#Chapter 197: The Room

Agnes I covered my eyes with my hands, feeling a bit silly but deciding to play along. Elijah’s warm palm pressed against the small of my back, guiding me forward through what must have been the doorway. The air felt different immediately—cooler, with a slight mineral scent that reminded me of a spa. “Okay,” Elijah said. “You can look now.” I dropped my hands and blinked as my eyes adjusted to the soft amber lighting. For a moment, I couldn’t process what I was seeing. The room was much larger than I’d expected, about the size of our entire first floor. The walls, ceiling, and floor were lined with steel panels, but they’d been painted a warm cream color that kept the space from feeling too industrial. But what really took my breath away was the pool. It dominated the center of the room—an in-ground pool with gentle steps leading into crystal clear water that glowed with subtle underwater lighting. At the far end of the room was what looked like some kind