates fucking no. That was enough to make Inara pull out of the whole thing.

“Do I have to?”

The princess frowned. “Have to what?”

“Have to accept. Can I not compete, and when I win, just say, ‘No, thanks,’ and go back to just being a Chosen? I’m not competing to become someone’s personal Shielder. I’m competing to show them that just because I’m from the Borderlands, it does not mean I am inferior. And, well, to rub it in Larissa’s stupid face.”

“Uh…Well—” The princess’s words trailed off as her mind began to wander. Her eyes lit up, and the tiniest, most minuscule smile pulled at her lips. “Yes. You can do that.”

Kronan looked down at her and frowned slightly.

Relief filled Inara’s chest. “Okay. Good.” She clapped her hands together. “Sign me the fuck up.”

CHAPTER TEN

Inara jumped up and down on the spot, her adrenaline soaring. All day, she’d stood there, agonisingly waiting for her turn. For her trial to commence. She’d watched Shielder after Shielder disappear into the arena with their Charge, the nerves just building and building.

Although Inara was confident in herself and what she could do, there was still trepidation curling down her spine, not knowing whether she would pass or fail. The uncertainty of what exactly lay ahead.

Competitors of the Shielder Trials were prohibited from watching each other’s trials until they had taken their turn, and by some cruel twist of fate, Inara was last.