Page 8 of The Last Syphon

“I’m too young to die!” Tako screamed.

Inara threw a less-than-impressed look over her shoulder at the dragon, and a trickle of humour cut through her mind.

Oh, ha, ha. You’re hilarious.

“Calm down, calm down. He’s just kidding,” she told them all. “He’s really a sweetheart. See?” Inara ran a hand down the front of his chest, and he purred. “Harmless.”

“Inara?”

She winced at that soft, frail voice, knowing exactly who it belonged to. She turned to face him. “Venerable Cias!” She greeted him, smiling broadly. “Wow. You’re looking positively enchanting today. Is that a new robe? It sure is lovely. Where did you get it from? Can you get me one?”

Dressed in a floor-length, heavy fleece robe and standing on the other side of her translucent, golden shield, Venerable Cias gave her a look coated in suspicion. Well into his seventies, he was an archivist from the Royal Palace of Arelia. He had come to Deadhaven around thirty years ago. There was quite a bit of suspicion over the why, all of which was neither confirmed nor denied by the man.

He’d done a lot of helpful things around the village, including offering education they would never have been afforded in the Borderlands. He had a wealth of knowledge at his fingertips that he gave freely. If one needed a question answered, he was there to provide it. If one needed information, he could give it to them, no matter what it was. He was the smartest one in the village—in all three kingdoms, if you asked Inara—and nothing got past him. His body might have aged, but his mind had not. The man was a spitfire.

Venerable Cias narrowed his old, wise eyes. “Do not try to distract me with that smart wit of yours, girl. What have you done?”

Inara smiled wider in an attempt to soften him. “Whatever do you mean?”

The other village people began to gather closer, staring at the dragon with a mix of awe, appreciation, and fear.

“You know exactly what I am referring to, Inara Tempest. Why is there a dragon the size of Arelia in my backyard?”

Said dragon was still sitting comfortably behind her shield, watching the ever-growing crowd with penetrating eyes.

Although Inara was fairly certain there would be no more attacks now that everyone knew it was her and not some royal with its Guardian, she still didn’t want to take the chance of dropping her shield.

Not yet.

Her concern was only partly for the dragon. She doubted anyone here had the power to kill him. Inara doubted even she did. But if someone were to attack him out of fear, he would most likely retaliate and eat them or something.

The shield was in place for their safety as much as his.

Inara cleared her throat. “Well…you see…I found him⁠—”

“Found him where?”

Shrugging, she avoided his gaze and mumbled, “I don’t think that’s relevant.”

Anger flashed in his grey eyes. “You went into one of those dragon dens, didn’t you? Even when I expressly told you not to.”

She glanced at Felix for backup. The traitor looked everywhere else but at her, whistling softly and rocking back and forth on his heels, hands behind his back.

“What can I say?” she sang. “Piles and piles of gold left completely unattended call to me, like any thief.”

Eyebrows creased in agitation, Venerable Cias said, “What do you think the Crowned Family will do once they realise you have stolen their property?”

Inara rolled her eyes. “Give me a little credit, old man. I’ll melt the gold down and forge it into something else so no one will even know it’s Arelian Gold, just like I did when I found that Pregonan gold. Remember?”

“You mean stole,” Felix corrected.

Inara whipped around to face him. “Suddenly found your voice, have you?” she snapped.

He clicked his mouth shut.

Venerable Cias swiped his hand, his thick, heavy robe swishing through the air. “You foolish girl.” Okay, that kind of hurt. “I am not talking about the gold. I am talking about the Guardian. It is the property of the Crowned Family. Once they find out you have it, they will come here. You have no idea of the danger you have placed yourself in. Placed us in. You must return it to where you found it. At once.”

The dragon growled dangerously low. Anger pounded in Inara’s head, furious and unrelenting.