Page 66 of Dark Witch Resurrection

Bridget smiled knowingly. "She's in the kitchen, and I'm sure she will be thrilled about the takeout."

"I hope so." He returned the doctor's smile. "I'll leave the leftovers in the fridge so you can feast when your guests are gone. The Golden Dragon is the best."

"I know, and I will."

After collecting the bag he'd left on the floor, Edgar continued down the corridor to the keep's kitchen and pushed open the door.

Jasmine looked up from her coffee mug as he entered. "Hi." She rose to her feet and walked over to him. "What brings you here?"

He held up the bag of food. "Brought you some lunch." He set the bag down on the counter. "Thought you might be hungry after all the excitement of the day. I've heard your prince is awake."

She didn't take the bait about the prince. "That's so sweet of you." She reached for the bag. "I didn't even realize how hungry I was until just now."

"I must have sensed it." He tapped his temple.

Edgar watched as she unpacked the food, satisfied by the small, appreciative noises she made as she inhaled the savory aromas of the dishes he had chosen.

He knew her tastes and had chosen accordingly, but there were other dishes there as well that were more aligned with his preference for spicy stuff.

"You got enough to feed an army." She put two plates on the counter, one for him and one for herself. "Do we need more plates? Who else is joining us?"

"I thought that Bridget, Julian, and Gertrude would appreciate some fresh food, but they can't leave while the distinguished guests are visiting. Bridget asked that we store the leftovers in the fridge."

Jasmine probably didn't know about the Clan Mother being there, so he wouldn't mention her unless she did.

She nodded and lifted a pendant he hadn't noticed before. "Did you see William's latest gadget? This can translate what I'm saying into Kra-ell and still sound like me. Do you want to see how it works?"

"Sure."

Edgar's heart sank. If she could communicate with the prince, she would make him fall in love with her, and then she would fall in love with him. Or maybe she already had?

Well, it had to happen one way or the other.

"Kra-on!" she said and then added a few more words that came out sounding like the guttural Kra-ell language.

Edgar frowned. "How come I didn't hear what you said in English?"

She turned the device off. "William said something about it producing counter sound waves to absorb what I say so only the Kra-ell is heard. I might be confusing stuff because I don't understand anything about these kinds of things."

He didn't like Jasmine's tendency to put herself down and try to appear not as smart or capable as she was. Perhaps he should say something. They might not be a couple anymore, but they were friends.

He smiled at her to gentle the sting of his words. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Pretend to be less smart than you are?"

She shrugged. "I don't want to be a show-off, and I really don't think I should speak with fake authority about things I understand little to nothing about."

"Now, that was a much better answer. You basically said the same thing but without disparaging yourself." He picked up the box closest to him and opened it. "Fates. Those smells were killing me on the way here. Let's eat before things get cold."

Jasmine laughed. "Let's."

Her laugh was a relief. It signaled that she hadn't been hurt or offended by what he had said.

They got busy shoveling food into their mouths for the next few minutes. Well, he shoveled. Jasmine ate with her usual restraint and ladylike manner.

She would fit the princess role well, but she needed to develop more hutzpah.

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