48. Edgar

48

EDGAR

E dgar stopped in front of the clinic door and wondered whether he should leave the takeout bag outside. The smell of the dishes was delicious, but it could be overwhelming for the clinic and disturb the prince.

That was actually a good reason to bring it in, but he wasn't that much of an asshole. Besides, Bridget might have a problem with Chinese food being brought into her space, and he wasn't stupid enough to get on the doctor's wrong side.

Leaving the bag by the door, he pushed it open and walked in.

Anger rolled in like thunder when he saw the inner door to the prince's room closed. Had Jasmine closed it because she'd wanted to be alone with her prince?

She can do whatever she wants , he reminded himself. You have no right to feel possessive.

"Edgar," Bridget said as she walked out of her office. "What brings you here?"

"Takeout from the Golden Dragon. Are you hungry? I got it for Jasmine, but I have enough for everyone."

He'd gotten it for Jasmine as a gesture of friendship but also to remind her that he was still around, and if her prince turned out to be a frog, she was welcome to return to his arms.

Still, in case Jasmine thought it was creepy, he'd gotten enough to feed the entire clinic staff.

Bridget smiled. "I can't right now, but I'll gladly partake if there are any leftovers." She tilted her chin toward the closed door. "The prince is awake, and Kian is with him along with the Clan Mother, Jade, and Aru."

Edgar didn't know whether he should be relieved that Jasmine wasn't with the prince behind that closed door or more worried because the prince was awake.

Hopefully, the prince had disappointed Jasmine, and she was ready to embrace reality instead of the fantasy she'd created about the half Kra-ell.

"How long has he been awake?" he asked.

"Since early this morning, but he's still frail and sleeps on and off every so often."

"Where is Jasmine?"

Bridget smiled knowingly. "She's in the kitchen, and I'm sure she will be thrilled about the takeout."

"I hope so." He returned the doctor's smile. "I'll leave the leftovers in the fridge so you can feast when your guests are gone. The Golden Dragon is the best."

"I know, and I will."

After collecting the bag he'd left on the floor, Edgar continued down the corridor to the keep's kitchen and pushed open the door.

Jasmine looked up from her coffee mug as he entered. "Hi." She rose to her feet and walked over to him. "What brings you here?"

He held up the bag of food. "Brought you some lunch." He set the bag down on the counter. "Thought you might be hungry after all the excitement of the day. I've heard your prince is awake."

She didn't take the bait about the prince. "That's so sweet of you." She reached for the bag. "I didn't even realize how hungry I was until just now."

"I must have sensed it." He tapped his temple.

Edgar watched as she unpacked the food, satisfied by the small, appreciative noises she made as she inhaled the savory aromas of the dishes he had chosen.

He knew her tastes and had chosen accordingly, but there were other dishes there as well that were more aligned with his preference for spicy stuff.

"You got enough to feed an army." She put two plates on the counter, one for him and one for herself. "Do we need more plates? Who else is joining us?"

"I thought that Bridget, Julian, and Gertrude would appreciate some fresh food, but they can't leave while the distinguished guests are visiting. Bridget asked that we store the leftovers in the fridge."

Jasmine probably didn't know about the Clan Mother being there, so he wouldn't mention her unless she did.

She nodded and lifted a pendant he hadn't noticed before. "Did you see William's latest gadget? This can translate what I'm saying into Kra-ell and still sound like me. Do you want to see how it works?"

"Sure."

Edgar's heart sank. If she could communicate with the prince, she would make him fall in love with her, and then she would fall in love with him. Or maybe she already had?

Well, it had to happen one way or the other.

"Kra-on!" she said and then added a few more words that came out sounding like the guttural Kra-ell language.

Edgar frowned. "How come I didn't hear what you said in English?"

She turned the device off. "William said something about it producing counter sound waves to absorb what I say so only the Kra-ell is heard. I might be confusing stuff because I don't understand anything about these kinds of things."

He didn't like Jasmine's tendency to put herself down and try to appear not as smart or capable as she was. Perhaps he should say something. They might not be a couple anymore, but they were friends.

He smiled at her to gentle the sting of his words. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Pretend to be less smart than you are?"

She shrugged. "I don't want to be a show-off, and I really don't think I should speak with fake authority about things I understand little to nothing about."

"Now, that was a much better answer. You basically said the same thing but without disparaging yourself." He picked up the box closest to him and opened it. "Fates. Those smells were killing me on the way here. Let's eat before things get cold."

Jasmine laughed. "Let's."

Her laugh was a relief. It signaled that she hadn't been hurt or offended by what he had said.

They got busy shoveling food into their mouths for the next few minutes. Well, he shoveled. Jasmine ate with her usual restraint and ladylike manner.

She would fit the princess role well, but she needed to develop more hutzpah.

"So, tell me. What do you think of the prince so far?"

Lifting a napkin, Jasmine patted her lips to clean them. "He's very different from what I expected."

"In what way?"

"Everyone kept talking about how powerful and dangerous he was and that we needed earpieces to protect ourselves from his immense compulsion ability. But he doesn't seem powerful at all. He was visibly intimidated by Jade even though she was being perfectly polite."

Edgar chuckled. "I don't blame him. She intimidates me as well."

Jasmine nodded. "Yeah. She has a presence about her, which is kind of sexy."

Edgar lifted a brow. "Really? I didn't know that you swing that way."

"I don't. It's just an observation. I'm attracted to power, but I am purely into males."

Maybe that was what he had been missing?

"Anyway," she continued. "The prince is gentle, fully devoted to his twin sister, and gets teary-eyed when talking about her because he thinks he failed her." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think he and his sister were so sheltered and isolated that they are still very naive and fragile."

He didn't know if Jasmine realized it, but she sounded like she was already in love with the prince, even though he was the direct opposite of what she'd imagined and found attractive.

If her description of him was accurate, then instead of a fearsome leader, the prince was a lost soul searching for a nurturing heart.

The surprising part was that Jasmine was uniquely suited for the task. She was quick to accept people the way they were and was open to new ideas. Perhaps the Fates had been right to send her to the prince. But if that was true, what did the Fates have in store for Edgar?

Why had they involved him in this mess?

Then it hit him. What if he was destined for the princess?

He wasn't as nurturing and open-minded as Jasmine, but he would make the effort for the right female.

"What about the sister? Is she showing signs of waking up?"

"She's still unconscious. What is clear, though, is that her brother cares a great deal about her, and since he's a good guy, she must be a good person as well."

Edgar leaned his elbow on the counter. "Perhaps I should sneak into her room and see if I can wake her up with a kiss."

Jasmine laughed. "It's worth a try. After all, a little kiss on the cheek is not going to do her harm."

He laughed along but was more serious about the idea than he was letting on. "Who knows? Maybe the Fates have brought me here for a reason. Perhaps she's my one and only."

"Perhaps." Jasmine reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I'll keep my fingers crossed for you."