Page 95 of Dark Witch Resurrection

Kian chuckled. "Isn't that true of everything in life?"

"Ah." Anandur looked at them through the rearview mirror. "But the joy is in the journey. All the twists and turns and unexpected detours make the destination all the sweeter."

69

JASMINE

Jasmine flipped through the magazine pages, looking at the photos of glamorous people and not reading any of the articles.

There was no point.

The magazine was at least two years old, and everything written in it was no longer true. Heck, it had been untrue even then. Hollywood couples hooked up to promote their movies, not because they were in love, and once the movie was over, they usually went their separate ways.

Once upon a time, she had fantasized about being a part of that world, but it wasn't in the cards.

Jasmine chuckled. In her case, that was a literal description. Her tarot had never promised her a great acting career.

Looking up at Ell-rom, she watched his chest's steady rise and fall. Even that was getting stronger. At first, his breathing had been barely discernible, but now it was deep and resonant.

He slept a lot, which Bridget claimed was precisely what his body needed, and Jasmine had lost track of how long she had been sitting next to his bed.

Minutes blurred into hours, hours into days, and the outside world faded into insignificance as she focused all her attention on her prince.

At the sound of the door opening, she turned to check who was coming in and smiled at Julian. "Hi. Is it time for check-ups?"

Julian shook his head. "Kian wants to see you in his office."

A ball of dread nestled in Jasmine's gut. Was Kian dismissing her? Was he ordering her to leave Ell-rom's side?

"Do you know why? Is something wrong?" She rose to her feet and stretched out the kinks in her neck and shoulders.

"It's nothing bad." A reassuring smile tugged at the corners of Julian's mouth. "He just needs to talk to you."

Casting another glance at Ell-rom, she sighed and followed Julian out of the room. "I don't like leaving him alone for long."

"It's not going to take long," Julian reassured her.

As they walked, Jasmine ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame it a little so she would look semi-presentable to Kian.

Watching her efforts, Julian chuckled. "Do you want to stop by a restroom before we go in? You look a little disheveled."

"I don't have a brush with me, so there is really no point." Jasmine doubled her efforts, combing the strands with her fingers and twisting them to form large curls.

As they approached the door to Kian's office, she felt a surge of nervousness, making her palms grow damp and her heart race. She paused and turned to Julian. "Is there going to be someone other than Kian in there?"

A glimmer of amusement sparked in Julian's eyes. "You're very astute, but I'm afraid I can't tell you. It's a surprise."

He didn't seem worried, so perhaps it was something to look forward to. "A good one, I hope?"

Julian's smile widened. "The best," he assured her, his voice ringing with a quiet certainty that made Jasmine's breath catch.

As the doctor opened the door and gestured for her to go in, Jasmine took a final fortifying breath and took a step forward.

Her eyes widened, and her breath left her lungs in a sharp, stunned gasp. A glowing angel was seated on a chair in front of a large conference table.

It wasn't a trick of the light because the room was not very well illuminated, and the glow emanated only from her exposed skin.

She was small, almost impossibly so, with a delicate, ethereal beauty that seemed to radiate from within. Her hair was a rich, vibrant red, falling in soft waves down her back and over her shoulders. Her eyes were a piercing, luminous blue, filled with wisdom and knowing that seemed to stretch back through the ages.