Chapter 13

Samantha's plane landed in Montblan just past midnight. The officer flipped through her documents and asked a few routine questions at immigration. "Ms. Heather Lovell, how long do you plan to stay in Astoria?" "Hello, I've been accepted to Montblan University. I'll be here for two years to complete my studies." Hearing her fluent Astorian, the officer didn't make things difficult and stamped her passport, allowing her to pass through the gates. Samantha—no, Heather—politely thanked him. She collected her luggage and left the airport. She used her newly purchased phone to search for her hotel's location and hailed a cab. The driver, an Astorian-born Bactrian woman, took one look at her and immediately struck up a conversation. Hearing Bactrian in a foreign country gave Heather a sense of warmth and familiarity. They chatted along the way, and the driver shared plenty of useful tips about living in Montblan. Heather made a mental note of them all. When they reached the hotel, th