Page 18 of Kiss of Magic

“The spell doesn’t actually block physical contact.” She reached out and prodded him on the shoulder. “You’re shielded from magic and weapons, but you could still get knocked out.”

“Yeah? I’d like to see someone try.”

Tala obligingly threw a punch at his head. He caught her fist.

“Enough already.”

“Sorry. Your face is just so punchable.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“Can I see the dampener?”

Blake held it out and Tala took it, turning it over in her hands curiously. Mama Xiaoling had given it to them with considerable reluctance. Among witches and sorcerers, wearing a dampener was the equivalent of being castrated.

It effectively shut down their access to power. Without being able to siphon energy into their cells, they were unable to work magic.

Dampeners had been created hundreds of years ago as a punishment for those who turned to the dark arts, a practice banned in Nush’aldaam. Summoning the dead, creating monsters, warping time and reality – these were all strictly forbidden. Those who were caught were forced to wear a dampener for the rest of their lives.

Their early forms were barbaric. Tala had seen some examples in museums. Heavy metal helmets designed to be welded shut around the victim’s head. Or thick chains secured to each ankle, hobbling them for life as well as robbing them of their powers.

As a shaitun who had spent some of her early days chained to a wall by an uncaring master, the implements had made Tala feel physically nauseous.

But this one was different. It was small, elegant, the size and shape of a simple gold bracelet. It would fit around the witch’s wrist and she wouldn’t be able to remove it until Blake said the release words.

“You remember what words you chose to unlock it?” She was a little miffed he hadn’t told her. “It can’t be anything you might blurt out by accident.”

“Darlin’, it’s something I wouldn’t even say to my own mother. Though how I’m going to get this thing on her, fuck only knows.”

Tala squinted at the tiny runes engraved into the metal of the dampener. A spell within a spell, a little extra magic added by Mama Xiaoling for Blake’s benefit.Be careful,she’d warned.The runes could seriously harm her if you forget yourself.

“Think these’ll work?” Tala asked.

“Soon find out.”

She handed the bracelet back to him.

“I don’t need to tell you how much is riding on this, Blake. You saw Mama Xiaoling’s reaction.”

“Yeah. I got it. You just have to trust me.”

“I know. I do.” She shrugged awkwardly. It felt wrong to be leaving a mission this important to someone else. “Well… I guess there’s nothing left to say. Except good luck.”

He flashed her a wicked grin.

“I don’t need luck, Blondie. I just need my bastard cunning.”

Nine

Arjhan

The meeting chamber was deadly silent. Kam looked at the people gathered round the table. The powerful jinn and fae of Nush’aldaam. Some friends, some enemies, all responsible for the lives of the people under their protection.

Shade and Raya were the ones he was closest to and he knew he could count on their support. Shade was the Lord of Nurhan, widely respected and admired. His wife Raya was equally revered. As Fae Queen and head of the powerful Vulcani clan, she wielded huge influence in the realm.

Next to her was her mother, Aelah – Regent of Feyir. Aelah was another powerful Vulcani, possibly as strong as her daughter. It was by her hand that the cruel elven king Aelfric had met his end.

Kam’s eyes slid to the man directly across from him. Salaq, his father-in-law. Or Salaq the Unworthy as he was now known after his failed attempt to take the throne. A man Kam despised with every fibre of his being. If it wasn’t for the looming crisis, the jinn wouldn’t have been allowed to set foot inside the palace.

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