Page 40 of Dark Princess: Shadows

Onegus shrugged. "As far as anyone else is concerned, we're simply expanding our efforts to combat child exploitation."

"That's good." Kian lit up his second cigarillo. "Do you have anyone in mind to head up this new unit?"

"That depends on how large you want the operation to be. We have our hands full with the traffickers. This will take away from those efforts."

"Not necessarily." Kian emptied what was left in his glass. "We can involve more of the Kra-ell in the rescue operations and gradually move some of the Guardians to teams that will combat the buyer side of the equation. That being said, we should start small to test the waters, and once we get the hang of it, increase our efforts."

Onegus nodded, stubbing out his cigarillo. "I'll start working on selecting the first team. We'll need individuals with strong stomachs and even stronger moral compasses. This kind of work can eat away at a person's soul if they're not careful."

"I trust your judgment," Kian said. "This isn't just another mission. It's a whole new frontier."

27

ELL-ROM

Ell-rom couldn't tear his eyes away from Jasmine's face. Four days had passed since she'd lost consciousness, and despite Bridget's reassurances about her strong vitals, he could see the changes happening to his mate's body. Her cheekbones were more pronounced now, her face thinner, and her already tall frame had somehow grown even longer—half an inch in just four days, according to the doctors' measurements.

He ran his thumb across the back of her hand, noting how hot her skin felt to the touch. The fever hadn't broken yet, and though Bridget insisted this was normal for transitioning Dormants, every hour that passed felt like torture.

"Your body is working so hard," he whispered in Kra-ell, the earpieces in Jasmine's ears automatically converting his words to English. "Bridget says you're using an enormous amount of energy to transform."

He wondered how Jasmine would feel about growing even taller. She was already tall for a human female, and she liked wearing those ridiculous shoes with spiky heels. Would she give them up if she grew a few more inches?

A knock at the door startled him.

He hadn't been expecting visitors, but then people had popped in at all hours of the day to check up on him, bring him food and drink, and show their support.

It was heartwarming, but it was also exhausting.

He wasn't used to dealing with people all day long, having to smile and make polite conversation while his heart was breaking, and his mind was melting from worry.

When he opened the door, he found himself face to face with Jade, her familiar features set in their usual stern expression. A young female stood beside her, a teenager with distinctive Kra-ell features.

"Good afternoon, Prince Ell-rom," Jade said, inclining her head. "I hope we're not disturbing you. This is my daughter, Drova."

The girl extended her hand in the human greeting gesture. "Hello, Prince."

Ell-rom shook her hand, noting how her eyes fixed on his ears. "Please, just Ell-rom is fine."

"Why are you wearing earpieces?" Drova asked bluntly, earning a sharp look from her mother.

"For translation," he explained, finding her directness refreshing. "My English skills are not sufficient for conversation yet." His gaze drifted back to Jasmine's still form. "I should be studying while I sit by my mate's side, but I can't seem to focus. My mind is scattered."

"Then perhaps this isn't a good time," Jade said. "You asked me to come talk to you about life on Anumati, and I thought thatDrova might benefit from the history lesson as well, but we can return another day."

Ell-rom considered the offer. He'd been consumed with worry for days, his thoughts cycling endlessly through the same fears. Maybe a distraction would help.

"No, please stay," he said. "It might be good to focus on something else for a change."

Drova was staring at Jasmine now, her head tilted thoughtfully. "Will Jasmine's earpieces still work while she's unconscious?"

"They should," Jade said. "The devices don't require conscious interaction to function. As long as they're activated, they will translate for her what we are saying."

"I will bring two more chairs." Ell-rom rose to his feet.

Jade lifted a hand to stop him. "We can sit on the floor. We are Kra-ell, and chairs were not part of our culture. We usually sit on floor cushions, but in their absence, we can sit on the floor."

Her words stirred a hazy memory in Ell-rom. His and Morelle's room had two bedding platforms and two short-legged desks but no chairs. They had sat cross-legged on large square cushions, with the tables in front of them, and copied texts.