Sneak Peek Wednesday: Resistor by C.E. Clayton (Giveaway)

“Do you see why I just had to have you back, Elli dear?” Cosmin said, disrupting her thoughts. “You and our dearly departed Misho were the only ones in my employ who could command air or water magic. The rest of your kind prefer to be noble pricks with ‘legitimate’ occupations. Damn near incorruptible, too. Such a shame we lost Misho. He was always the more agreeable one of you two. Wouldn’t you agree, Kai?”Kai preened and opened his mouth, but Cosmin gave him a dismissive wave. “No need to answer; we all know it’s true.”

Cosmin glanced at one of the service bots against the wall and gave a barely discernible nod, and the machine rolled from the room. “The problem with dreeocht is they need to bond to the magic they’re best suited to, or they cease to be useful. This is where you come in, so pay attention. I may not be able to use this treasure, but a friend of mine—well, I say friend, she’s more of a pain in my neck . . . but I suppose she’s better than most people I deal with. Anyway, she can use my treasure and is willing to trade some absolutely fantastic devices in return. Combat-tech and war automaton far beyond my mechanics’ abilities, and without the stupid things turning into Ashlings and tearing my home apart.

“In exchange for all those goodies, I give her the unconscious dreeocht, and we become even better friends. Friends in your debt are lovely. I can call in that favor whenever I need it, no questions asked. It’s win-win! Well, as close to win-win as I can get, given the circumstances.” He spared her another cool glance. “You and a retinue of my people will leave for the city of Anzor tomorrow and deliver my package to Zabel Dirix directly.

“Anzor is a bit farther than I’d like from Euria, but there’s nothing I can do about that. If I used my earth abilities to move the city closer, I might crack Erhard in half! And that wouldn’t be much fun, now would it?”

Making a show of crossing his legs, Cosmin waited, looking at her expectantly. Ellinor blinked a few times before registering he was waiting on her. “Oh, you’re done? Sorry, wasn’t sure. You practiced that speech a few times before I got here, didn’t you?”

“Obvious, was it?” Cosmin pouted. “I felt the delivery was a little forced. But I so loved it; I just couldn’t miss this opportunity. Oh well, it’s done now.”

This time, Ellinor did roll her eyes. “So, what. You captured me so I could play escort to the prize you can’t keep? What makes you think I’d help you? Especially after what happened—what you allowed to happen—to Misho? This is a hard nope for me. Find or capture another mule.”

Cosmin tossed his head back, hair rippling as he forced a laugh. “You seem to think you have a choice in this, my dear. You do not. This is happening. You’re going.”

“You can’t make me.” Ellinor flinched at how petulant the words sounded. “You can ship me out with your prize and your best men, but you can’t make me behave. You know they aren’t going to be enough to handle me. Not even Kai. No offense, Kai.”

“Oh, I know, my dear,” Cosmin said with a shrug. At a gesture, the service android rolled back into the room and headed for Kai, who stooped to pick something up from the tray atop its head.

“You were always such a fearsome humani. A shame, really, that you couldn’t be tempted to my bed, like so many other fearsome women. No matter,” Cosmin said, fidgeting with his robe. “You see, you weren’t my first choice, either. But the fact is, you’re still one of the most useful tools I’ve ever had the pleasure of utilizing, and the only one I can get my hands on without rousing suspicion from our new governor. So, as much as it pains me, I simply must make use of you again. And you will have no choice but to do as I command.”

At those words, Kai snapped a metal collar around her neck. It was a thin silver ring, and, once closed, welded shut. Ellinor could not remove it.

The faint, cool thrumming of power in her veins that surged with her magic was suddenly gone. She could no longer feel it. Her body began to tremble, eyes wide in sudden panic as her pulse started to race.

Nonono!

Even with the cuffs on her wrists, she could feel her magic; she could summon it if need be, but this was different. Now there was an emptiness, a weightlessness in her core. Like a piece of her soul and heart had suddenly vanished.

Ellinor sputtered, her breath hitching as if her chest were caving in. Desperately, she scrabbled to claw the collar off, her nails leaving angry red lines down her neck.

“What did you do, Kai? What the fuck, Cosmin!” Ellinor screeched, trying to force the collar over her head, to no avail.

“Isn’t it obvious? I took away your magic, Elli dear. If you ever want to cast again, you will do as I say.”