Page 92 of Dark Awakening: New World

"With pleasure. It's one of my favorites."

"Thank you." Gertrude looked as giddy as a little girl.

Jasmine swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. This place had been their safe haven, a cocoon where Ell-rom had begun his recovery and where their relationship had blossomed. Leaving it felt significant, like finishing one chapter and starting another.

Julian emerged from the room with the sleeping bag and the rolled-up mattress and reached for her duffle bag. "Allow me."

"It's okay. You are already carrying enough."

He snorted. "Don't be silly. I'm an immortal. I could carry you on one arm and Ell-rom on the other if I needed to. This is nothing."

"Well, if you put it that way." She handed him the bag.

Ell-rom sighed. "I can't wait for the day I will be able to say that. Right now, I can barely carry myself." He leaned on his walker.

"Patience, my friend," Julian said as Gertrude opened the front door of the clinic for them and held it open.

As the door closed behind them, Jasmine felt a flutter of excitement. This was it, the start of their new life together.

Julian led them to the elevator that would take them directly to the penthouse.

Ell-rom had only ridden it one floor down, so he wasn't prepared for the speed as the elevator surged up, accelerated, and then seemed to be slowing aggressively. As the doors slid open, he was unsteady on his feet.

Julian glanced at him. "Dizzy?"

"A little. I didn't expect that." He followed Julian out and gasped as he saw the opulent vestibule.

Jasmine turned to watch his reaction, following his eyes as he took in the mosaic floor and then the domed ceiling with its elegant mural.

At the center stood a massive stone table, and atop it sat an enormous marble vase with fresh flowers, their vibrant colors and heady fragrance filling the space.

Ell-rom approached the flowers, leaned in, and inhaled deeply. "Wow, this is incredible."

Jasmine remembered how she'd felt the first time she had seen the space, but after passing through this vestibule countless times, she'd grown accustomed to its grandeur. Seeing it again through Ell-rom's eyes reminded her of her own first impression.

"Is this how everyone on Earth lives?" Ell-rom asked.

Jasmine laughed. "Not even close. This is exceptionally luxurious by Earth's standards. And you haven't seen anything yet."

She strode towards the large double doors at the far end of the vestibule, pausing for a moment with her hands on the ornate handles and savoring the moment. Then, with a flourish, she flung the doors wide open.

"Welcome to your new home, Ell-rom." She gestured for him to step through.

62

ELL-ROM

As Ell-rom stepped through the double doors Jasmine had flung open, he found himself rooted to the spot, overwhelmed by the sight before him. The most striking feature was the vast expanse of glass that seemed to make up an entire wall of the room. Through it, he could see the darkening sky, a canvas of deep blues and purples.

Was the sky above Anumati as magnificent? Was it the same color?

Jasmine wrapped an arm around his middle. "Do you want to go outside?"

"Can we?"

"Yes. That's a terrace. It's meant to be enjoyed."

She touched one of the panels, and it slid open, letting in the air, which was fresh but not pure.

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