Page 89 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

"What do you mean by that?" Kian knew it was a psychological term, but he didn't know what it described.

Syssi shrugged. "Jasmine always smiles like she is perpetually in a good mood. Some people are naturally upbeat, so that's not enough of a reason to suspect dissociation. But add to the equation her being lied to, manipulated, and betrayed by her boyfriend, the trauma of being drugged and kidnapped, and Edna's comment about old childhood pain, and you have a prescription for dissociation. After all that Jasmine has been through, she needed a coping mechanism, but I doubt she developed it recently. She was probably well practiced in that before her ordeal."

Kian let Syssi's words sink in for a moment and then nodded. "Do you think she's acting out a persona? That who she is underneath is different from what she shows the world?"

"She might be, but I'm not an expert, and what I know comes from a few articles I read a long time ago. David would know much more about it, but he will need to talk to Jasmine at length before he can give you his opinion."

"So what are you suggesting I do? Should I ask David to analyze her first? We have an expert on post-traumatic disorders at our disposal, so why not?"

Syssi shook her head. "It won't change the outcome. We still need her to help Aru find the pods. It was just an observation."

Kian nodded. "As long as she's not going to fall apart because of whatever psychological issues she is coping with, we don't need to fix her, right? I wouldn't even feel comfortable suggesting it unless it was pertinent to the mission." He opened his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. "It's so inconvenient that Jasmine doesn't have a phone. The only way I can find out where to locate her is by calling security."

The call was answered right away. "How can I help you, boss?"

"I need Jasmine's current location. One of the two humans we saved from the cartel boss."

The Guardian chuckled. "We have only one Jasmine on board, and we know who she is. Right now, she is in Edgar's cabin. She walked in with him last night after the wedding and hasn't emerged yet."

"Thank you. That will be all."

Next to Kian, Syssi smiled. "Jasmine is a fast operator."

"Good for her." Kian scrolled for Edgar's number. "Makes things easier for me. I can just call Edgar and have him bring Jasmine here."

Syssi arched a brow. "Do you want Edgar to hear everything we tell her?"

That was a good point. Ed had a high-security clearance, and the two were a couple. If things were serious between them, he would probably have to accompany her on the mission anyway.

"Edgar's security clearance is as high as the Guardians. I have no problem with him being here. And if there's a chance that Jasmine is his fated mate, then he will want to accompany her wherever she's going."

Syssi's eyes widened. "Do we have another helicopter pilot?"

Kian chuckled. "Eric can fly helicopters, and so can I, but I wouldn't want to be my own pilot."

"Why not?"

“I learned how to fly on a simulator. It's better than nothing, but I would rather have a pilot with real-life experience."

Kian pressed send, and a moment later, Edgar answered.

"Good morning, Kian. Do you need me to fly you somewhere?"

Naturally, Ed assumed that was why Kian was calling. "Actually, I'm not calling for you. I'm calling for Jasmine. I need her to come to my cabin. You know where it is, right?"

There was a short pause. "I do. Is she in trouble?"

"Not at all. I just need to discuss something with her, and it cannot wait. How soon can you get here?"

Edgar cleared his throat. "Is twenty minutes okay?"

"That's fine. I will see you both here." Kian ended the call and scrolled for Aru's number.

"Amanda should be here as well," Syssi said. "I know she's not essential, but she will be annoyed if we don't include her in this talk."

"You're right. Can you please call her?"

"Sure thing." Syssi rose to her feet and removed her phone from the charger. "I'll call Amanda from the bedroom so you can talk with Aru without distractions."

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