53. Jasmine

53

JASMINE

A s they left Kian's office, Ell-rom's steps were slower, more deliberate. The long meeting had clearly taken its toll on him, and now that the adrenaline rush was over, exhaustion seemed to descend on him all at once.

Nevertheless, Jasmine was proud of him for lasting as long as he had, sitting up straight and keeping his head up. He was naturally dignified as if it was encoded in his DNA.

Heck, maybe it was. He was the Eternal King's grandson, the son of the unwanted heir to the throne. She wondered what happened to Ahn's mother, the king's official wife. She must have been devastated when her son died.

Oh, well. Misery apparently wasn't restricted to humans. Even the gods experienced it.

Ell-rom managed not to shuffle and stoop until the last stretch of the corridor leading to the clinic, but eventually, he gave up the fight and leaned heavily on the walker.

"They should provide scooters for people working here," Jasmine joked. "These corridors are endless."

Ell-rom smiled tiredly. "It's not difficult for the immortals, and I doubt they entertain many humans down here."

"You are probably right." She opened the clinic door for him. "I wonder how many humans have ever seen this place and lived to tell the tale."

Ell-rom turned a pair of horrified eyes on her. "Do they kill humans to preserve their secret?"

She laughed. "It's just another expression, Ell-rom. They can thrall humans to forget whatever they don't want them to remember. They don't need to kill anyone for that."

"That's good to know." He slumped against the walker. "I want to sit with Morelle for a little bit before I get into bed. Do you want to come with me?"

Jasmine hesitated, not sure whether he really wanted her there or was inviting her to join him because it was the polite thing to do.

There was only one way to find out, and that was to be upfront about it and ask. "Only if you want me to. If you want to be alone with her, that's fine with me."

"Of course, I want you there." He continued shuffling to the door and leaned over his walker to open it. "Maybe you could sing something for Morelle?" He smiled. "And for me. I want to test these new devices. Perhaps they are better at transmitting melody and translating poems."

He probably meant lyrics, but perhaps there was no word for that in Kra-ell. Maybe they called all songs poems.

"Let's do it." She followed him into the room.

As they sat on the two chairs Julian had thoughtfully left in the room, Jasmine thought of a song she should sing, and the first one that popped into her mind was 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face .'

As she began singing the first verse, Ell-rom looked at her with awe. "That's beautiful, and I can hear you singing perfectly. These devices must be much more sophisticated than the teardrops."

Jasmine's eyes widened as a realization hit her. "Oh! Why am I so dumb? If I could hear myself singing through the earpieces, then, of course, you could hear me too."

Ell-rom's expression shifted from wonder to concern. "Don't say that about yourself. You're incredibly smart, Jasmine."

"I'm not." She rolled her eyes. "But thanks for saying that."

"I mean it. You come up with observations and suggestions that no one else does. It's like your mind is not constricted by preconceived notions. You are a free thinker."

Touched by his words, Jasmine leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you. That's very sweet of you."

"And very true," he added.

Clearing her throat, Jasmine resumed singing the song she had started, then continued with 'Can't Help Falling in Love,' her voice carrying in the quiet room. As she finished the last notes of that one, she transitioned smoothly into 'The Way You Look Tonight,' letting herself get lost in the romantic lyrics and well-known melody.

At some point, she noticed Julian leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest and an appreciative smile on his face.

She finished the song and gave him a mock bow.

"That was beautiful," he said. "You should give concerts."

Jasmine felt her cheeks warm at the compliment. "Thank you, but I don't have any original pieces or even a style of my own," she admitted. "I'm just good at covers."

Julian shook his head, pushing off from the doorframe to enter the room. "You're selling yourself short," he insisted. "Once you get to the village, I'll personally introduce you to composers and poets who can write songs for you. Your talent deserves to be showcased."

Jasmine felt a flutter of excitement at the idea but also a twinge of nervousness. She'd never considered pursuing music seriously before. "That's very kind of you," she said. "I'll definitely think about it."

"Can you sing that first song again?" Ell-rom asked. "It was hauntingly beautiful."

"Of course."

She sang 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' again, and as she finished, Ell-rom's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

She put a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm just a little emotional."

Jasmine had a feeling that he needed a moment or two alone with his sister and rose to her feet. "I need a cup of tea to soothe my throat. Would you like some, too?"

He nodded.

"I'll make it and bring it to your room." She patted his shoulder before leaving.

As she stepped out of the room, she heard Ell-rom begin to speak softly to his sister, his words too quiet for her to hear.