19. Jasmine

19

JASMINE

B ack in Ell-rom's room, Jasmine settled into the chair and watched him for a long moment. Sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, he looked so peaceful, even serene.

He was truly beautiful, and she couldn't help but feel angry at the injustice of him having to hide all this beauty behind a veil. It must have been difficult to breathe; his sight had been obscured, and he must have constantly feared an attack.

What a miserable way to spend one's life. Hopefully, he was dreaming about a different reality than the one he had lived through.

Getting him new clothing would symbolize the start of a new life for him, a life that was free of oppression, free of fear.

With a sigh, Jasmine lifted the phone she'd been clutching in her hand and started scrolling through her favorite shopping app. She'd already calculated all of Ell-rom sizes with the help of another app she'd found, and now it was time to start putting things in the cart.

It was a little strange to shop for a guy, and Jasmine had never done it before, but it wasn't that complicated. Ell-rom needed everything, starting with underwear and socks. He wouldn't grow out of those, so she put in the cart a week's supply of each. Next were two pairs of comfortable pants, some soft T-shirts, and a light hoodie. It was summer, but the underground was kept pretty cool.

On a whim, she added a white button-down shirt and a pair of slacks, imagining how handsome Ell-rom would look in them. Pajamas were next, followed by a warm, fluffy robe.

Then it was time for shoes.

As she scrolled through options, Jasmine smiled, happy to be the one who would supply Ell-rom's first possessions in this new world, the beginning of his new life.

She selected a pair of comfortable slip-on shoes with rubber soles, perfect for his physical therapy sessions, a pair of athletic shoes for when he was ready for more rigorous activity, a pair of flip-flops for the pool, and a pair of dress shoes to go with the slacks and the button-down. After all, Ell-rom was a prince, and once he felt a little better, he would no doubt want to look more elegant during his sister's visits.

The goddess hadn't come today, and since it was getting late, Jasmine didn't think she would. Perhaps Bridget had told the Clan Mother that Ell-rom was tired after his physical therapy session, or maybe the goddess had something more important to do and couldn't spare the time to visit her brother.

Whatever the reason, he would be disappointed.

With a sigh, she moved to the next item on her list, which was the swimming trunks. There were so many options and different styles, but she knew that it wouldn't matter to Ell-rom. What mattered to him was his still too-thin body.

He would probably be embarrassed to be seen by her without clothing, but she hoped he would get over it because she planned on getting in the pool with him and helping him with his exercises.

In the end, Jasmine chose a simple, classic design in a deep blue that she thought would complement his eyes.

He didn't need the basic toiletries like a toothbrush and toothpaste because those had been supplied by the clinic, but he would need a deodorant and a cologne. What about a shaver, though?

Should she get him one of those electric models?

The shadow on his cheeks and jaw indicated that he was starting to grow facial hair, but it might never develop into more than that. The shaver could wait for later.

Finalizing her order, she selected express delivery to ensure that everything would arrive by the next morning. Hopefully, Ell-rom would like what she'd gotten for him, and she wouldn't have to replace too many items.

It occurred to her that it was strange that she cared so deeply for a male she knew so little about. She didn't even know what colors he favored and had gotten everything in gray, dark blue, and white.

Jasmine's gaze drifted back to Ell-rom's sleeping form. He hadn't stirred in hours, and even though she could see his chest rising and falling, a flicker of worry ignited in her chest.

Setting her phone aside, she approached the bed. Ell-rom's face was relaxed in sleep, his long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. As she was struck again by how handsome he was and how vulnerable, the worry in her chest morphed into a wave of protectiveness.

Careful not to wake him, Jasmine brushed a kiss across his temple and was reassured that he was okay when her lips felt the warmth of his skin. She lingered for a moment, breathing in the clean scent of him, and contemplated crawling into the bed beside him and holding him close.

She had done it the night before, and no one had reprimanded her, but it was still relatively early, and Bridget would no doubt appear to check on Ell-rom at least once before she called it a night.

Sitting back down, Jasmine thought about Margo and the promise she'd made to see her the day before. She had apologized for it this morning, but maybe she should call her friend and schedule something for tomorrow.

Maybe Margo could come to the clinic?

She hadn't seen Ell-rom awake, and she must be curious. Would he agree to meet her?

A soft sound from the bed caught Jasmine's attention, and as she looked up, she saw Ell-rom looking at her with those incredibly blue eyes of his.

"Good morning." She rose to her feet. "Did I wake you up?"