Page 8 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

Her brother waved a dismissive hand. "Contrary to what you think about me, I don't have to always win."

"I'll be right back." Jasmine rushed out of the lounge.

Kian cast Amanda a sidelong glance. "Did you have anything to do with her sudden need to visit the ladies' room?"

She shrugged and assumed an innocent expression. "I might have projected the suggestion to see if she picked it up."

"That was clever." Kian regarded his sister with appreciation. "Did you suspect that she was faking her underwhelming results with your tests?"

Amanda nodded. "She's unnaturally good with cards, so I suspected that she'd fudged the answers. Anyway, while she's gone, I wanted to suggest that you ask Edna to take a peek at Jasmine's psyche. Edna's talent is more akin to empathic reading than thralling, so it's totally within the rules."

"It is, but it's also not subtle. Jasmine will know that she's being probed."

"It's either that or thralling, which I don't mind doing if you are too squeamish about breaking the rules. You know that I don't believe in strict adherence to them, and since no one ever checks, I see no harm in taking a quick look. Jasmine wouldn't even feel it."

He tilted his head. "Why is this so important to you? Do you suspect that something about her is not as it seems?"

"Not really." Amanda sighed. "She's hiding things, but that's not an indication of anything malicious. We all have things we hide, old pains that we don't want others to see, shame, and guilt. But I want Jasmine to mingle with our eligible bachelors, and I know that you won't let her onto the upper decks without making sure she's harmless. So, we need Edna to take a peek, or I can do that and break the rules for a good cause." A sly grin lifted Amanda's red-painted lips. "Since Jasmine obviously has some paranormal talent, and the Fates brought her to us, we have an obligation to check whether she's a Dormant. I have a strong hunch that she is."

Kian surprised her by nodding. "I agree. Even I like her, and you know me. I rarely take a liking to new people."

Amanda snorted. "Generally, that's true, but in the case of gorgeous ladies, you are a bit more flexible."

"What are you talking about?" He glared at her. "Her looks have no effect on me. How can you even suggest that?"

"Relax." She put a hand on his arm. "I'm not suggesting that you are attracted to her, only that you find her pleasing to look at. It's natural, and you don't need to get defensive about it. Even little kids prefer pretty teachers to the ones less fortunate in the looks department. That's how humans are wired, and given who our ancestors are, you shouldn't be surprised. Gods are obsessed with beauty and physical perfection."

Kian dismissed Amanda's theory with a wave of his hand, not because it was untrue but because it was irrelevant to their discussion. "The cruise is almost over, so I don't see the point in sending Edna to test Jasmine. Before she disembarks, we will thrall her to forget about us, and while we are at it, we can take a look at whatever she is hiding."

"You forget the Doomers," Amanda said. "We can't just send Jasmine home, and we can't let her return to her job. We need to get her somewhere safe for a couple of weeks until we are sure that the coast is clear."

"True." He sighed. "I did forget about that. I'll talk to Edna, but it still won't change the fact that we have only three days left."

"We can do a lot in three days, even if you don't allow Jasmine to go up. I'm going to tell Max that he needs to keep an eye on her up close and personal."

"Why Max?"

Amanda shrugged. "He's been a groomsman but never the groom for too long, and it's his turn. Jasmine might not be the one for him, but he deserves first dibs."

6

JASMINE

Jasmine sat on the toilet and waited for her full bladder to empty, but instead of the gush she'd expected, there was only a trickle.

"Oh, crap. I hope I don't have a UTI or a bladder infection."

An intense urge to pee without much to show for it was a sure sign of one of those.

Nah, that was unlikely. She had drank plenty of liquids and hadn't been intimate with anyone since Alberto.

She was just nervous.

It wasn't smart to get the big boss annoyed, which would surely happen if she won again. Men didn't like losing to women, even more than they didn't like to lose to other men.

Fragile egos, one and all.

When she was done, Jasmine washed her hands, combed her locks with her fingers, and smacked her lips to plump them up.

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