Page 66 of The Last Syphon

One.

He scored her a fucking one.

Asshole.

“That’s bullshit!” Felix thundered.

Of course, she had expected a low result, but a fucking one? That was the kind of score one got for just participating. There was no way she deserved that.

Based on the uproar that broke out across the crowd, they agreed too. Even a few of the High Council members cut Lord Villani disappointed looks, as if they, too, knew why he had graded her so low.

It took a while to settle the mob down. When things finally calmed, both Lord Julius and Lord Odami scored her a seven.

That left only⁠—

“Crowned Prince Walder, please reveal your score.”

Inara’s heart stopped. The arena became deathly silent. She looked down, staring at the sand beneath her feet. Inara was so anxious. A part of her wanted to count each individual grain to try to distract herself. She dug down with her left foot, then her right, focusing on the way the sand moved around her boots.

She looked up. Prince Walder stared at her. The expression on his face was indecipherable. She couldn’t read it. Couldn’t read him. He sat up there, high in the stands in the centre of the table, dressed in the red-scaled armour of his army.

So far, it was the only attire she had seen him in. She wondered if he wore anything else.

A tense aura vibrated between them. His eyes narrowed slightly. The air felt hot. Stifled.

Inara ran the numbers in her head. In order for her to place first, Prince Walder would have to score her a seven.

A perfect score.

Any hope she had of beating Larissa vanished in an instant.

Even if what Princess Phaedra said wasn’t true…that her brother never gave a perfect score, Inara would never expect one from him anyway.

Their encounters had been nothing but hostile. He held the same ill-mannered opinions about her most of the other royals did. That she was…What did Lady Ophera say? “Rough and unpolished, like all Borderlanders,”

There was no way⁠—

The number seven illuminated above his head.

Shock exploded in her body. She spun to look at Felix. His jaw was dropped open, along with Princess Phaedra’s.

A barrage of applause erupted throughout the arena. It was cut short by a shriek of outrage.

“No! No!” Larissa stomped forward, face flushed red in anger. “No! This isn’t fair!” She pointed an accusatory finger at Inara. “She cheated!”

“Excuse me?” Inara’s magic rose within her—a perfect match to the fury beating inside her head.

Another uproar broke out amongst the crowd. It was a mixture of disbelief and fury. Inara couldn’t place whether it was in defence of her or in outrage.

Prince Walder raised a hand in the air.

The crowd fell silent instantly.

“That is a bold accusation, Larissa.” Prince Walder’s voice was loud and strong, echoing out into the air.

“It is a true one, my Prince. As a Chosen, she is able to draw power from her soul-link with the Guardian. She has an unfair advantage in the trials.”

A sharp intake of breath could be heard from everyone within the arena.