Page 56 of The Last Syphon

Shit.

Inara didn’t like this.

She studied the space closely. Inara wasn’t sure how she would be tested, but she was sure it had something to do with that fucking bridge.

Taking one step at a time, slowly, carefully, she inched forward. Once they reached the edge, Inara stopped and peered over.

Pure darkness.

Inara couldn’t see a fucking thing down there, and she suspected that if she were to throw a pebble down, she would not hear it reach the bottom.

A fall from this height would mean instant death. There was not a single doubt about it.

Dozens of eyes drilled into her back. Watching. Waiting. Eager to see what she would do.

What would she do?

Inara wasn’t sure.

Before she had the chance to think of much else, four men came barrelling through the door she and Felix had just entered, each armed with a sword.

Argh, fuck.

Well, there was really only one option, wasn’t there?

Felix was going to kill her.

“Cross the bridge,” Inara commanded, turning to face them fully.

“Are you fucking crazy?!” he barked out in outrage. “You know what’s going to happen!”

Yes. She did. “I know, but we have no choice. Get your ass over that bridge. Now.”

“Fates damnit!” He switched places so they were now standing back to back, Inara facing the soldiers and him facing the bridge. “You better fucking catch me,” he hissed over his shoulder.

“Have I ever not?”

Felix just grunted. He took a deep breath. Then another. Then another. The four soldiers stepped forward in unison, fanning out as they went. Felix took another breath.

Inara charged her magic. It sizzled, hot on her fingertips. “Move it.”

“Don’t rush me!” He licked his lips, nervously reaching for the ropes as he stepped out onto the first wooden plank. The bridge rocketed from side to side wildly. “Oh, Fates,” he whined.

Inara focused on the four hulking men closing in on her. She tracked them with a clear, focused gaze, her magic buzzing beneath her skin, desperate to be unleashed.

They were all dressed in the same loose, casual clothing; black cotton pants and red, long-sleeved shirts.

Inara split her focus between them and Felix. It would be difficult to keep her eyes on both, but she would try her hardest not to let anything slip through the cracks.

She raised her hands out to her sides, calling forth the magic that ran deep in her veins. Gold glowed from her palms. She pictured what she wanted in her mind, what she wanted her magic to do, and, like always, it obeyed.

Tendrils of gold wove outwards from the centres of her palms, slithering and moving like snakes, up and out to form two terrifying battle axes, one in each hand.

The crowd gasped. Larissa’s mouth dropped open. Prince Walder’s entire focus was on her.

Inara clutched the handles tightly in her grasp and raised her weapons.

Two guards stepped to the left, two to the right. She watched them carefully, assessing their movements.