Page 80 of Dark Awakening: New World

"And very true," he added.

Clearing her throat, Jasmine resumed singing the song she had started, then continued with 'Can't Help Falling in Love,' her voice carrying in the quiet room. As she finished the last notes of that one, she transitioned smoothly into 'The Way You Look Tonight,' letting herself get lost in the romantic lyrics and well-known melody.

At some point, she noticed Julian leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest and an appreciative smile on his face.

She finished the song and gave him a mock bow.

"That was beautiful," he said. "You should give concerts."

Jasmine felt her cheeks warm at the compliment. "Thank you, but I don't have any original pieces or even a style of my own," she admitted. "I'm just good at covers."

Julian shook his head, pushing off from the doorframe to enter the room. "You're selling yourself short," he insisted. "Once you get to the village, I'll personally introduce you to composers and poets who can write songs for you. Your talent deserves to be showcased."

Jasmine felt a flutter of excitement at the idea but also a twinge of nervousness. She'd never considered pursuing music seriously before. "That's very kind of you," she said. "I'll definitely think about it."

"Can you sing that first song again?" Ell-rom asked. "It was hauntingly beautiful."

"Of course."

She sang 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' again, and as she finished, Ell-rom's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

She put a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm just a little emotional."

Jasmine had a feeling that he needed a moment or two alone with his sister and rose to her feet. "I need a cup of tea to soothe my throat. Would you like some, too?"

He nodded.

"I'll make it and bring it to your room." She patted his shoulder before leaving.

As she stepped out of the room, she heard Ell-rom begin to speak softly to his sister, his words too quiet for her to hear.

54

JASMINE

Out in the hallway, Jasmine pulled out her phone and typed out a text to Margo. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Ell-rom will be joining us at the penthouse tomorrow. Bridget is going to release him into my care, so he will be staying with me until further notice.

Margo called back almost immediately. "We should throw him a party, but I don't know whether it should be a Welcome Back to the Living party or Congratulations on getting Better. Any preferences?"

Jasmine laughed. "I don't know. Both sound off. What do you have in mind, though? Lunch?"

"Yeah. It'll be a good excuse to get the guys to leave the equipment alone and come for lunch in the penthouse. We should make it a surprise for Ell-rom. So, don't tell him."

Jasmine bit her lip, considering the suggestion. While she appreciated Margo's enthusiasm, she wasn't sure that a surprise party was the best idea. "I'm not sure about that. Ell-rom might be overwhelmed. He's not used to being around a lot of people, and that was true even before he got on the settler ship. He and his sister lived in isolation."

"That's so sad," Margo said. "Well, it's up to you whether to surprise him or tell him ahead of time so he can be ready. Either way, I think a little gathering would be good for him. It might help him get used to being around people. Besides, we need to be introduced. Out of the whole team that went to Tibet, he only knows you, Julian, and Aru."

"Oh, right. If we are having a party, we should invite Julian and probably Edgar too."

"Are you sure?" Margo sounded like she thought that was a bad idea.

Jasmine leaned against the wall, mulling over the options. On the one hand, she wanted to make Ell-rom feel welcome and celebrated, but on the other, she didn't want to cause him any unnecessary stress or discomfort.

As she was considering, Julian walked by and noticing her pensive expression, raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

Jasmine sighed. "Margo wants to throw a welcome party for Ell-rom tomorrow when we bring him to the penthouse. I'm just not sure if it's a good idea."

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