Chapter 42
The medics arrived promptly, their movements efficient and precise. One of them handed Carl a tube of ointment, instructing him on its application.
"She's experiencing a dermal reaction, likely due to contaminants in the water," the medic explained. "Ensure she uses antiseptic-treated water for bathing moving forward." She handed Carl a bottle of antiseptic solution. "Dilute this in her bathwater to prevent further reactions."
With a nod, the medic departed, leaving Carl and me alone in the medlab. The sterile environment hummed softly, the only sound accompanying the tension between us.
The medics had barely left the room when Carl began applying the ointment with surprising care and precision. His touch was gentle, clinical—but the moment was anything but ordinary.
"I think you're reacting to the water," he murmured, eyes tracing the redness flaring across my back and shoulders. "You should always treat unfamiliar water before bathing. That's basic field hygiene."
