Free Tethered by Meljean Brook

rejection might have. The ache became teeth that ripped at her throat. She stared at him, trying to see beyond the pain, beyond the terrible feeling of helplessness. What was happening?
    “Archimedes?”
    His gaze locked with hers—and she finally saw an emotion, faint though it was.
Fear.
“It’s the tower, Yasmeen.”
    The tower? She sat up, heart pounding. Bilson had compared the effect of its signal to a lamp burning out…but Yasmeen had never been this afraid of the dark.
    “I don’t want this,” he said, and there was no color in his voice, no life…nothing that was Archimedes. Nothing of the man he was.
    And he knew.
He knew.
Even with his emotions muffled, she could see his faint horror bleeding through.
    God. How could she help him? Closing her eyes, she forced away the terror, forced herself to think.
    “Not the tower,” she said. It had been destroyed in Morocco—but something was broadcasting a signal that affected his nanoagents, stripping away his emotions. Yasmeen had seen a small device like that before: a twelve-inch obelisk atop a heavy base. “I know of something similar to it, though—and I’ll find it. By the lady, I swear I’ll find it.”
    She kissed him, and his lack of response tore her heart out all over again. Feet bare and throat aching, she paused only long enough to tuck a pistol into her sash. She wouldn’t have to go far; the device didn’t have a wide range. She would search every person between her airship and the end of the south docks—and search twice, if they appeared wealthy. The device was difficult to obtain, and had to be smuggled in from Horde territories. It wouldn’t have come cheaply.
    She glanced back at Archimedes, now sitting at the edge of their bed. He regarded her without a hint of fire, without a hint of laughter.
Who the hell had taken that from him?
Anger swelled, replacing the pain and fear.
    Perhaps the person who’d activated the device hadn’t meant to affect him. Yasmeen would tear them apart anyway.
    She hauled the door open, stepped into the corridor—where Bilson waited, sorrow etching deep lines beside his mouth.
    Bilson, who’d once smuggled Horde weapons, who would know how to procure such a device…and who would know exactly which signal would affect Archimedes.
    Goddamned
Bilson
, who always had a plan on standby.
    He only had enough time to open his mouth. Then her fingers were around his throat, slamming him back against the wooden bulkhead. His hands clamped on her wrist, desperately tried to force her to release him. He froze when her claws dug into tender flesh, drawing blood.
    “Three seconds,” she hissed. “Tell me where the device is.”
    “I’m not alone.” It emerged on a wheeze. “Kill me and he’ll die—and you won’t ever know who did it.”
    He’ll die?
Yasmeen snarled. It wouldn’t be Archimedes who died here. She’d rip through Bilson’s neck…except he didn’t have the device with him. A quick look confirmed it. And he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to just leave it in the stateroom. Someone else had to have it.
    She drew more blood. “Who is it?”
    Bilson looked to the side. Yasmeen followed his gaze. Archimedes stood at the entrance to the cabin, watching them without expression.
    Beneath her hand, Bilson’s throat worked. “I’m so sorry, my friend. But my brother needs your help.”
    Archimedes gave no response. Not concealing his reaction—not even
having
one.
    A scream ripped through Yasmeen’s chest. She refused to voice it. Archimedes had made his way into her heart, but it was still made of steel. Maybe she couldn’t kill Bilson right now. She could give him a reason to tell her where the device was.
    Bilson’s body tensed when she pulled her pistol from hersash. Ah, yes. He’d probably read that Lady Lynx never drew her gun unless she intended to use it.
    That was one thing Zenobia had gotten perfectly right.
    Yasmeen placed the muzzle against his left shoulder and fired. Bilson