We pulled up to the palace and everyone immediately pulled out their phones to take pictures, but I was looking around for Dax. The need to be close to him was almost more than I could stand and I was disappointed he wasn’t waiting for me.
“Dr. Campbell?” The same young woman from earlier today approached me as I got off the bus. “Mr. O’Day is waiting for you. Would you come with me?”
I was surprised for the second time today, but I nodded right away. I waved to Everly and Mum, and followed her.
“I’m Natalia,” the young woman said. “Since I seem to be in charge of finding you today.”
“And you can call me Isla. No one calls me Dr. Campbell, outside of my students.”
“If I had an advanced degree like that, I’d make everyone call me Doctor.”
We chuckled as we walked.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Dax is with Sandor and they asked that you join them.”
“I see.”
“Are you moving to Limaj?” she asked.
I smiled. “I don’t know. That’s why I was looking for Dax, and probably what we’re going to talk about.”
“It’s beautiful here in the spring and summer. Fall and winter are fairly cold, but there’s a lot to do if you like to be outdoors.”
“I’m a scientist,” I said. “I like to be inside my lab, buried in books and data and virtual models of black holes.”
Natalia cocked her head. “Like the black holes in space? You’re an astronomer?”
“I’m a physicist, but my love of astronomy seems to be taking over, and since they’re related, it works for me.”
“That’s very cool.”
“I think being a female bodyguard is pretty cool.”
We grinned at each other.
She led me down a hallway and knocked on a door before opening it. She let me walk inside and then shut the door behind me without coming in.
“Dr. Campbell.” Sandor got to his feet, holding out his hand.
“Isla. Please.” I shook it before turning to Dax, who’d also gotten up and lightly kissed me.
“So I guess you know why you’re here?” Sandor asked as I sat down.
“I think so, but you should probably tell me anyway.” I smiled as Dax reached for my hand.
“You spoke to Erik earlier about Dax’s intention to join the Royal Protectors.”
“Yes.”
Sandor looked at me intently. “You understand what kind of commitment this is going to be?”
“I think so.”
“We’re looking at a minimum of two years before he’s ready. At least.”
“Give me the details,” I suggested. “What, exactly, will those two years look like?”
“The first part is military service,” Sandor said. “It’s mandatory for a Royal Protector, and if he does his service here in Limaj, I’ll have complete control of where he’s stationed, what his duties are, etc., so that’s my suggestion. He’s welcome to do it in the U.S. or Canada, but I can’t oversee it in those places.”
“I think coming here is a given,” Dax said quietly, glancing at me.
“So it would be six months of the basics,” Sandor continued. “Meaning the U.S. equivalent of basic training, and then a random tour of assignments to give him overall military experience. Followed by six months here at the palace as a member of the Royal Guard. And then the final six months, Dax would be deployed, part of our exchange program with the U.S. Marines. Those six months will most likely be in the Middle East, and you have to be prepared for that, both individually and as a couple.”
“So this would start when?” I asked.
“I’m planning to retire at the end of the season,” Dax replied. “No matter what, I wouldn’t walk away mid-season, both from the perspective of finishing something I started that’s important to me, and the money I’d stand to lose.”
“Actually, that’s not a bad thing because it will give you time to learn some Limaji,” Sandor said. “You can get one of those online programs and listen when you’re traveling.”
Dax nodded. “Absolutely.”
“But please understand, even after those eighteen months in the military, you’ll need extensive training here, working as a kind of junior Royal Protector, where you’ll follow us around, learning the ropes. The truth is—after two years or so of intense training—you still might not make it. The standards are extremely stringent and I won’t risk your life simply because I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“I understand all that and I’m good with it because failure isn’t an option.”
Sandor smiled. “That’s a good attitude.”
I was quietly watching and listening. Dax going into the military for eighteen months felt like a long time. A long, scary time.
“Honey?” Dax squeezed my hand. “If you have questions, this is the time to ask them.”
“How long will he be gone, other than the six months in the Middle East? Like, will he come home at night once he’s through with the basic training part, or is he going to be living in barracks somewhere? I don’t know how it works.”
“For the first eight weeks, yes, he’ll be in a barracks-type arrangement. Once he’s graduated, the two of you can live together like any other couple. He may have some odd hours on occasion, but it won’t be twenty-four seven. When he’s on Royal Guard duty, again, he’ll have some odd hours, but it’ll be five or six shifts a week, depending on where we are with staffing. Right now, the Royal Protectors are spread pretty thin, so we use the Royal Guard more often than I’d like.”
“Would it be possible to do the Middle East duty before the Royal Guard duty?” I asked.
Sandor arched a brow. “I don’t
