“And have you? Will I have another friend in Lilaria?” His words eased some of the guilt in my heart.
“I believe so.” I paused, the words stuck in my throat. “I need to at least go and see if it’s where I belong. If I’m a right fit.”
“Well, we can unenroll you for the semester and I can give the classes you’ve been handling to one of the other grad students. If you decide to make it a permanent move, then we’ll make it final.” He smiled sadly. “I hate to see you go, Sam. You’re one of the most dedicated students I’ve had in a long time, but I understand that at times life takes us in different directions than we planned.”
“I still want to finish my master’s, Dr. Geller. It just might take longer than I wanted.”
“If nothing else, I will give you the name of my friend. Perhaps you will find a way to still work with birds.” He stood up and moved around his desk.
“That would be great.” I frowned. “I’m really sorry it’s turned out this way. I know… I know you’ve put a lot of time into my degree and I feel like I’m letting you down.”
“Nonsense. If anything, you’ll take a great deal of information with you. Lilaria’s noble houses have been aligned with birds for centuries. Maybe you were meant to do this all along.”
Something in my stomach loosened and for the first time I felt good about my decision. He seemed to understand what I was thinking because he laughed.
“Did you think I was going to yell and try to guilt you into staying?”
“Not really. I just hated to leave like this. It felt wrong.”
“When will you be going?” He leaned against his desk.
“I’m not sure, but I probably shouldn’t come back to the school. I’m causing too much trouble.” I sighed. “In fact, I should probably clear out my desk today.”
“If you need anything, let me know.” He looked at me seriously. “I mean it. Anything. We’re all going to be rooting for you.”
“Thank you.”
After I left his office, I went straight to the one I shared. Everyone was in there, and they all looked up when Becca and I came through the door. I walked over to my desk before stopping and turning to look at everyone.
“Well, looks like someone else is going to get the window desk.”
“Oh my God, Geller kicked you out of the program?” Mary looked at me with wide eyes.
“Um, no. I’m withdrawing. I can’t teach classes and uphold my course load if there are eight news vans following me everywhere.” I started pulling stuff out of my drawers and shoving it into my bag.
“What are you going to do?” David spun around in his desk chair and looked at me seriously. “Are you going to finish your degree somewhere else?”
“I don’t know yet.” I started to tell them I was going to Lilaria but stopped. “I have several options to choose from.”
“Like what?” Mary walked over to my desk with a box and helped me put some of my books and papers in it.
“Do you still have my field guide?” I brushed off her question.
“Oh, yeah. Hold on.” She ran to her desk and fished through her bag. “Here it is.”
“So, you’re just leaving?” David asked.
“I’ll be in touch. It’s not like I won’t ever see you guys again.”
“We should throw you a party!” Mary sat on the window ledge and looked at me. “It’ll be fun. We can invite the whole department.”
“Mary, I think that would be difficult right now.” David narrowed his eyes at her. “She has security following her to the bathroom. You really think they’re going to let her have a party?”
“Becca does not follow me into the bathroom.” I glared at David. “And there isn’t time. I’ll probably be leaving in a couple of days.”
“Are you going to Lilaria?” David leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“Possibly.”
“We’re going to miss you.” Mary threw her arms around me and I laughed when she knocked me off balance. Becca moved closer, but I waved her away.
“I’m going to miss you too. Don’t drive David crazy, okay?”
“Bah. It’s so much fun.” Mary winked at me.
I walked over to David and hugged him before kissing his cheek. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
I told everyone else good-bye, joking and laughing where I could. The truth was, I was crying inside. This had been my life for several years and it felt strange to leave it without having completed what I came for.
Parker took the box out of my hands when I left the office and Duvall looked at me expectantly. “I need to speak with Rose.”
“Very well. I’ll see if she has time this afternoon. In the meantime, where would you like to go?”
“My father’s.”
I called Dad on the ride over, letting him know I was on my way. Seemed like the polite thing to do since there were two news vans tailing us.
“I mean, really. What do they expect to find out? That I’m really an alien sent from Pluto?” I glanced over my shoulder quickly.
“Good shots can make a reporter’s career. Finding out the smallest bit of information can mean scooping another station. The fact is, right now you’re news.” Duvall looked back at me and if I didn’t know any better I would think there was sympathy in his expression.
“They don’t even know why they’re following me right now.”
“The little bit of information they have—”
“Misinformation!”
“Yes, the little bit they think they know means you’re a story their viewers would find interesting.”
I just shook my head. Dad was waiting for us when we pulled up. I could see him peeking out the side window. Since there were people following us, Duvall and Becca escorted me into the house. I hugged Dad and then introduced him to my shadows.
“Nice to meet you. Would you like something to drink?” Dad smiled at Duvall and Becca, who both declined.
I threw my box of books on the floor and sat down on the couch. Dad nodded his head and sat across from me. “You’re going?”
“Yeah.” I sighed, knowing he would probably put up a fight, but I was ready. “You’re coming with me.”
“Sam, I’m in the middle of chemo. I can’t just leave.”
“We’ll talk to your doctor and figure out what to do.” I sat up and looked him in the eye. “Have you been to Lilaria?”
“No.” Dad shook his head.
“There’s no time like the present.” I knew he loved to travel and damn it, if he was going to be okay with whatever happened, then he might as well live a little in the meantime.
“I may have to wait until after the last round of chemo.” He leaned forward and patted my knee. “But if you want me to come, I’ll come after that.”
I didn’t like it. I wanted him to meet with the specialist right away, but I understood he would be better off finishing what he started. “I might have to go before that. The duchess made it sound like I only had a few days.”
“Then go! I’ll be fine. Patricia will take me to my appointments.”
“Just call me cabby, why don’t you?” Patricia hollered from the kitchen. She leaned against the doorframe, a dish towel in her hand. “You’re going to Lilaria?”
I nodded my head. It still didn’t feel real. The entire last few days felt dreamlike. Especially the part where I had been plastered against Alex before sticking my foot in my mouth. Well, the foot in my mouth part felt pretty real. I’d been doing that my whole life.
“Good! Don’t you worry about your dad. I’ll keep him in line.”
“Samantha, the duchess said she would be free in an hour.” Duvall stepped forward. “Should I tell her you are coming?”
“Yes.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. “Where is she?”
“She’s at the Parallel.”
I glanced down at my clothes and sighed. I had worn jeans and a sweater, but it would have to do. There wasn’t enough time to go back to my house, change, and make it to the hotel.
“Okay. I’ll have to go like this.” I turned back to my dad and wrapped my arms around him. “You call the doctor today and tell him you’re going to be moving to Lilaria. Tell him you need all your charts for Dr. Bielefeld, okay?”
“Samantha, I’m sick, not stupid.” Dad kissed my forehead.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget.” I laughed as I pulled my coat back on. How long had I been here? Five minutes? Six? Is this how life would be once I accepted the family title?
“Be careful.”
“Love you.” I smiled at him over my shoulder as I followed Duvall back to the car. The news crews were still setting up, obviously expecting me to be there longer than the amount of time it took to say hello.
“Love you too.”
Becca pulled the door closed behind us and we left for the Parallel.
Chapter Eleven
Reluctant Royal
—Lilarian Gazette
The hotel was busy, guests checking in and out, people meeting for lunch or relaxing in the lobby. When we pulled up, the doorman opened the car door and Becca exited first. He smiled at her before looking at me. When he realized I was in the car as well, his whole demeanor changed. He bowed his head a little and made a sweeping gesture with his hand.
I looked at Becca to see if this guy was serious but she just smirked. As I walked past him, I realized he was the same guy who had been on duty the night I’d met the duchess and Alex for dinner. I squashed my urge to demand if he had been the one to sell photos to the press and walked past him with just a mumbled thank you.
Inside, Duvall and Becca took us in an elevator to the penthouse. I found myself wondering if Alex would be there and tried to calm my racing heart. I wanted to see him, to tell him I was sorry again, but wasn’t sure if that would be a welcome thing or not. There was a short hallway outside the elevator that led to a large double door. Duvall knocked and we waited until another suit clad person opened the door.
“Samantha!” Rose stood up from a small desk next to the windows and walked over to me. She kissed my cheek and squeezed my shoulders. “So good to see you.”
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”
“Not a problem at all.” She led me over to a small sofa and offered me some tea. “Have you come to a decision?”
“I have.” I took a polite sip from the teacup before setting it back on the table. “I would like to go back with you if the invitation is still open.”
“Of course! That’s wonderful news.” She leaned back in her chair and smiled. “And will your father be joining us?”
“He has to finish his current chemotherapy treatments, but he’ll come shortly after.” I frowned, realizing there was a great deal for me to take care of, like plane tickets for him and setting up appointments. “Alex gave me some information on Dr. Bielefeld, but I’m not sure how to go about contacting him for my father. I imagine he must have a large client list.”
“Oh, no worries there. I’ll have someone set that up for you. In fact, there will be several things to take care of.” She turned and motioned over her shoulder to a lady in a blue dress. “You’re going to need access to your accounts, someone to help get you organized and to help you in the country since you’ve never been.”
“Um.” I looked from Rose to the lady in blue and back. “I have no idea where to start.”
“That’s okay, dear. I knew there would be a lot to take care of.”
The front door opened and Alex walked into the room. The lady in blue and the waitress were setting up dishes on the dining table all bobbed a quick curtsy. Alex nodded his head in acknowledgment before his eyes fixed on me. He smiled politely at me and I felt queasy. There was a distance in his eyes that hurt.
“Samantha.” He sat down on the other end of the short sofa and my body automatically tilted toward him. It was like being caught in a gravitational pull. “Are you joining us for lunch?”
“Oh, no.” I turned back to his aunt, wanting to focus on anything other than the man next to me. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your meal. I can come back later.”
Rose was watching me with that calculating look again. It wasn’t unfriendly, just thoughtful. You could see her trying to figure out what was going on between me and Alex.
“Have you eaten? I called for four people.” Rose nodded toward the table and the three place settings.
“Thank you, but I really don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense. We have a lot to discuss.” She turned her attention back to the lady in blue. “Sarah, can you please bring me the green folder on my desk? And call the office and see if Chadwick is available.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Sarah hurried back with the green folder and then quietly left the room to make her phone call.
Rose flipped through the folder before handing it to me. “This holds your account numbers and access codes, including several cards that are linked to them. There is also a brief summary of the lands you hold, your official title, and an itinerary for the next two days and when we land in Lilaria.”
“Accounts? Itinerary?”
“Yes, your family’s holdings have been guarded by the crown. When they left to protect themselves, they only took what they could carry. This meant leaving a great deal of money and valuables in banks and trusts.” Rose sipped her tea while I digested that bit. “The itinerary is to help keep us all on schedule. Since you’ve decided to accept your title, we will need to do a press release. This will help clear up the rumor mill some.”