Page 25 of The Last Syphon

Fates. If he was that powerful from one small blast, Inara wondered what a full-on attack would feel like.

Not good.

“I didn’t steal him,” she repeated, keeping her voice strong despite the fear running deep in her bones. “He chose me.”

“I don’t believe you.” The temperature dropped. It shouldn’t have been possible in the middle of the fucking desert, but it suddenly became unbearably cold. He raised his hands. Shards of ice shot out of his palms and smashed into her shield. Tension crashed down on her with a force so strong she felt it everywhere, squeezing her brain, her body, her fucking soul.

Inara gritted her teeth at the onslaught. Her syphon power rose up within her, demanding to put an end to it, and she was inclined to listen, even though she knew she shouldn’t.

It would be so fucking easy to listen to it. To let it take over.

Rationality won out in the end, though. There were too many eyes. Too many people watching, to risk it.

But she had to do something. The pressure…It was getting too harsh. Too intense. Almost unbearable. He was too strong. She wouldn’t be able to hold him off if he kept it up, which, based on what she’d glimpsed in her syphon sight, he would be able to do for a lot longer than she could.

Darkness danced at the edge of her vision. A pounding started in her head, right behind her eyes. Thump. Thump. Thump. Inara knew what would come next. She could already begin to feel it as her blood, bubbling and oozing, looked for a way to escape.

Pure power shot down the soul-link. It exploded through her body, washing over her like a tidal wave. Her shield strengthened, flaring brighter. The pain subsided. The struggle stopped. The pressure eased.

Fucking Fates.

The perks of being a Chosen just kept getting better and better. No wonder the Crowned Family were pissed she had taken Fraener. They’d want to keep his power to themselves.

The attack ceased. Harsh, violet eyes narrowed on Inara. The Crowned Prince’s gaze slowly moved, running leisurely over the wide expanse of her shield, studying it intently before returning to her. “You can not keep it up forever.” His words were layered deep in threat. In warning. And even though she had only just met him, Inara knew and understood what he was saying without the words being uttered.

He would wait her out for however long it took. He would bombard her shield over and over again until it fell apart.

He didn’t know it, but she could, in fact, make it last forever. She could use his own power against him and boost her shield indefinitely. There was no way to do that without exposing herself, though.

If it were just her, she might have risked it all. She might have drained him and his army dry of all their power until their bodies turned to dust, fluttering in the wind.

But, it wasn’t only her. Inara had an entire village behind her, looking to her to protect them, and they would all be killed for harbouring a Syphon, even if it was unbeknownst to them.

“What do you want?” She almost snarled, her anger rising along with the dark magic inside her.

Just do it, the Dark Voice whispered. Just take it all.

“You’re stronger than it is. It doesn’t control you. You control it.” Her mother’s voice echoed in her head, combating it.

Inara pushed the darkness back.

“Return that which you have stolen, and I will leave this place and its residents peacefully.”

Fury beat in her head. Fraener roared, his wings flaring out wide. Several of the villagers cowered in fear. Even some of the Arelian Army, too.

Inara swallowed thickly and raised her voice. “Even if I wanted to, he would never allow it.”

A barely noticeable frown marred the Crowned Prince’s brows. His eyes glazed over slightly, flaring orange before returning to that bright violet. He looked back at his own dragon for a moment, and then back to her.

“Impossible,” he whispered under his breath. “You are its Chosen?”

That’s what I said before, Prince Pompous Prick.

She chose to ignore the outrage of his tone, even if it was slightly offensive.

“My people have done nothing,” she said, sitting taller. If Inara could have, she would have risen into the air like he had to get her fucking point across. She didn’t know how to do that.

Yet.