Healing Kisses (Sophia and Santiago) novel Chapter 198

197

The glass isn't just windows. Every building is basically a massive fish tank. I can see sirens swimming in them as we reach the elevator. The woman is speaking, but I cant take anything in, just like I did when we reached the bridge. There's something here that's calling to me. It's strong enough to make me want to open up my link to talk to the King of Assholes.

The higher we go in the building, the further away from the feeling I get. The moment we step out of the elevator, and it shuts behind us, I'm disconnected by whatever it is.

In fact, I'm disconnected from everything. For the first time since my affinity was activated, I feel like I'm alone.

Like I'm not surrounded by the weight of the water. The windows here are regular glass ones.

No, not regular. The tint is made of something that closes us off from the outside world. I stop a few inches from it and try to reach out to Ragnar, but get absolutely nothing.

I turn around to see Kaylee and Svetlana looking back at me expectantly.

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask.

"Are you okay?" Kaylee steps forward.

"What is this?" I ask, pointing at the glass. "What is it made of?"

"It's made with a special polymer from the depths of my home,"

she answers.

"It's obsidian ash," I scoff. She tenses up. "I know that because that's what I used to make the glass in my lab. It keeps heat in and prevents our home's structure from oxidizing in water. Your tint is darker, which is why we're cut off from everything outside."

"I was just telling Duchess Axel that this is a peace bubble. The weight of the water can be a lot, so we come here to relax," she says calmly. "Is this the first time you've been cut off from it?"

I stare at her, not knowing what to say because I didn't think that it was possible to stop feeling the water like this or that I would ever want to. I feel cut off and strange in this room.

"I don't want to be in here," I step back.

"Sophia," Kaylee reaches out.

"Do you feel anything?" I ask. She pulls back to think about it and then straightens up before shaking her head.

I take her hand and pull her closer to me. "I want to leave this room."

"Your grace, it's normal to feel out of touch the first time you're cut off from the water, she places her hands on her hips.

"It's not just the water. It's everything. I'm cut off from my mate and any other bond I've established since transitioning," 1 growl at her.

"Yes, because it's all connected, she nods. "Your affinity isn't just water. It's the spirit of our entire existence. Yours as well."

"I'm not like you. My affinity is just similar to yours," | shake my head.

She adds some meat onto it and places it on what looks like a footstool used as a little table. Her expression softens when she looks up at me. "I am aware of what De Galloway did to you. I regret to inform you that what she did was not something we practice here.

"Jeniva was one of our brightest, but we let her go because of what she was trying to do. Unfortunately, we couldn't put down one of our greatest assets. We were hoping that she would go home and rehabilitate herself.

Wolves often lose track of what they are when abusing wolfsbane recreationally," she takes a tablet and hands it to me. "Your wolf took significant damage.

"She" she pauses and takes a deep breath. "Killed your wolf during your treatment. Had you not been of Lycan blood as well, you would have died on the operating table by the third or maybe fourth operation.

"Your affinity manifested because of the pain you were forced to endure," she stands up and lifts her blouse to show me the scars on her side. They match my own. I stand up with her and look down at them. "I was one of her first patients. I was attacked by a great white when I was sixteen years old. When I ascended, the affinity awakened as well."

"She did that to you?" is all I can ask.

"She did," she looks down at the pillows. "And it wasn't pleasant. The paralytic we were given is something we developed here to use on deep-sea creatures to extract venom that we use to create medicine for our kind."

"This is a lot to take in. It's also not what we're here for," | take a step back.

"Of course," she nods and takes a seat again. "I reviewed the sample. You've done magnificent work regarding her healing after her wolf went feral. You have everything you need to help her. Unfortunately, it's not going to be pleasant. It'll be painful, but you have to channel her wounds after the bite is placed on her. Preferably the night before the full moon so that when she awakens, she'll be completely healed."

"What about the sample that didn't take?"

"It didn't take because there was no trace of your DNA in it. The other samples had bits of dead skin. You need to moisturize more. You need to be in the water for longer periods of time. Especially now that you are with child."