The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 116

“Hiss!” Hale sucked in a cold breath, his body stiffening like a rock. “Wait, wait, wait! Is it in?”

...

Ten minutes later.

“Ow! Easy! Easy!”

“You said it wouldn’t hurt! Liar!”

“Have mercy! I haven’t even got a girlfriend yet!”

Hale lay face down on the treatment table, screaming bloody murder.

Seeing a six-foot-tall man curled into a ball with tears in his eyes was almost comical. Leilani held back a laugh, her hands remaining steady as a rock. “Don’t move.”

She pressed down on his leg and used one hand to hold his neck, preventing him from thrashing around. Dark blood slowly oozed from the needle points.

“The itching comes from stagnation. Releasing the blood will make you feel better.”

Hale wanted to cry but had no tears left. He gripped the edge of the table, mumbling incessantly.

“I’m done for, I’m gonna die... Why is the blood black? Am I poisoned? Doc, give it to me straight, is there any hope?”

Leilani was nearly shaking with suppressed laughter. She sighed helplessly. “If you keep moving, the needle will bend and it’ll hurt even more.”

That shut him up immediately. Hale clamped his mouth shut and even breathed softly, though his eyes remained glued to the silver needle as if he were in a standoff with death itself.

“For sure!” Hale patted his chest in promise, then suddenly lowered his voice, looking mysterious. “By the way, this thing... it’s really not contagious, right? Last time I went to a pool, the lifeguard stopped me. They thought I had something infectious...”

At the mention of this, Hale drooped his head, looking dejected.

Since his symptoms were entirely on the skin and looked rare, people who didn't understand the condition often misunderstood. It was unavoidable.

“Relax. It’s an autoimmune issue, not a contagious disease,” Leilani said calmly as she washed her hands, analyzing it rationally for him. “However, for safety’s sake, I suggest you avoid public pools for now. Since your skin barrier is compromised, public pools aren't hygienic enough, and you’re more prone to picking up an infection.”

Hale wilted immediately, mumbling, “I’ve had this for years. Since I got it, I haven’t been able to go anywhere where I have to show skin.”

Leilani handed him the packet of herbs, offering some comfort. “If you take your medicine and stick to the treatment, you might be able to go swimming by next summer.”