70. Jasmine
More manageable chunks. That was good advice. Jasmine didn”t need to absorb and understand everything all at once. She should address one problem, or rather one issue at a time.
”So, let me get it straight.” She looked at Kian. ”You want me to travel with a team of immortals to Tibet to help them find a life pod that contains two aliens who are royal twins because you think that one of them is the prince my divining keeps pointing to.”
Kian grimaced. ”When put like that, it sounds ridiculous, but I”ve learned to trust Syssi”s visions. So yeah. That”s what we want you to do, and we will pay you for your trouble, but it is up to you. We are not forcing you to do anything you don”t want.”
That was what Jasmine had thought. It seemed that Kian was implying they wouldn”t activate her dormant godly genes unless she cooperated with them.
”So, my payment is the chance at immortality?”
Kian looked like she had slapped him and offended his mother. ”Of course not. One has nothing to do with the other. In fact, you shouldn”t attempt transition until after the mission because you don”t want to become incapacitated while trekking through unpopulated areas. I was talking about monetary compensation. I”ll double whatever you are paid at your current job.”
He sounded truthful, and since Jasmine hadn”t gotten the impression that he was a good actor or even a decent one, she was inclined to believe him.
”How is the transition induced?” she asked.
”I will tell you later.” Edgar pulled her closer to him. ”In private.”
She turned to him. ”Does it hurt?”
He shook his head. ”Getting there is the most pleasant experience, but the transition itself is not easy. It can even be dangerous. That”s why it is not advisable to attempt it away from our experienced medical staff and a well-equipped clinic.”
Given how husky Edgar sounded and that he didn”t want to explain how it was done in front of the others, the induction had something to do with sex.
”So?” Kian asked. ”Is it a yes?”
”Say yes,” Edgar said next to her ear. ”It”s going to be one hell of an adventure. Besides, you can”t go back home or to your job until we are sure that the cartel is not looking for you. Instead of spending weeks in some hotel or a safe house, you could be touring Tibet.”
Jasmine smiled. ”When you put it like that, I have to say yes.”
”Welcome aboard,” Aru said. ”The way I expect it to work is for Edgar to drop us off at the designated location, and while we continue on foot, he will head to the next refueling station. You”ll be able to see each other probably every night but not throughout the whole day.”
That was disappointing but not a deal breaker.
Jasmine turned to look at Edgar. ”Is that okay with you?”
”I figured that”s how it would have to work.”
Aru leaned forward, his nearly black eyes fixed on Jasmine with a piercing, penetrating intensity. ”I”m not clear on all the details yet, but we also might leave the other ladies with Edgar to watch over them while you, my teammates, and I trek through the mountains. To cover ground quickly and efficiently, we can”t be weighed down by excess baggage, and hauling supplies for four is much easier than for seven.”
Jasmine let out a breath. ”Contrary to the impression I give, I”m not a spoiled brat. I don”t need a suitcase full of clothes and makeup. But I”m not a fan of camping, meaning sleeping on the ground where all kinds of creepy-crawlies can get into my sleeping bag.”
Aru smiled. ”By the end of each day, we will try to reach a spot where Edgar can land and collect us. So, most of the time, we sleep in hotels and inns. But occasionally, we will have to sleep on the ground. We will get a small, fully enclosed tent for you so no bugs can get into your sleeping bag.”
”Thank you.” She dipped her head. ”That also covers my next concern which was keeping clean. I can go without a shower for a couple of days, but more than that, I feel gross.”
Syssi laughed softly. ”If I were you, I would be concerned with wild animals and bandits, not bugs and showers, although those are not negligible concerns either.”
Jasmine grimaced. ”Thanks for pointing that out to me.”
”You have nothing to worry about in that regard,” Aru promised. ”My teammates and I can take care of any danger we are faced with.”
”Right.” Jasmine smiled at him. ”The mind control. You can get into the minds of humans and other beasts.”
He nodded, but given the spark in his dark eyes, she had a feeling that mind control wasn”t the only tool at his disposal.
”I still don”t get how I”m supposed to help you,” Jasmine said. ”Will I be required to consult my tarots and my crystals on a daily basis?”
Aru”s expression turned speculative. ”I don”t expect your divination to work like a scrying stick, but I will probably ask you to consult your divining tools to give us a general sense of where we need to go.”
Jasmine pursed her lips. ”Actually, a scrying stick is not a bad idea. My divining tools are just conduits for the energy that”s already inside of me, and if I channel my energy into a scrying stick and ask the goddess to help me, it might point us in the right direction.” She sat up straighter. ”I can even make one myself and infuse it with my energy and intention.”
Excitement thrumming through her, Jasmine was ready for this new adventure. Deep in her bones and in her very soul, she”d always known that her mundane life was just a prelude for something much greater. But unlike what she”d believed before shooting down this incredible rabbit hole, that something wasn”t a Broadway stage or a Hollywood movie set.
She was a descendant of gods, and she was destined for greatness.