Ever After by Candace Sams

of the family could have attended but serious affairs prevent their enjoying this evening with us. I will pass on how lovely everything is. Valentine’s Day was always a favorite holiday in our household back on Earth.”
    “I’ll be sure and tell the florist you approve,” Albright happily replied.
    Immy then stared at the exquisite girl by Albright’s left side. “Dear sir…do introduce me to this lovely creature. She’s positively radiant! Have we ever met before, my girl?”
    “This is my goddaughter, Lieutenant Keira Foley,” Albright blurted, as a sudden smile broke out his face. “She’s on Mythreal only briefly. Helping me with…uh…retirement arrangements and so forth.”
    “I’ve heard so much about you, ma’am,” Keira said as she momentarily took Immy’s hand and gracefully curtsied.
    Immy immediately turned to him . Dillon saw his grandmother’s amused expression before putting his full attention on Keira.
    “Have you met my grandson?” Immy asked.
    “We’ve met, Grandmother,” he quickly answered before Keira could say anything. “You’ll recall the lovely roses sent to the manor just a few days ago. They were from her.”
    “ Reeealllly ?” Immy drawled as she glanced between him and Keira. “My, my . That’s very interesting. Very interesting indeed!”
    Dillon noted how Immy’s eyes narrowed, how a suspicious little smile planted itself on her pink-tinted lips. He quickly tried to avert any comments. “Uh…Grandmother…though Keira has only been on Mythreal a few short weeks, she and I have had several conversations concerning issues of general security. All professional, I can assure you.”
    “ Hmmmm ,” Immy muttered with a smirk.
    “When greetings are done and the occasion arises, why don’t you find drinks and chat? General Albright can keep me company,” Immy suggested.
    Albright quickly spoke up. “As much as I’d love that, ma’am…I’m afraid I must finish de-briefing the new embassy staff. Then there’s the fact that I won’t be here for the entire ball. You may or may not have heard that the USS Tremaine arrived at the airfield this afternoon for refueling. After speaking with her captain, I intend to board her as a passenger, then head back to Earth before the sun rises again on Mythreal.”
    Shocked by the announcement of such a quick exit, Dillon glanced at Keira. He caught the telltale shimmer of sudden tears in her eyes and understood her godfather intended to leave on his own terms, as soon as possible. Albright was a warrior. He wanted no notice, no accolades, no heraldry on his departure. Simple, clean, and if not entirely protocol, his way of departing was best—given the circumstances. Still, the news had hit Keira hard. He could tell.
    “Well…I will bid you a good journey,” Immy said as she shook the general’s hand again. “Your service, sir, has been most laudable. You have done Earth credit!”
    “Thank you,” Albright told her.
    Dillon took over. “Come Grandmother,” he said as he held out one hand to escort her to a ballroom table reserved for her at the edge of the ballroom dance floor, near the orchestra, “we’ll leave the general to greet his other guests. And Keira…”
    “Yes?” she murmured.
    “I’ll speak to you later. I believe the first dance will be mine!”
    He walked away with Grandmother’s hand on his right arm, his thoughts fixated on the girl who’d so physically changed that she had everyone in the ballroom staring. Dillon meant for her to make an explanation though she owed him none. Still, his offer for the first dance would be interpreted as asking for one.
    As he made sure Immy was seated comfortably, and then took a chair to her left, he greeted attendees who approached just as etiquette required. Still, he couldn’t pull his full attention away from the general’s goddaughter; a woman who’d formerly been a conspirator in his egregious actions. Now, the way he perceived her had drastically