Page 86 of Dark Princess Emerging

Jasmine cast her a sidelong glance. "Shoot."

The word made Morelle frown. "Shoot what? I don't have a weapon."

Jasmine's laughter filled the room. "I meant talk."

"Oh." Morelle nodded, filing away yet another confusing Earth expression. "Why can't people here just say what they mean literally?"

"Language is a reflection of the culture," Jasmine said with a shrug. "Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

"No." Morelle perched on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Jasmine's carefully folded piles. "I wanted to ask if fated mates enjoy all the same things and agree on everything."

Jasmine's hands stilled on the shirt she was folding. "If you're asking about Ell-rom and me, we definitely don't agree on everything, and we have very different preferences. I love being around people, socializing, and getting a lot of attention. I'm a performer at heart, and the more eyes on me, the more energized I feel. Ell-rom gets exhausted if he's around people for too long. He needs his privacy, his quiet time."

Relief flooded through Morelle. So, her hunch had been right, and even Ell-rom and Jasmine, who considered themselves fated mates, weren't perfect mirrors of each other.

"I also need solitude from time to time," she said. "But Ell-rom and I differ in other ways. He is much more accommodating and pleasant than I am." She sighed. "How do you manage to bridge the differences between you and Ell-rom? Do they lead to arguments?"

"We don't argue," Jasmine said, resuming her folding. "We're aware of each other's needs, and we compromise. That's the real secret to a good relationship—finding balance. You can't be completely selfish and want everything your way, but you can't be a doormat either. The key is finding a middle ground and taking each other's preferences and limitations into account."

The advice was sound, but Morelle suspected achieving that equilibrium would be harder for her and Brandon than it seemed to be for Ell-rom and Jasmine. Her brother and his mate were naturally more flexible and less stubborn than she and Brandon.

"Is everything okay between you and the councilman?" Jasmine asked.

"Brandon and I care deeply for each other, but we're still struggling to find that middle ground you mentioned. It's not as simple for us."

Jasmine set down the skirt she was folding. "These things take time and patience. Don't give up just because everything isn't perfect yet."

"I'm not giving up," Morelle said quickly. "But patience isn't my strong suit. I was hoping you might know of a shortcut. Maybe a manual for relationships?"

Jasmine chuckled. "We could make that a project—you and me. Interview everyone in committed relationships and compile their advice. But it'll have to wait until after I solve the mystery of my mother's disappearance."

Ell-rom and Jasmine had reported about the divorce document that her mother had sent her father. They were not sure that it was authentic, but if it was, it meant that Jasmine's mother had been alive at a time when she was supposed to be dead.

"Do you believe she's alive?" Morelle asked.

Jasmine straightened, something fierce and determined crossing her expression. "Yeah, I do. But I'll know more after talking to my father, or rather, after having a Guardian get into his head while I question him. My father never gives me straight answers, but this time, I'll have someone pluck it straight out of his brain."

52

MARINA

Wedding jitters were the worst.

Marina nearly fell on her ass as she crouched to arrange pastries in the display case. Her balance was off, and not just physically.

Everything felt off-kilter.

Luckily, she managed to stabilize the tray so that nothing fell off.

"You should go home," Wonder said. "Your wedding is on Sunday. You should be soaking in the bathtub with a tub of ice cream and a spoon, watching romantic comedies. You're so stressed I'm afraid you'll pop a vein, and then what will become of your wedding?"

Marina shook her head, carefully arranging the pastries. "I'd rather keep busy than stay home thinking about everything that could go wrong."

And there was so much that could go wrong. Peter's recent promotion to lead the new Avengers division should have beenexciting news, and it was, but she couldn't stop worrying. Going after pedophile rings was dangerous enough when dealing with humans, but if Doomers were involved as suspected...

Immortals weren't invincible. A well-aimed bullet to the head or heart could still kill them. The thought of Peter facing armed criminals was bad enough. Adding Doomers to the mix changed the equation, making it much riskier for him.

"As you wish," Wonder said. "I offered. By the way, I love my bridesmaid dress. Good choice." She clapped Marina on the back before grabbing the coffee carafe to deliver refills.