Mated to the Beast of the Wasteland novel Chapter 222

Chapter 222 Take a Bath

Chapter 222 Take a Bath

“Did I say when I was coming back for you?”

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Gillian stroked Lily’s little head. The girl shut her eyes and melted into the touch. But what she said next cracked something open.

“Mom said I would know where to find you when I got big enough. But I ate up all the yummy food you left me. I got so hungry these last few days I had to come out and look for something to eat And the nasty bugs kept taking over my sleeping spots.”

Lily sounded genuinely annoyed about it. Gillian felt her chest tighten.

Lily’s clear eyes flickered with something close to disappointment. She glanced down at Gillian’s feet, the feet she didn’t have herself, and her mood dipped.

Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I don’t even have feet yet.

“My head hurts so bad too. I don’t like soaking in that pool anymore. It turned all my little flowers black.”

Lily shook the blossoms on her head and looked up at Gillian, her small hands gripping tight. “Mom, rub my head more. It really, really hurts.”

Gillian’s heart clenched. She let her healing psionic power flow into her palm and worked it gently across Lily’s scalp. “What makes it stop hurting?”

Lily thought for a second, then her eyes went bright. She shot Gillian a sly little look. “Eating the yummy stuff you gave me. That makes it stop.”

She pointed at the cryogold sphere in her hand. “Mom, can I eat it? I asked first this time.”

Gillian couldn’t help but smile, “Of course you can. It’s yours. I gave it to you.”

Lily’s face lit up. She popped the sphere open and downed the two drops of concentrate. Color rushed back into her pale cheeks. Two drops gone in a blink. She smacked her lips, chasing the taste.

“That was so good. Mom, I love you so much.”

She was beaming, totally blissed out. Her roots curled out and wrapped around Gillian, her whole body clinging like she never wanted to let go.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

Gillian had pulled a few threads from Lily’s words. Not much, but enough to confirm someone was behind these flower beasts. An adult Binary Parasitic Beast, most likely.

And once a taint core lost its beast, the scale parasites moved in and took over.

Gillian fired off a message to Merrick. “Merrick, you need to get someone on that taint core. I think something’s gonna happen tonight.”

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Chapter 222 Take a Bath

“Already handled. Sent people over.”

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Merrick had been glued to the display the whole time. The taint core outbreaks might be tied to these juveniles fighting the scale parasites for territory.

By now, Gillian could tell Lily’s attachment was the real deal. The girl had fully imprinted.

Gillian lifted her up, and Lily let out a happy shriek. She thought it was a game and started giggling.

“Lily, you want to take a bath with me?”

Gillian carried her toward the bathroom. “White Griffin, cut the video feed.” She left only the audio monitoring on.

Lily wrapped her arms around Gillian’s neck and blinked. The look was so cute Gillian nearly melted.

“Mom, what’s a bath?”

“A bath makes you feel good. Gets you clean. Helps with the headache.”

“Then I want one!”

Gillian filled the tub with warm water and wet Lily’s hair. She worked a thick lather of bubbles into it. Lily’s face stayed stiff the whole time, her hand clamped tight around Gillian’s fingers.

“Don’t be scared, Lily. Look at all the bubbles. You’re gonna feel so good after.”

Gillian switched on the tub’s bubble mode. Big, fist-sized rainbow bubbles started drifting up.

Lily poked one with a root and it popped with a soft sound. She flinched, then lit up with pure curiosity.

A message from Merrick flashed onto the display. “Gillian, you cut the video. That’s dangerous.”

“Merrick, she’s not gonna hurt me. I have the purge. The purge is what she needs to grow. She won’t hurt the person who feeds her.”

Gillian closed the message. A few minutes later, footsteps stopped right outside the bathroom.

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