Page 18 of Dark Rebel's Mystery

"It's possible that he'll be difficult," Kian conceded, "and on top of his reluctance to discuss his former wife, he's also Russian. From experience, we know that Russians are typically more suspicious by nature than other nationalities and that skepticism makes them harder to thrall."

Max let out a low breath of relief, ready to pounce on that angle. "Then I'm certainly not strong enough. Brundar, on the other hand, can break through most people. Maybe he should go. I'll gladly take his place as your bodyguard for that weekend."

Kian gave him a small sympathetic smile. "Normally, I would agree with you," he said, "but there's one more factor I didn't share with you yet." He raked his fingers through his hair. "Syssi insists that you need to be the one accompanying Jasmine and Ell-rom, and I know better than to argue with Syssi's gut feelings."

Max's breath caught in his throat. If Syssi's visions or gut feelings were pointing a finger at him, his assignment wasn't negotiable. "Did Syssi see me in a vision doing something important?" Max asked.

Kian shook his head. "It was simply a gut feeling. But with Syssi, a gut feeling is as good as a prediction. I'm aware of your dislike of Jasmine, but I'm sure you can keep it bottled up for one day. She's happily mated to Ell-rom, so it's not like you are expected to charm her. Polite will do."

Max pressed his lips into a thin line. Kian's request, especially when backed by Syssi's intuition, was more like an edict. Even if Max had confessed to loving his current duties, Kian would still have sent him with Jasmine.

The knowledge that no measure of protest would change the outcome felt both frustrating and freeing.

At least he knew where he stood.

Besides, there were some obvious upsides to the assignment beyond getting a break from the damn dungeon.

Given that Jasmine was mated to Annani's half-brother, she was considered part of the clan's royal family, and it would be smart of him to work on improving his relationship with her.

This mission provided the perfect opportunity to atone for the way he'd treated Jasmine when they had first met. He'd been unfriendly, and she had been gracious despite his stinky attitude. Perhaps this was his chance to redeem himself.

"I'll do my best to be not only cordial but also friendly," he promised Kian. "The truth is that I don't actually have anything against Jasmine. She seems like a genuinely nice person, and she's obviously talented—an excellent singer. Her resemblance to someone who wronged me a long time ago shouldn't affect how I feel about her and certainly not how I behave around her."

"That's very wise of you." Kian pushed away from the wall. "Especially given that her mate might not appreciate you being rude to the female he adores." He delivered the sentence with a smile, but Max heard the underlying warning loud and clear.

"I'll do my best, sir. I know how much the Clan Mother cares about her brother and how important his happiness and safetyare to her. Which brings me to my next question: am I going to be the only Guardian accompanying them?" He suspected he wouldn't be, but he wanted clarity.

"I'd likely send another Guardian who's a stronger thraller." Kian rolled his shoulders. "Brundar is a good choice, and since I don't have any plans outside the village for the weekend, I don't really need to bother with a replacement bodyguard."

Max silently berated himself. He'd been the one who mentioned Brundar, and now the prospect of spending a weekend with the man loomed in front of him. Brundar was probably the best Guardian on the force, but he had the personality of a block of ice.

"I can suggest a couple more Guardians who are strong thrallers," Max offered, hoping to remedy the situation. Perhaps naming some alternatives could lead to a better fit and possibly lighten the environment.

"Please do," Kian said, stepping closer. He reached out and gave Max a hearty clap on the back, which Max accepted with a nod. The friendly gesture was as much a dismissal as it was encouragement. "Text the names to me when you get a chance."

"Will do, sir."

As Kian turned to head for the exit, Max stayed put for an extra beat, leaning against the wall himself. Taking one last deep breath, he pushed off from the wall and started toward the Guardians' station.

He reminded himself that loyalty and performance were more important than his personal preferences. If this was what needed to be done because Syssi's intuition pointed at him, then so be it. He would do the best job he could.

11

JASMINE

Evening settled over the village, bringing with it a cold breeze that nipped at Jasmine's skin, but she didn't mind. Walking hand in hand with Ell-rom along the winding path to Kian and Syssi's house, she appreciated how beautiful the village looked in the fading sunlight.

She lifted her chin and breathed in the crisp air. "Sometimes, I still can't believe this is my home now."

Ell-rom squeezed her hand. "I know what you mean. Growing up in the temple, I never imagined a place like this could even exist."

She turned to him. "The gods lived in beautiful cities. Didn't you get to see them? I mean, in videos?"

He shook his head. "The temple didn't have any screens. Only books. I suspect that the head priestess hid one in her chambers, but Morelle and I only heard of televised events. We never saw one."

"Maybe that was a blessing in disguise," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "Books force you to imagine andprocess. Your brain has to work harder than when images are fed to you. Perhaps that's why you and Morelle are so smart."

"Are we?"

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