Page 72 of The Last Syphon

“And if we get caught?” Inara was well aware of the punishment for stealing in Arelia. That wasn’t what concerned her. Stealing a book on syphon magic would come with questions, like the why, and that was a dangerous question.

Felix looked at her, affronted. “We have never been caught before. Why the fuck would that start now?”

True.

He knelt in front of her. “We can do this, Inara. Think about it like any other job. Ignore the stakes. Ignore the consequences. Just focus on the job, and that book will be ours.”

His belief in them fuelled her own. Some of the fear and worry that had been taking over abated, replaced with determination. “You’re right—ah!” Inara grasped her chest as a barrage of different emotions hit her all at once. The brand on her arm flashed and pulsed red before disappearing from her skin altogether.

Her soul-link. It was back.

A devastating roar hit the air. Inara’s gaze whipped to the balcony doors.

Felix laughed. “Chompers is back.”

The overwhelming feelings of anxiety and fear disappeared almost instantly. Inara got to her feet and ran to the balcony, flinging the doors open.

Fraener’s ginormous face greeted her. An immense sense of relief hit her. He hovered easily in the air, his wings flapping up and down slowly to keep him at eye level with her room. The sky was dark, the wind freezing. Lights from the city shimmered in the distance behind him. It was such a magical sight. Inara could not help but take a mental picture so she would always remember it.

“Fraener,” she blew out lovingly. Reaching out, she ran her hand up his long snout. “I missed you.”

He trilled, a deep, comforting sound in the back of his throat that instantly brought a sense of peace to her soul.

During the trials, she had been far too preoccupied to think much of the ache in her chest where Fraener’s presence was meant to be. And then afterwards, with the news that she would have to guard the Crowned Prince and the conversation with Felix about her syphon power, she hadn’t had much time to dwell on it. In fact, she had almost forgotten about it entirely. But the moment the soul-link returned, it was as if part of her soul had returned with it.

“I won. I fucking won. Can you believe it?”

His mind brushed against hers. Pictures flashed in her head—images from the trials. Fraener searched her memories to watch it for himself before pulling back. His body morphed into his miniature version, and then he shot forward, slamming into her.

Inara laughed, binding her arms around the tiny dragon. Fraener squeaked and squawked, crawling up and down her body with so much excitement he could not remain still. It tickled, making her laugh harder.

A flash of anger hit her, followed by a sense of longing.

Inara understood the emotions loud and clear.

“I know, I know. Having the soul-link blocked sucked. Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”

He blew a stream of fire towards her face as if to say, It better fucking not.

“Hey!” She chastised, throwing him off her.

Humour trickled down their soul-link, and Fraener took flight, soaring around the room.

Oh, how she had missed him.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Knock, knock.

Inara groaned, her gaze sliding to the door. “What now?” She made her way over to the front of the room. Feeling both mentally and physically drained, she did not have the energy to deal with anything else. All she wanted to do was rest⁠—

“Hi.” Standing in the hall was Princess Phaedra, Kronan but a step behind.

Inara’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t feel like talking.”

“Please!”

She began to close the door.