Page 66 of Dark Awakening: Hidden Currents
Toven nodded approvingly. "That's a good instinct. Sometimes, when faced with life-changing decisions, it's best to trust your instincts."
Rob winced. "Please don't say that. My gut hasn't been doing its job too well. Just this morning, I was planning a wedding and looking forward to a future with Lynda. Now, here I am, preparing to leave that life behind and embark on a journey to become immortal."
The word still felt foreign in his mind, like something out of a fantasy novel.
Margo leaned over and put a hand on his arm. "Are you sure that you're okay? I know this is a lot to process."
Turning to his sister, he was struck by how much she had been carrying on her shoulders and keeping inside. Knowing about this secret world, going through her own transition, all while watching him plan a life with someone she knew wasn't right for him, must have been so difficult for her.
"I'm okay," he said, surprising himself with how true the words felt. "It's overwhelming, but it also feels right. I feel like everything that's happened today, as painful as it's been, led to this moment."
Margo's eyes welled with tears, and she pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, and I'm sorry I didn't have the guts to tell you sooner."
Rob hugged her back, feeling a sense of peace settle over him. "It's okay. I understand why you couldn't."
"I'm glad, and don't worry about Mom and Dad and all the mess with the wedding. I'll clean it up and deal with Lynda." She leaned away and smiled. "Now that I don't need to walk on eggshells around her for your sake, it's going to be fun."
He grinned. "Do your worst."
Her smirk was evil. "Oh, I will."
"Shall we get going?" Toven asked.
Rob nodded, standing up. "Yes."
Margo escorted them to the door and hugged him once more. "I will come to visit you in the village. I can't bring Negal with me, but I want to see the place."
"I will come to get you and Frankie," Mia said.
Mia and Margo hugged, and then they were off, riding the elevator to the parking level.
Rob felt a mix of emotions swirling within him—fear, excitement, sadness, hope. But underlying it all was a sense of rightness, a feeling that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
The future, which had seemed so bleak just hours ago, now stretched before him, filled with possibilities he had never dared to imagine.
He was leaving behind the world he had always known and heading toward a future that promised immortality, adventure, and perhaps, if he was lucky, a love that would stand the test of time.
47
ELL-ROM
Ell-rom's hand rested on the cool metal of the door handle to Morelle's room, hesitating for a moment before pushing it open. The familiar clean smell with some flowery undertones washed over him as he entered with Jasmine close behind.
The rest of the clinic smelled different, and he wondered why his sister's room had its unique scent.
Was it Gertrude's doing? Did she wish to provide Morelle with a touch of femininity in her surroundings? If so, he needed to thank the nurse for her thoughtfulness.
As usual, Morelle lay motionless in the elevated bed, her eyes closed, her face relaxed in a dreamless slumber, and her chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm.
"Hello, Morelle," Ell-rom said softly, moving to her bedside.
He bent down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, careful not to disturb any of the tubes or wires surrounding her.
Jasmine hung back, fiddling with the teardrop device hanging from a string looped around her neck.
"Compared to the earpieces, this seems so crude," she murmured as she sat down.
"True." Ell-rom pulled up a chair, settling himself next to her. "Still, I'm beyond grateful to the clan's tech guy for coming up with the idea and building the device just so you could communicate with us. I'm positive that understanding what you were saying to me sped up my recovery more than just listening to the sound of your voice would have done."