Page 149 of The Last Syphon

Yeah, Inara got that vibe too. Felix’s personality wasn’t for everyone. She loved it, though. He could always make her laugh, even in the darkest of times.

“I need you to steal the Syphon book from his office.” An image of a thick, heavy book sitting on Prince Walder’s desk covered by paperwork and scrolls flashed in her head. She couldn’t say for sure it was the Syphon Source, but every bone within her body was saying it was.

Felix perked up at that, his eyes widening in excitement. “Steal, you say? I love stealing.”

“I know you do.” She chuckled. “I know his schedule for the next three days, and sometime within that timeframe, I need you to sneak into his office and steal the book. It’s sitting on his desk.”

During all the mayhem that had happened, Inara forgot entirely about their goal to find the book on Syphons. To find out more about her power.

She thought they could possibly kill two birds with one stone. While she tried to find out what was happening in the south, Felix could try to get the book.

He sat up, spinning to end with his legs crossed, facing her. His entire demeanour changed in an instant. “I need a complete layout of the office,” he began, ticking things off with his fingers. “How many paces is his desk from the door? Is it guarded? Magically protected? Does he sleep in his office? If so, for how long? How often do people walk past? Is there a hidden trapdoor? Is there a window? Is⁠—”

Inara shoved the papers she had meticulously prepared in Felix’s face. He grabbed them and eagerly ran his eyes over them. They held the answers to all of his questions and many more. So many more. Inara knew from previous jobs how diligent Felix was when it came to stealing in a professional capacity.

When he did it for fun, it was purely for entertainment purposes. Felix didn’t need a thorough plan in place. He just winged it.

But when it was a job, a set object he had to take, it was much more serious. Much more intense.

This was one of those times.

“Hmm. Okay. Okay. Interesting,” Felix said, reading it. He swiftly brought the papers down and locked eyes with her. “I’ll do it.”

She felt like laughing. Of course he would do it. He couldn’t say no. Not to an opportunity to steal. The riskier the better, and stealing from the Crowned Prince’s office was about as risky as it could get. It was simply too tantalising for Felix to pass up, and Inara knew that.

A knock sounded at the door. She picked herself up and answered it. Princess Phaedra stood in the hallway, as always, Kronan only a step behind.

She smiled, and it was purely genuine. “Princess,” she said warmly.

“Princess?!” Felix jumped up quickly and spun to face them. He made a point of straightening his clothes and fixing his hair before putting on his most dazzling smile. “Good Eve, Princess,” he said, bowing with a dramatic flourish, as he did everything else.

She smiled politely, but that was all. Kronan glared at him from behind her back.

An emotion overcame Inara, and she did not fight it. She stepped forward and hugged her. Princess Phaedra stiffened, taken entirely by surprise.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she whispered softly. So much had happened that it was hard to believe all the shit from the ball was only the day before. Inara had seen Kronan take Princess Phaedra to safety, but she hadn’t heard much after that. She’d assumed the princess was okay, and she felt a little bad now for not checking up on her.

She had a lot on her plate, okay? Give her a break.

Princess Phaedra patted her back, somewhat awkwardly, as if she didn’t know how to return a hug, and Inara took that as the sign to step back.

“I’m glad you’re okay too.” Felix stepped up, going to hug her as well.

“Touch her, and I will cut your body in two,” Kronan warned, drawing his sword from his back.

Felix froze.

Princess Phaedra smiled a friendly smile. “I apologise. As I have mentioned, Kronan takes his duties as a Shielder very seriously.”

Inara didn’t think that was the only reason the other Shielder threatened Felix.

“I’m glad you’re both okay too,” she said, still smiling. Her gaze shifted to Inara. “I heard you were…devastating.” There was a clear struggle for her to find the right word to use, and Inara appreciated that she used one not so…negative.

“Thank you…I think. Come in, come in. Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” She flowed into the room with all the grace and elegance of her position. “I have come on behalf of my brother.”

Inara internally groaned. “What does he want? If he expects me to come to him and apologise, you can tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine. I’m not interested.” If anything, he should apologise to her. Inara wasn’t sure what for yet, but she could think of something.