“Let’s go.” A thread of anger slid through his quiet words as we tried to walk around everyone.

“Samantha, are you and the prince dating? Have you always known you were from a royal family?” The heat that would have normally flooded my cheeks was countered by the cold that seeped up my spine.

I didn’t look back up until we’d gone through the security checkpoint. That was when I noticed the extra campus guards. Instead of the usual one, there were three. They each looked me over with interest but also made sure no one was following us.

The cold air slammed into me and I scrambled to button up my coat. Alex had dropped his hand from my arm but stayed close by my side as we walked through the campus to the parking lot. Despite my earlier instructions to not walk around me like they were guarding the crown jewels, the team was carefully edging people away from us.

“It’s a pretty campus. I imagine it’s very nice in the summer.”

“Are you trying to distract me?” I looked up at him, amused.

“Is it working?” He cut his eyes toward me. “You looked like you were leading a funeral procession.”

“I did not!” I laughed, realizing he was right. “Okay. It’s just weird. And strange. And disconcerting. All these people staring at me. I’ve been here for four years, but they’re acting like I’ve suddenly sprouted a second head.”

“You’re a novelty.” We got to the car and he opened the door. “It’ll wear off. Probably.”

“You Lilarians aren’t a very comforting bunch.” I pulled my bag off my shoulder so I could slide into the seat. He laughed as he closed the door and walked around the car.

Chapter Eight

Raptor Center Receives Large Grant

—Minnesota Raptor Association

The ride to the center was long, but it would have been shorter if people had stopped turning to look in our windows. When we pulled into the gravel parking lot where I had met Duvall yesterday, I hopped out of the car before Alex could get around to my side and shouldered my bag again.

“Well, this is it. Last chance to come up with something interesting to do. If you stay I might put you to work.” I looked at him, not sure if I wanted him to stay or go. Logically, I knew I’d get more work done if he wasn’t there, but I was also starting to enjoy his company.

“Use me as you see fit.” Alex stepped close, his eyes lit with mischief. “I’m at your disposal.”

“You may regret that.” I tried to keep my voice calm but failed.

“I highly doubt it.” Stepping around me, he opened the gate and we walked toward the main building. People stopped to stare at us, but for the most part no one really bothered me. For the first time that day I felt normal, like I could be myself.

I threw by bag down in a corner of the office and looked around for any notes. David had been here earlier in the day and checked on the birds. Thankfully everyone seemed to be handling the weather well.

“You might want to leave your suit jacket.” I grabbed Dr. Geller’s large snow coat from the rack and tossed it to Alex. He traded coats and hung his jacket on the rack.

This was the part of my day I looked forward to. Here, I didn’t have to deal with students or idiotic questions. Most of the others were leaving or going to their offices to finish up paperwork. I could focus on my birds, get lost in research, and agonize over my thesis. It was my passion and here nothing else got in the way. Nothing else came first.

Alex didn’t talk much as I showed him the facility: the mews, the enclosures, and the area where we prepped the food. There was also a very small room where Dr. Geller performed examinations of the injured birds brought to us. It was a slow time of the year, considering most birds that could leave the cold did so. That was why Dr. Geller chose this time to take a team of students farther south. They had spent time in the Everglades and the swamps of Louisiana. I think it was also a convenient way for him to get away from the snow for a while.

“How many of you work here?” Alex was helping transfer some of the birds while I cleaned cages. He hadn’t needed much direction. It was easy to tell he spent a great deal of time with raptors.

“Depends on the season.” I hauled a bucket over to use for trash. “In the summer we have volunteers who help out. There are shows and education programs as well that help raise money for the birds.”

“Education is the key, isn’t it? The more people understand about these creatures, the more they will be able to see their vital importance.” Gently, Alex coaxed the horned owl from her perch and onto his gloved arm. “That’s one of the things I’m working on back home. I run a charity that goes to schools and town centers to help educate the public. The kids love it.”

“What’s it called?”

“The Future Bird Trust.” He didn’t look at me as we talked, his eyes solely on the bird, so didn’t see my dumbstruck expression.

“You run the FBT? I thought they were based in France.”

“Yes, we work very closely with the French government to uphold the laws protecting these beauties.” He looked at me over the owl’s head, his eyes full of determination. “It’s my goal to spread the FBT to the surrounding countries to educate the public about the importance of raptors. I hope that with more knowledge people will understand why it is so important to preserve these birds.”

“I’ve read about the FBT.” I leaned the shovel I was carrying against the wall and went to wash my hands. “They’ve done some great things.”