Page 126 of The Last Syphon

“Somewhat,” he said slowly, cautiously.

“No offence, but I doubt that. You’re a Medalist, a fairly common ability in the realm. You couldn’t possibly know what it’s like to be feared simply for being who you are.” It didn’t matter that he had no idea she was actually talking about being Syphon. The principle was the same.

He looked up at the stars, deep in thought, before leaning forward and staring down at his palms. “I know what it’s like to have something within you that people fear,” was all Prince Walder said, and for some reason, without needing any further explanation, Inara believed him.

Tydus and Fraener zoomed past, chasing each other playfully, pulling a much needed smile from Inara’s lips. Her head tilted as she watched them.

“Can I ask you a question?”

He turned slightly to look at her and nodded.

“I’ve been curious about something since forming a soul-link with Fraener and discovering who he is.”

“You mean to tell me that tale about accidentally falling into his den and awakening him from hibernation was true? You didn’t do it intentionally in an attempt to soul-link with one of the most powerful dragons in existence?”

“What? No.” Her brows snapped together. “Is that what you’ve been thinking this whole time?”

He didn’t answer, not that she needed him too. She could see the answer written all over his face.

Inara felt enough time had passed that she could finally be honest. That they’d built a rapport with one another, one that allowed her to tell him what actually happened. She exhaled heavily. “I went into that den to steal the gold, alright?”

He grinned, and it completely immobilised her. She’d never seen anything so beautiful. “I knew it,” he sang with a hint of cockiness.

“Shut up.” She laughed, shoving him lightly.

He chuckled. “Ask your question.”

Oh. Right. Inara stared back out to the two dragons circling lazily in the air in front of them. “Tydus and Fraener are two of The Three Guardians that survived the Dark War, right?”

He nodded.

“Where is the third?”

His face turned somewhat sad. Almost…mournful. “I don’t know. Nobody knows, actually.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighed. “It was before my time. After the events of the Dark War, there were only three dragons left but only one female. Edora. Females can fertilise their own eggs without a male. Those in power feared that Arelian’s Guardians were facing extinction, so they forced her to reproduce at an unimaginable rate in order to get the population back up.”

Inara gasped. “That’s horrible.”

Face grim, he inclined his head in agreement. “In one clutch, female dragons will lay up to five eggs. To give them enough time to recuperate, there should be at least a year between clutches, but, like I said, those on the High Council at the time feared what might befall the kingdom if they did not get the Guardian population up fast.” He gazed at Tydus and Fraener, a rising anger filling the air. “They forced her to lay clutch after clutch with no reprieve. Even when she was exhausted and frail, barely able to lift her head, they did not stop.”

His fists clenched and Inara felt the overwhelming desire to place her hand on his in comfort.

“After centuries of abuse, Edora could take no more. With the help of Tydus and Fraener, she escaped the chains the High Council held her in and flew to freedom. That was roughly 1000 years ago, now. She has not been seen since.”

Inara was horrified. Guardians were revered. Meant to be, anyway. How could they treat her like that? Was this what Venerable Cias was talking about when he said Arelia was corrupt?

“How do you know all this? I assume this knowledge isn’t freely distributed. It doesn’t exactly paint the Arelian Kingdom in a great light.”

“I saw it,” he said simply. “When I looked through Tydus’s memories.”

Inara’s eyes widened. “You can do that?”

He chuckled, shaking his head softly. “You have a lot to learn.”

“Teach me,” she said, eagerly, spinning to face him as she crossed her legs. A flash of what she thought was panic streaked through his eyes when her bent knees hovered over the side of the building.