Page 47 of The Last Syphon

He glared at Larissa. “By the way, you’ve got a bald spot right there.” He tapped the top of his head as he walked backwards.

Larissa gasped. Her hand shot up, frantically touching her hair, only to realise he was lying.

They turned, heading back towards the palace. “Why are we walking away right now? You could literally slice her in two.”

The idea was intriguing, and Inara couldn’t deny that she had, in fact, thought about it numerous times. Even pictured it. “Tempting, but I have something better planned.”

“Oo, do tell.”

“All in good time. Princess, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“What the fuck is her deal? She’s had it out for me from the moment we met, and I have no idea why.”

“I’ve known Larissa her whole life.” The princess glided at her side as if walking on air. There was no indication that she was suffering from the extreme heat like Inara was. Which was fucking crazy because those heavy, aristocratic robes could not have been a breezy attire to wear. “She was born in Arelia and has worked incredibly hard to get to the position she now holds. That is the only nice thing I have to say about her. She’s a bitter, jealous, hateful woman who does not like to be outshone by anyone and believes her status as Shielder to the Crowned Prince makes her better than everyone else. She sees other Shielders as her competition, not her friends.”

“If that’s how she treats her friends back there, I’d hate to see how she treats her enemies,” Felix commented. “Did you see that not-so-subtle dig she threw at that woman? What was her name? Na-Ri?”

Princess Phaedra’s lips pursed in distaste. “Yes. She does that quite frequently.”

“And she just takes it?” Inara asked, bewildered.

“If she wishes to remain in Larissa’s inner circle, she must. There is a certain hierarchy within the Shielders of Arelia. Larissa placed first in the Shielder Trials, as she does every year, and therefore, she holds a certain type of status among the others. Kronan knows more about it than I.”

All eyes turned to the brooding Shielder behind the princess.

The man said nothing.

Inara got the feeling he did not speak much.

“I think I can guess it.” Inara stopped and looked at the cackling group. Larissa and the twins were huddled together, laughing, smirking, and all but pointing in their direction. Na-Ri stood just outside their little circle, trying to be included, but the other women were not allowing a bar of it. “Na-Ri is on the lower power scale. Larissa permits her to be in her presence, but she makes it clear she’s doing her a favour. If she wants to remain in their group, she must cater to Larissa’s every whim.”

Kronan nodded ever so slightly.

“Na-Ri is also not from Arelia. She was born in the Borderlands,” the princess added.

Inara did not miss that bit of information. “Which village?”

“I do not know. She came, competed in the Shielder Trials a few years ago, and managed to secure a place, which in itself is a feat. Not everyone who competes is able to. Most end up returning home and trying again the following year. But Na-Ri scored last in the rankings. Couple that with where she is from, and⁠—”

“Larissa thinks she’s better than her.”

Princess Phaedra nodded grimly. “In every sense of the word.”

Inara already didn’t like the woman. That revelation just further verified she was right in her feelings. She’d come across her first con.

Bitchy, pretentious royals.

She was going to put her in her place and make sure everyone was around to watch it happen.

Kronan glanced upwards at the setting sun and took a step forward. He bent slightly to whisper something in the princess’s ear.

She nodded. “Nightfall is approaching. Are you hungry? Food will be served in the main dining hall soon. I can show you where it is?”

At that precise moment, Inara’s stomach grumbled embarrassingly loudly. She hadn’t realised how fast the day had gone. How long it had taken to fly from the Borderlands to Arelia. While on dragonback, it had felt like the blink of an eye.

“Yes. That would be great. Thank you.”