Chapter 20 · Forbidden Upgrade

"Don't you dare check out on me, rust-rat!" Elise's hand slammed flat against my sternum and pinned me to the cold slab.

The gear under my skin was eating me alive. It spun so fast I could hear it grind my ribs.

"I'm — I'm good," I choked out. My teeth were clacking together. "It's just — it's hot, it's fine—"

"You're not fine! You're at one-ninety and climbing!" Her fingers dug in, hot through my shirt. Her other hand grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at her. "Jax, look at me. Look at me, not it."

I tried. God, I tried. But the core we'd pulled from that dead workshop was dissolving right into the living gear in my chest.

It wasn't supposed to do that. Silas said it was a stabilizer. A patch. Not a full star-core.

"You lied," Elise hissed, her face inches from mine. Her breath hit my mouth, fast and shaky. "That thing's not a patch, is it? What did you grab?"

"It was the only one left pulsing!" I snapped back. Sweat stung my eyes. My whole body jerked. "You were bleeding out, Elise! Your pulse was —