18. Jasmine

18

JASMINE

A s Julian headed out, Jasmine walked over to Morelle's room and stepped inside. She settled into the chair by the bed and took Morelle's hand the way Ell-rom did every time he visited his sister.

Now that Ell-rom had his own earpieces, the teardrop was no longer needed, and she didn't have it with her, but perhaps at this stage the sound of her voice would suffice.

"Hey there," she said softly. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this. Your brother is going through a therapy session." She sighed. "You should be glad that the clan has so many professionals dedicated to helping him and you when you finally wake up from your slumber. Ell-rom is doing great, and he is getting stronger by the hour, but some of the memories that surfaced are doing him more harm than good."

Jasmine glanced at the camera in the corner of the room. It was no doubt recording audio as well as video, so she should avoid mentioning the content of those disturbing dreams.

"I've got some gossip for you," Jasmine continued, adopting a conspiratorial tone. "I don't know if you are much of a gossiper, but since you lived in isolation your entire life, I assume that you will find tales of love lost and love gained interesting." She let go of Morelle's hand and leaned back. "Before I found your brother, I had a boyfriend named Edgar. Things fizzled out between us, not because there was anything wrong with him but because we were not meant for each other. I was meant for Ell-rom, and Edgar was meant for someone else. Still, I felt guilty about breaking things off with him. To my great joy, he found a new love interest, who is also a Dormant. Her mother is the aunt of my friend Frankie, who transitioned not too long ago."

She paused, a wistful smile playing on her lips. "It's funny how things work out sometimes, isn't it?"

Come to think of it, she should give Edgar a call. After all, he had checked in on her multiple times since their breakup. It was appropriate that she return the favor.

"What do you think, Morelle? Should I call Edgar and collect more juicy gossip straight from the source? That's what good friends do, right?"

Taking Morelle's silence as tacit agreement, Jasmine pulled out her phone, found Edgar's name in her contacts, and hit the call button.

The phone rang several times before Edgar's familiar voice came through. "Jasmine? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. I just had coffee with Margo and asked her about you. She told me that you and Angelica have become an item. I wanted to congratulate you and hear more about it."

There was no reason to beat around the bush. Edgar knew her too well not to guess what her call was all about.

His laugh came through the phone, warm and relaxed in a way Jasmine hadn't heard in a long time. "News travels fast, huh? Yeah, Angelica is amazing. She's feisty and funny, and she doesn't give me an inch."

"That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you," Jasmine said, and she meant it. The knot of guilt she'd been carrying since their breakup finally unraveled completely. "Did you tell her?"

"About who I am?"

"Yeah, and that little detail about her being a Dormant and your ability to turn her immortal."

"Not yet."

"What are you waiting for?"

"For the big declaration of everlasting love. As you told me so sagely, I shouldn't settle for anything less than everything."

Jasmine and Ell-rom still hadn't declared their everlasting love to each other, but it was kind of implied, and they thought of each other as mates.

What were they waiting for?

"Yeah, you are right. It's not like there is a rush. How old is Angelica?"

"Just the right age. She's twenty-five. But enough about me. How are you and your prince doing?"

Jasmine glanced at Morelle's still form, a mix of emotions washing over her. "Things are good. Complicated sometimes because that's life, and nothing is ever easy, but it's worth the effort. Ell-rom is recovering rapidly, but he has so much to learn. English, reading and writing, history, geography. I would feel overwhelmed, but he takes everything in his stride."

"I'm happy to hear that you are still enamored with your prince."

She chuckled. "And I'm happy that you found a new princess. So Morelle is out of the race?"

"Angelica is no princess, but it would appear that princesses don't do it for me. I like that she's feisty and sassy and doesn't mince words. She'll tell you what she thinks, whether you're ready for it or not, while waving her hands around to show off those pretty nails of hers. I just can't stop smiling when I'm with her. Not to mention that she has great investment instincts. In just a few days, I made a couple of thousand dollars following her advice."

Jasmine laughed. "I wish I had money to invest to check out Angelica's tips."

"The stock market is risky, Jasmine. It's like gambling, so never invest what you can't afford to lose."

"Good philosophy. I'll keep it in mind for when I actually have a job and money to spare."