Page 39 of Dark Princess Emerging
The logic was sound, Jasmine had to admit. And if there was truly urgency involved, they shouldn't wait. "I agree that waiting for me to develop a thralling ability does not make sense, but I want to be there when he's questioned."
"That's not a problem," Kian replied.
"I go where Jasmine goes," Ell-rom said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kian's expression tightened. "That complicates things. We'll need to assign at least two Guardians for your protection, probably more. And with the new division being formed, we're already stretched thin."
"What new division?" Brandon leaned forward.
"It's too early to discuss it," Kian said curtly. "The council will be informed once we have a solid plan of action."
The sudden tension between the two men was palpable, though both were clearly trying to hide it. Jasmine glanced at Morelle, and her slight nod indicated that she'd noticed it, too.
Somehow, the brief moment of shared understanding gave Jasmine hope for the future of their relationship. Morelle seemed like someone who could be a friend.
They would need to be careful, of course. Set boundaries and make sure that neither of them played a tug of war with Ell-rom.
He needed them both in different ways.
"When do you want to do this?" Jasmine asked, deliberately steering the conversation back to safer ground. "Question my father, I mean."
"The sooner the better," Kian said. "But if you want to be there, you need to get a little stronger. You've just woken up from a ten-day coma yesterday."
Ell-rom shifted beside her. "Maybe we could lure him to come closer to us so Jasmine doesn't need to travel?"
"That's an option," Kian agreed. "Jasmine, does your father travel for business?"
She thought for a moment. "Rarely. He's an insurance broker, and they sometimes have conventions. He goes hunting, though, and he has a cabin in the mountains. It's pretty remote—no neighbors for miles." A chill ran down her spine when she thought about how easy it could have been for him to kill her mother and hide her body out there or even leave it for the wild beasts to devour.
No. He'd loved her mother. She was convinced of that.
"What's the matter?" Ell-rom rubbed his thumb over her palm. "Are you cold?"
"No, but I had an upsetting thought that I'd rather not say anything about in front of the little one."
Kian nodded. "I get what you mean. When you feel up to it, call your father and ask him if he's going on any hunting trips in the near future. You can tell him that you would like to stay in the cabin for a few days."
She chuckled. "He will know that for the lie it is. I hate hunting, and I have never gone there with him. It's a guys' place. He and his buddies go there and get drunk."
"Well, find a way to get it out of him. It will make our lives easier if we can catch him there instead of showing up at his home and having to deal with your stepmother as well. In the meantime, I would like William to examine that jewelry box and those tarot cards."
"I'll get them to him," Jasmine promised.
"Now that this is settled," Annani said, "who would like dessert? Ogidu has prepared something special."
Allegra perked up at the mention of dessert, abandoning her mission to feed everyone at the table. "Waffle!" she declared enthusiastically. "Sweet!"
The tension around the table dissolved, and Jasmine let out a breath.
Maybe she would finally find out if her mother had died or was still alive, understand why she had left her those particular items, and if she was still alive, why she'd disappeared without a trace and never tried to contact her again.
24
MORELLE
Back in her room, Morelle settled onto the couch beside Brandon, her mind still processing everything they'd learned about Jasmine's mother. "I think it's exciting that Syssi's vision hints at the possibility that Jasmine's mother is alive and that she might be involved with the resistance." She smiled. "Maybe Jasmine and I have more in common than I thought. We are both the daughters of rebels. What do you think?"
That would explain the affinity she felt for her brother's mate, which went beyond the gratitude for her part in rescuing them from certain death.