Page 98 of The Last Syphon

Once he was fully dressed, Inara spun to face him, keeping her legs crossed. “What was that thing, anyway?”

He paused in strapping a sword to his waist, brow arched high. His eyes flicked down and back up again quickly, his gaze questioning.

“Fates, not that! I know what…that is. I meant the thing Fraener did in the sky. The thing that made me throw up all over your head.”

The prince grunted. “It’s called jumping,” he began, resuming his movements. “It’s a skill all Guardians of Arelia possess, and it allows for great manoeuvrability whilst in the air.”

“Does it work similarly to a Transporter?”

“Somewhat. However, they cannot travel such vast distances. Only a few hundred feet or so.”

How fascinating.

“Is it something we have access to?” The possibilities of such an ability were endless. Inara would be able to sneak in and out of places far more easily with that at her disposal.

He answered her question by disappearing, reappearing not even a step to his left.

She leapt to her feet, excitement flooding her body. “Teach me.”

Inara wasn’t a mind reader, but she didn’t need to be to know what he was thinking. It was written all over his face.

“Your connection is far too new to even attempt it. It will take time before you are able to access any of your Guardian’s powers, let alone the ability to jump.”

She scratched her crinkled nose. “But I did the eye thing.”

“The…eye thing?” He frowned.

“Yeah. You know, your eyes get hot, burning hot, and then your vision changes.”

“You accessed his sight?” he asked, surprised.

“Quite a few times.” She barely restrained herself from flipping her hair over her shoulder in a show of smugness.

He shook his head. “That shouldn’t be possible. You’ve only been linked for just over a week.”

“Well, what can I say?” She shrugged, a smirk on her lips. “I excel in everything I do.”

He studied her intently, eyes slightly narrowed in thought. “It is not easy,” he said slowly, continuing to watch her with a gaze that put her a little on edge. “It requires an immense amount of concentration.”

“I can concentrate.”

Prince Walder snorted. He finally finished re-arming himself and turned to face her fully. A silence settled between them, but it didn’t feel awkward to Inara. She had long gotten used to the silences that often fell in his presence. A lot of it she assumed was because people were afraid to talk to him. He didn’t exactly scream, approachable, and it was very easy to tell he much preferred it that way.

“So?” she questioned, barely able to stand still at the prospect of learning the ability. “Can you tell me how you do it?” She was giddy with anticipation.

“I am not an Instructor.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“An Instructor is someone who educates others on special abilities. They’re uniquely qualified for the position because they are not only knowledgeable, but also patient. Something I am not.”

“Knowledgeable?”

He glared. “Patient.”

“Ah.” She smiled. “My mistake.” She stretched her arms above her head, a tight ache forming in her muscles. The movement caused her shirt to rise, exposing the skin of her lower abdomen.

Prince Walder’s eyes moved, almost involuntarily downwards, and his jaw clenched.