Chapter 5

FIVE

Q uinn found herself getting more excited as they packed, her scientist’s mind already churning with questions about Nova Aurora’s geology. What forces could create tremors that followed magical rather than physical laws? How did their monitoring systems differ from Earth’s? What could she learn from studying a completely alien geological structure?

“Earth to Quinn.” Lydia waved a hand in front of her face. “You’ve got that ‘I’m thinking about science’ look again.”

“I was just wondering about their tectonic patterns. If magic affects their geology, traditional plate tectonics might not apply. We might need to completely reconceptualize our understanding of?—”

“Save it for Nova Aurora, genius.” Lydia sealed the last box with tape. “Right now, we need food. And drinks. Definitely drinks.”

An hour later, they sat in their favorite booth at O’Malley’s Bar, a place they’d frequented since grad school. The familiar smell of beer and pub food wrapped around them like a comfortable blanket.

“Should we tell our families?” Quinn asked, picking at her burger. “About where we’re going?”

Lydia snorted. “What, that we’re leaving Earth to work with aliens? My mom would have me committed.”

“Mine would probably just ask if I’d met a nice alien boy yet.” Quinn rolled her eyes. “I can hear her now: ‘Samara, dear, you’re not getting any younger. Even an alien husband would be better than no husband at all.’“

“Speaking of which...” Lydia leaned forward with a mischievous grin. “Are we going to talk about the fact that Gerri runs a dating agency? And specifically mentioned dragons?”

“We are not.”

“Come on, Quinn! When was your last date? That disaster with Brad from Chemistry?”

Quinn groaned. “Please don’t remind me. He spent the entire evening explaining basic chemical principles to me, even after I told him I’d taken advanced chemistry courses.”

“My point exactly. Maybe what you need is someone completely different. Someone who actually appreciates your brilliant mind instead of feeling threatened by it.” Lydia took a sip of her beer. “Someone tall, dark, and scaly perhaps?”

“I’m going for the science,” Quinn insisted. “The geology. The chance to study completely new formations and patterns. Not for... whatever you’re imagining.”

“Sure, sure. The science.” Lydia’s grin widened. “But admit it—you’re at least a little curious about the dragons.”

“I’m curious about their geological impact,” Quinn conceded, signaling for another round. “Think about it—if they can actually breathe fire, what effect would that have on rock formation? The heat patterns alone would be fascinating to study.”

“Only you would turn dragons into a geology experiment.” Lydia shook her head fondly. “But seriously, Quinn. Promise me something?”

“If this is about keeping an open mind about dating?—”

“It’s about not letting fear hold you back.” Lydia’s expression turned serious. “I’ve watched you dim your light for years, trying to fit into their boys’ club. Making yourself smaller so they wouldn’t feel threatened. You’re brilliant and fierce and funny, and you deserve to be somewhere that celebrates that instead of punishing you for it.”

Quinn blinked hard against sudden tears. “When did you get so wise?”

“I’ve always been wise. You were just too busy staring at rocks to notice.” Lydia raised her glass. “To new adventures?”

“To new adventures,” Quinn agreed, clinking their glasses together. “And to never having to explain basic geological concepts to mediocre men ever again.”

“I’ll drink to that!”

Later that night, Quinn stood in her apartment, surrounded by hastily packed boxes. She’d spent the last few hours sorting through her belongings, deciding what to take to another planet—a sentence that still felt surreal every time she thought it.

Her phone buzzed with another email from Gerri, this one containing detailed instructions for their departure. The reality of what she’d agreed to started to sink in, sending butterflies dancing through her stomach.

She walked to her window, pressing her palm against the cool glass. The city stretched out before her, familiar and suddenly suffocating. Years of fighting for recognition, of watching less qualified men climb the ladder while she remained stuck on the lower rungs despite her brilliance—it all felt like a prison she hadn’t realized she was in until now.

Her phone rang, her mother’s name lighting up the screen. Quinn took a deep breath before answering.

“Quinn?” Her mother’s voice was sharp with concern. “I just got the strangest call from Professor Harrison. He said you quit your job? In the middle of a board meeting?”

“It’s a long story, Mom.”

“What were you thinking? Do you know how hard it is to build a reputation in your field? Your father and I didn’t pay for MIT so you could throw tantrums in board meetings!”

Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose. “They stole my research, Mom. Again. James Foster put his name on my entire monitoring system proposal.”

“Well, sometimes that’s just how things work in professional settings, dear. You have to pay your dues?—”

“No.” Quinn’s voice came out sharper than intended. “That’s not ‘paying dues.’ That’s theft. And I’m done accepting it as normal.”

“But what will you do now? You can’t just?—”

“I’ve accepted a position somewhere else.” Quinn cut her off before she could launch into a lecture. “A research opportunity. Very prestigious. Very... remote.”

“Remote? Where? When will you be back?”

“I’m not sure yet. But it’s an amazing opportunity, Mom. A chance to study completely new geological formations, to make discoveries that could change our understanding of seismic patterns.”

“But what about starting a family? Meeting someone? You’re not getting any younger, Quinn.”