Chapter 29 · The Forbidden Seed

Sila's gun pressed under Kael's jaw before he could take another step.

"Move again," she said, "and I pull the trigger."

Kael stopped with one hand half-raised. Her other hand held the cracked black drive between two fingers. The drive had been dead for three days. Now a thin gold line crawled across its surface, pulsing in time with the light under his skin.

"You said the sync was safe," he said.

"I said it wouldn't kill you. I never said it would leave you alone."

"That's a pretty big detail to skip."

Sila shoved the barrel harder against his throat. Her breath touched his cheek, warm and fast. She was close enough that he could feel the heat of her body through the torn fabric of his jacket.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"You already know. Kael. Scrap-tier mechanic. Professional bad decision."

"Try again."

"You're pointing a gun at me. Maybe save the interrogation for after you stop shaking."

Her jaw tightened.

"I'm not shaking."

"Your trigger finger disagrees."

She moved the gun from his throat to his chest and grabbed the front of his jacket. The cloth pulled tight between them.

"I saw what you saw," she whispered.