I bowed to him, giving him a smile. “I’ve come to say goodbye.”
He motioned to the chair I had sat in before when he had offered his advice. I sat, placing the book I had gathered my father’s information in when I had first started researching him. “I need for you to dispose of this for me.”
He eyed the book. “Why is that?”
“I know who I am,” I told him, feeling the words in my heart. “I don’t need to look back at the past but forward to the future.”
He smiled. “Good for ye, lass. Tis about time for ye tae know who ye are and who ye are not.”
I nodded in agreement. “I wanted to be someone else for so long but now I realize I can only be the one I am comfortable with and this person is who I am comfortable with.” It had taken time for me to realize that statement, but now I lived and breathed it every day. I no longer felt confusion when I woke, or trudged through the day without any sense of purpose.
I had both now.
The curator picked up the book I had so carefully prepared. “Come with mah, lass.”
I followed the older man through the library and out a side door, down a set of steps where the air was thicker, the temperature rising. “Where are we going?”
“Ye will see.”
Great. Maybe he was one of Isauros’ minions that was going to attempt to finish the job.
But as we rounded the corner, I realized what he was doing. The academy’s boiler stood before us and as the curator opened the small door in the front, I saw the flames. “Throw it in there, lass,” he stated, handing me the book. “And let go of yer past.”
I set my jaw as I stared into the flames, the book gripped tightly in my hands. Amongst the pages was my father’s shredded will, the last remaining pieces linking me to my father.
Drawing in a deep breath, I chucked it into the flames, watching as the book started to burn. My father, the information in that book, was not my future. I dictated my future and I couldn’t wait to do so.
Turning toward the curator, I gave him a smile. “Thank you.”
He winked. “Yer welcome, lass. I wish ye well.”
***
That night my cell phone rang, and I grabbed it, holding it to my ear. “Hello?”
“How are you holding down our dorm?”
Tears came to my eyes as I heard Johanna’s voice. “It’s a struggle. The room is too big without all your shit crowding it.”
She laughed and I wiped a tear away, glad to hear her voice. “I’m sorry I couldn’t see you before I left. My father was insistent that I leave when he wanted to. He didn’t even let me pack my own things.”
I knew that, mainly because I had watched the two women sent to pack Johanna away from my life, not even giving me a glance as they did so. “Are you home yet?”
“Not yet,” she stated. “This is the first time I’ve been alone. I’m hiding in the plane bathroom.”
I laughed. “I’m leaving Weissmore.”
She sighed. “I’m not surprised, Anna. I love you, but you don’t belong there. You belong somewhere where you can be happy.”
“I told the kings,” I blurted out. “They aren’t happy.”
“Of course they aren’t,” she said. “I wasn’t either. We love you, Anna, despite your tainted royal blood.”
“I love you too,” I sniffed, so glad to hear her voice. Johanna was truly okay. “I went and saw her.”
“What did she say?”
“Nothing of importance,” I answered, keeping that conversation to myself. “She looks like shit and I am glad she does.”
“Good,” Johanna stated. “I’m going to testify against her. I want her ass in prison.”
I did as well. Isauros already couldn’t hurt us any longer, but I wanted her to pay for everything she had done to us. I wanted her to suffer for the rest of her miserable life.
“Hey, I’ve got to go,” Johanna said suddenly. “My father is probably thinking I fell in. I’ll call you soon. Love you.”
“Love you too,” I told her before hanging up, looking at the bare mattress across the room. Another worry now gone. Johanna was going to be fine. I was heading to my future.
Now I had to say goodbye to the kings.
Chapter 21
Anna
The next evening, I walked down to the lake where I was planning on meeting Arthur, reminding me of one of the many dates we had together. Arthur had been my first love, my first sexual partner, and I was always going to cherish my times with him. He had texted me earlier, telling me to meet him at the lake at sunset, and for any other girl, that would feel very romantic.
For me, it was because I had to say goodbye. I couldn’t take them with me, and I couldn’t expect them to change their lives because I wanted to go home.
So, this was going to be a temporary goodbye for now.
Arthur was waiting for me at the edge of the lake, a picnic blanket spread out over the grass. Lanterns were twinkling amongst the edges of the blanket and I laughed as I saw the champagne bucket nearby. “Not quite a picnic with that thing.”
Arthur grinned. “You can’t take the royalty out of a king.”
I returned his grin with one of my own, letting my eyes roam down his form. Arthur was the epitome of Prince Charming, right down to his French accent, and he was going to make some girl incredibly lucky one day. “You see something you like?”
I shook my head and accepted his hand to help me on the blanket. “Always thinking, aren’t you?”
Arthur looked more carefree than he had over the last few months and though me tearing up the will hadn’t helped him out at all, I imagined that had something to do with it. “Can’t hurt to try.” He reached into the picnic basket, pulling out the customary cheese, grapes, and crackers. “Would you like some champagne, madame?”
I giggled. “Oui.”
He poured us both a glass and I clinked his. “To good friends and the future.”
“And lovely women,” he finished, winking as he took a sip. I did the same, watching as the sun dipped behind the mountains. “You know what I am going to miss the most?”
“What’s that?”
“This,” I answered, sweeping my arm over the lake and the beautiful sunset. “I thought I wouldn’t, but it’s going to be hard not to.”
“I’m going to miss you,” he said softly, reaching for my hand.