Chapter 10 · Steal the Starlight - Chapter 10: Illegal Painkiller

"Stop moving, or I’ll let the feedback fry your nervous system," Wren snapped, her voice tight. She had me pinned against the cold kitchen counter, her palm pressed firmly against the center of my chest.

I couldn't even argue. Every time I breathed, it felt like someone was shoving a handful of broken glass into my lungs. The black cracks on my wrist weren't just surface-level anymore; they were pulsing, a deep, bruised purple that screamed *you're dying* with every heartbeat.

"I'm fine," I managed to choke out, though my legs were shaking so hard I nearly took out a spice rack. "Just... a little dizzy."

"Liar." Wren’s eyes flashed—that blinding, golden hero glow that usually made the crowds scream. Right now, it just looked like a spotlight on my failure. "You’re vibrating. Your pulse is erratic. If you pass out now, the Agency will see the biometric dip on the monitors and they'll come in here to 'sanitize' the situation."

"Sanitize," I spat, the word tasting like copper. "That's a funny way to say execute."

She didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned closer, her warmth radiating off her in waves that made my skin itch. The distance between us vanished.