Page 53 of The Last Syphon

Fucking last.

Perhaps it was because she had only signed up the night before. Who knew. But it meant all day—all fucking day—she’d been stuck in the catacombs that ran deep beneath the city, eagerly but also nervously awaiting her turn.

Felix was only a few paces away from her, stretching out his body. He was crouched, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, eyes hard, mind focused.

Like Inara, he had something to prove to the Arelians. That even though they were Border Rats, they were just as good as anybody else in the kingdom, and they shouldn’t have been judged based on where they came from.

This was the perfect way to do that.

Inara blew out a steady breath as she stretched her arms above her head, first left, then right. Her eyes never left the stone double doors ahead of her. Two Arelian guards stood on either side, each holding a spear in their hand.

The sound of a roaring crowd echoed from above, so loud that Inara could hear it through the thick, impenetrable walls. Princess Phaedra had explained that this was the event of the year, and nearly everyone in Arelia came out to watch the trials take place. This included the High Council and the Crowned Prince. Inara had never had so many watchful eyes upon her before, and all she could do was hope it would not make her a complete mess and screw up from nerves.

It also meant she couldn’t tap into her syphon ability. It would be far too risky, especially with the Commander of The Arelian Army watching on.

Oh, she could not wait to see the look on his face when he saw her. As per the Guardian Schedule she had received earlier that morn, she was to report to the High Council’s chambers for her first assignment detail.

She was not sure what repercussions awaited her for defying a direct command from the High Council—her first command, no less. But whatever consequence awaited her, Inara would happily pay it for the chance to show that bitch, Larissa, what she was capable of. What she could really do. To make that woman eat her fucking words.

“Three-minute warning,” one of the guards barked out gruffly.

A rush of adrenaline hit her body. Inara cracked her neck. She scratched the symbol marked on the inside of her forearm. The dull ache in her chest was her constant reminder of what it represented. What it was doing; blurring her connection to Fraener. She didn’t want to be accused of having an unfair advantage during the trials, and that was the only reason she had allowed the Brander to do it. That, and the fact it wasn’t permanent.

“You ready?” she asked Felix, looking over her shoulder.

Her best friend did one final stretch before standing upright. “Ready, ready.”

Inara nodded. She didn’t feel the need to ask anything else. Although this was the first time they had ever competed in a trial or competition like this, they’d been in situations like it before. Danger. Uncertainty. It was an almost daily occurrence for them—something they were used to. Something that was almost as easy as breathing for them.

Inara was confident they could handle anything Arelia threw their way, as long as she did not allow her nerves to take root.

Inara had a little bit of performance anxiety when she was being watched.

The stone double doors scratched across the ground as they slowly swung open. Darkness awaited her. A cold sense of dread shivered down her spine.

She ignored it.

Inara looked at the guards. Neither made a move or any indication that their trial had begun. They just stared at them and waited.

The weight of Felix’s hand landed on her shoulder. Inara took another deep, steadying breath, letting the air fill her lungs and calm her.

She could do this. She could fucking do this.

Confidence, Tempest. Confidence. You’re the baddest motherfucker here.

She didn’t entirely believe that, but she needed the pep talk.

Felix tapped her shoulder twice, signalling he was ready to move.

In perfect synchronisation, Inara and Felix lowered their centre of gravity, crouching slightly, and moved forward inch by inch.

Shadows moved around her. Clung over her skin. Danced over her eyes. The stone doors slammed shut behind her. Inara didn’t jump, didn’t panic. The constant pressure of Felix’s hand on her shoulder helped to ground her. Keep her focused. Centred.

Inara counted to five in her head, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. After a few moments, a door came into view. Standard size. Roughly fifteen paces ahead. She took her steps slowly, with measure.

Although Inara was fairly certain there was no one else with them, she used her syphon sight to scan the room. It was an extension of her syphon power, giving her the ability to see people and creatures’ energies in spectral form. It was a great way to assess exactly what they would be walking into, and since it was an ability no one else could see, it came with zero risk.

As she had suspected, it was just Felix and her.