Page 64 of Dark Awakening: New World

"She was supposed to already be here, but Angelica is always late. It's an Italian thing."

Jasmine laughed. "I thought it was a Russian thing, and then I thought that it was an actors' thing. Is anyone punctual?"

"The Germans," Frankie said. "They pride themselves on their punctuality and work ethic. Do you know that they turn off their phones at the start of their workday and don't turn them back on until it's time to go home?"

"I didn't know that. Makes sense, though."

"No, it doesn't. What if there is an emergency with their kids or something?"

"I'm sure there is a system in place for that."

"Maybe, but that doesn't lend itself to a joke. I have tons of jokes on every ethnicity under the sun, and Dagor just doesn't get them. Come to the café, and I'll share my best ones with you."

"I will in a few minutes. I need to tell Julian that I will be gone for a little bit."

"A long bit. Come on, you need a break, girl. It's not healthy to spend every minute of the day with your guy, no matter how fabulous he is."

When Frankie ended the call, Jasmine put the phone in her pocket and headed back to the clinic.

Once inside, she knocked on Julian's open door. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to the café for a while to hang out with Frankie and her cousin. Could you call me as soon as Ell-rom wakes up?"

He looked up. "No problem. Enjoy your break and don't rush back. He can survive without you for a couple of hours."

As Jasmine turned to leave, she nearly collided with Edgar, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "What are you doing here?"

He flashed her a charming smile. "I was in the building to deliver something that the gods needed, and I thought I'd stop by to say hi." Leaning in close, he whispered, "I wanted to see Morelle."

Jasmine hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'm on my way to meet Frankie in the café, but I can take you to Morelle's room for a quick peek."

As they walked toward the princess's room, Julian arched an eyebrow at them, but he didn't stop them from entering.

The princess lay still and pale, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

Edgar walked over to the bed and leaned to look at her face up close. "She's stunningly beautiful," he breathed. "She looks like the statue of Nefertiti." He turned to look at Jasmine. "She was also bald."

"Maybe it's their regality that makes them look similar."

"No, I'm telling you. She looks a lot like Nefertiti. I'll show you." Edgar pulled out his phone and started a search for a picture of the ancient Egyptian queen. "Aha!" he exclaimed when he found it. "Told ya."

He held it up next to Morelle's face, and there was some resemblance, mainly in the prominent cheekbones and the shape of the lips.

"Is that statue even authentic?" Jasmine asked. "There are so many fakes, and in people's minds, Nefertiti looks like Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra. Very few remember Jeanne Crain or Geraldine Chaplin playing Nefertiti."

Edgar chuckled. "I'm old enough to have seen those movies, but I don't remember who played what part in which movie or even what the plot was."

"Because you are not an actor."

Jasmine needed to go, but she felt bad about bailing on Edgar. "Frankie invited her cousin Angelica. Do you want to meet her?"

Edgar's face lit up. "Sure, I'd love to meet Angelica. Heard a lot of good things about her."

The way he said that indicated interest, and Jasmine regarded him with a wry smile. "I thought that your heart belonged to this sleeping beauty, or rather the sleeping Nefertiti."

He affected an innocent expression. "I'm intrigued, but I'm not yet taken. For now, I'm still a free agent."

Fair enough. Jasmine had hooked up with Edgar even though she had longed to meet her prince. The difference was that once she had seen Ell-rom, she couldn't even think about another male. From that moment on, he was the only one for her.

She had a strong feeling that the princess was not meant for Edgar. If she was his fated mate, he would know it on a subconscious level and wouldn't be so eager to check out Frankie's cousin.