Page 83 of Dark Princess: Shadows

"What about the Guardians who are supposed to watch over me?"

"There's only one now, and he's trailing you." Kian looked into the shrubs as if he could see a Guardian galloping through them to keep up with the cart.

Ell-rom scanned their surroundings as well, seeing nothing but pristine landscaping and empty paths. "I can't see him. And if he's around, couldn't he have told me I was walking in the wrong direction?"

"He's probably taking a shortcut to my mother's house. He knows that we are heading there. And as for not pointing you in the right direction, he was told to keep his distance. I want to see if anyone tries anything when they think you're on your own. If nothing suspicious happens by the end of the week, I'm going to remove the last Guardian assigned to you. We need them for other things."

"What about my sister? Is anyone watching over her?"

"Same protocol as you, and it will also remain in effect only until the end of this week."

Something dark lurked behind Kian's polite expression, a tension that suggested problems Ell-rom wasn't privy to. He decided not to press. Kian would share what he deemednecessary, and since Ell-rom was not one of his advisors, if he had any, he wouldn't tell him anything even if he asked.

Besides, Ell-rom had enough worries of his own without taking on whatever was troubling Kian.

"How is Jasmine doing?" Kian asked.

"According to Bridget, she's doing well." Ell-rom shifted in the seat. "She's grown a full inch so far, and I know she's not going to be happy about it."

"Why not?" Kian frowned. "She's tall, but not even as tall as Amanda. Another inch isn't going to make much of a difference."

"I know," Ell-rom sighed. "And I don't mind if she grows even five inches taller. I'm just worried that she won't like it."

A knowing smile crossed Kian's face. "Here is what you should do. The moment she wakes up, tell her how beautiful she is and keep saying it until she has no choice but to believe you. She won't even notice the additional inches."

The simple advice struck Ell-rom as profound. Jasmine was always beautiful to him, whether she was dressed up for a formal occasion or just waking up in the morning. He needed to remember to tell her that as often as he could.

"I miss her voice," he admitted. "Her laugh. The way her eyes light up when she's excited about something." He looked up at the sun through the canopy of trees. "She is my sunshine."

"She'll wake up soon," Kian assured him. "The fact that she is growing is an excellent sign and probably the reason she hasn't woken up yet. Can you imagine how hard her body is working to make her grow an inch in just a few days? Not only that but ifshe had been awake, she would have been very uncomfortable. It hurts to grow so rapidly."

Ell-rom nodded. "Bridget said the same thing."

As Kian stopped the cart in front of Annani's house, Ell-rom spotted Morelle through the large living room window. She was sitting on the couch beside Annani, looking animated as she told Annani something. She waved her hands to accompany her story.

"Morelle retained her memories. I yearn for time to sit with her and talk about our life on Anumati, but I can't leave Jasmine's side, and Brandon is monopolizing Morelle's time. Not that I begrudge him it. She is awake, thanks to him. I just want the opportunity to get to know my twin sister."

53

ROB

Rob balanced two coffee cups and a paper bag of sandwiches as he left the café, planning to surprise Gertrude with lunch. Hopefully, she hadn't eaten yet and would be glad to see him. His game was rusty, and he had never flirted with an immortal before, but she seemed to like him.

He'd barely taken two steps when a familiar voice called out.

"Hey, stranger!"

Lusha sat at one of the outdoor tables, her dark hair gleaming in the sunlight. She'd been friendly since his arrival in the village, maybe a little too friendly considering that she was dating a Guardian, but maybe that was just her style, and she didn't mean anything by it. She was smart, and she knew a lot about the village, given that she hadn't been a resident long either. He liked talking to her, and he hoped she wouldn't be too put off by him pursuing Gertrude.

"Hi, Lusha." Rob stopped beside her table. "How are you?"

She gestured at the drinks in his hands. "Are you meeting Margo?"

Was he so pathetic that the only person Lusha could imagine him meeting was his sister?

"No, actually, I'm bringing lunch to Gertrude at the clinic."

"Oh." Lusha's eyebrows rose. "Is something going on between you two?"