I go back to the last time we dove deep underwater, how we were filled with glee as bubbles surrounded us. She was so happy, so joyful at the smallest things.
I keep on zeroing in on embodying her form, sending out a silent message that feels a little too much like a heretic praying for salvation.
And then I wait, searching for any sense of connection between us.
... nothing happens. No bolt from the blue, or whisper in my ear.
Just me, stuck inside my own head.
I take a deep breath, pushing down the deep disappointment that it didn’t work. Shoving the covers off, I sit up and peer up at the other bunk, searching for Aster. My head aches and there’s a pinch at my side and—
Freezing in place, I pull my shirt up to inspect my torso.
That last one, the pinching at my side feels different. Like a ghost is prodding and poking at me.
The next thing I know, there are invisible hands on me. Touching. Groping.
Ghostly fingers slice my stomach open, sticking their hand inside my ribcage and caressing my lungs. Like a foreign entity is touching parts of me that shouldn’t ever be disturbed.
Wrong. So wrong.
I’m instantly bowled over by a wave of nausea. Staggering out of the cabin, I’m just in time to reach the nearest toilet as I collapse onto my knees and lose the contents of my stomach.
But the feeling doesn’t abate.
I force myself to my feet to wash my shaking hands while my own stricken face stares back at me in the mirror.
Stricken. That’s exactly what I am. Because what I’m feeling right now? I’m pretty sure it’s someone touching Noush’s skin.
I drop to my knees, throwing up again. This time it’s mostly bile that burns the back of my throat and leaves tears streaming down my cheeks.
I desperately tug on the connection between us, like it’s a dodgy wire. Trying to sever it so I can stop feeling this way.
The connection to Noush is gone, and my empty gut twists with a terrible ache, corkscrewing into my soft flesh.
I rinse out my mouth, scooping handfuls of cool water from the basin onto my face and taking a few shuddering breaths to try to steady myself. The world tilts slightly, and I can’t tell if it’s the movement of the ship, or if it’s me. I cling to the wall, regardless, as I stagger back to my cabin.
And then I seehim.
Aster. My mate.
He’s standing in the doorway, clutching a tray of food with concern written all over his face
Dumping the tray on the chair in the corner, he’s then right in front of me, tugging me into his chest in a bone-crushing hug. My skin aches, but it feels too good to be in his arms for me to mind.
“I’m all right,” I croak.
I’m not. And I don’t know why I bother lying, not when he can feel my heart pounding and the rest of me shaking like a leaf.
“What happened? Food poisoning? Seasick?”
I shake my head against his chest. I don’t know exactly how to explain what I just felt. It sounds mad, but I manage to stutter through an explanation.
He keeps me wrapped in his arms, not letting go for a moment.
“I could feel it. I could feel that they were touching her... it. It felt like they were touching some part of me no one should have access to.”
He squeezes my slick palm in both of his. “We’ll get her back.”
