“Good. My assistant will meet you at the same entrance you used the other day. You’ll get a palace pass for your vehicle and an ID card.”
“Palace? I thought the job was at the Trilunium development headquarters?”
Another laugh. “Where do you think the headquarters are at the moment?”
“Oh.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. I just didn’t realize it, that’s all.” She wasn’t about to tell the princess it was an issue.
“Wonderful. You’ll spend most of the morning doing paperwork and such with Human Resources, but we’ll have a working lunch that will extend into most of the afternoon.”
“Perfect.” She needed to get her paperwork together. She’d need proof of identification and residence and probably a couple of other things. “Is there anything I need to bring that’s specific to the palace? Something I wouldn’t need if I worked elsewhere?”
Nikki heard a keyboard clicking. “I don’t think so, but I sent a note to my assistant. She’ll contact you if you do need anything unusual.”
“Thank you.” She’d already consented to a background check as part of the application process.
It wouldn’t find everything.
Some records were sealed so tightly that it would take an act of God to pry them open. She didn’t think even King Geoffrey could open them.
Not that he would.
He knew what was in them.
By the time Nikki arrived at the palace the next morning, she’d changed her mind about her clothes eighteen times. She’d actually changed outfits four more after that. Then ended up wearing the first outfit she’d settled on.
When she reached the entrance near the garrison, she turned her keys over to one of the attendants. “Thank you.”
“I believe the princess’s assistant is already inside waiting on you, miss.” He clearly knew who she was without her telling him.
She gripped her attaché case handle tightly and took a deep breath before walking in the door. At least Ezekiel wouldn’t be waiting for her.
“Nikki?” A woman likely in her late-thirties held out a hand. “I’m Robyn, Princess Karsen’s assistant.”
Nikki shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“We’ll be going to the HR offices first. You have a lot of paperwork to do, unfortunately, including non-disclosure agreements, and benefits and everything else.”
They’d been walking as she talked, and Robyn opened the door for her.
“I’ll be leaving you with Ms. Daily. She’ll walk you through everything. I’ll be back when you’re done.”
“Thank you.”
For the next several hours, Ms. Daily went over everything Nikki needed to know about working in the palace. They covered salary and meals in the executive dining room and parking and dozens of other things.
Including the importance of the non-disclosure agreements.
They weren’t the first ones she’d ever signed.
Nikki knew how to keep secrets.
Even if she hadn’t signed one years earlier, she never would have said anything.
Robyn came back a few minutes after they finished setting up her new phone, tablet, and laptop.