Page 68 of The Last Syphon

Yeah, she got that same impression. She would have to sleep with one eye open.

“As the first-place contestant, you will be assigned me as your Charge for the next year,” Prince Walder began, stepping down from the dais. “Report to duty in the morn.”

“Uh, actually”—Inara raised her hand, clearing her throat awkwardly—“I do not want the position.”

Lady Niya barked out a laugh.

Prince Walder blinked. “Come again?”

“Yeaaah. I do not wish to be anyone’s Shielder.”

“Why compete, then?” Lord Tevi questioned.

Inara shrugged. “Just wanted to see if I would win.”

“And, no doubt, you wished to show us you were not as weak as we have perceived you to be,” added Prince Walder.

“That too.” She nodded.

“Oh, this is just humourous.” Lady Niya chuckled.

Inara swung her arms forwards and clapped her hands once. “Yeah. So, um, you can call Larissa back in and give her the position. I abdicate first place.” It was enough for Inara that she had won and everyone knew she had done it without cheating.

She did not count using her syphon ability as cheating. Princess Phaedra had gone over the rules with her very clearly. One was only allowed to use their own magic within the trials, and since her syphon magic was her own, a part of her, it wasn’t cheating.

Inara loved loopholes.

Prince Walder’s head tilted curiously. “Did you sign the Enrollment Scroll before competing?”

“Yessss?” she dragged out, unsure what that had to do with anything. According to Princess Phaedra, everyone who competed had to sign a waiver acknowledging the risks of entering the Shielder Trials. That they were doing it of their own free will and understood they could die. Plus a bunch of other crap Inara didn’t have the patience to read.

“Did you read it before signing?”

Okay. She did not like where this was going.

“I…skimmed it.”

“It was a binding contract.”

Inara’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Say what?”

“Upon signing, you declared and acknowledged that should you place, you will be contracted for a year to your assigned Charge or face imprisonment.”

Inara’s mouth dropped open. “It—” Her gaze swung to Princess Phaedra, who was pointedly looking down at her boots and back. “It doesn’t say that.”

“I assure you, it does. It was in the terms and conditions section.”

“I told you to read it before you signed it!” Felix hissed.

“Shush!” she threw over her shoulder. “Look, let’s be realistic. No one really reads those things before signing. They’re so long and…well…” Boring was the only word to come to mind. “Surely we can just let this whole thing slide. Call it a life lesson.”

“As much as I wish so, that is simply not possible. The law is the law. By signing, you have agreed to serve one year as a personal Shielder, and unfortunately for the both of us, since you placed first, you are assigned to me. Report for duty in the morn, or you will be placed in the dungeon for the term of your contract. The choice is yours.” He turned and left without allowing her the chance to say anything back.

A surging fury overtook her. Her eyes snapped to Princess Phaedra.

The woman cleared her throat and gave her an awkward smile. “Hungry?”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN