We walked out the front door, separating at last. In front of me was a car, the door wide open. Deino and Enyo entered. I followed. The entire ride was a blur as my head swam in chaos. Deino’s and Enyo’s voices were hardly more than muffled murmurs to me. In almost no time at all, we were at an airfield at the edge of the city.

We pulled up to a ship that dwarfed our vehicle. It was a modified Atlesian Airship, probably for the Chartreuse’s military status. The long, protruding front extended from a box-shaped body. Five spiny protrusions stuck out from each side of the back. Instead of the blue and gray of Atlas, the ship was painted a sickly green with a pale yellow trim. It was ugly, but the wealthy don’t seem to understand that fact.

We exited our car, the driver pulled off the airfield to wait for my family’s return. Standing at the ramp leading into the metal behemoth was the Chartreuse family, waiting for us. Deino and Enyo quickly walked over to make their introductions, Pem following them. She handed Keane a case that held my blades, Midnight, inside. I wouldn’t be much of a Huntress trophy wife without my weapons to show off at parties.

My soon-to-be husband was dressed in an emerald suit with gold trim. He was still as proper looking as when I last saw him. Next to him were a severe-looking woman in a golden gown and a large man in a matching suit, his face rough from years of stress. My soon-to-be parents-in-law. The sight of them made my stomach roll.

It was just me and my father still left out. In one last attempt, I faced him fully, my limbs trembling. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and then he walked over to the others.

He didn’t care.

I knew he wouldn’t, but his blatant lack of interest sent another wave of rage through me. He’s not my father. He’s just some stranger I never knew in the first place.

I joined the assembled crowd and was pulled into the center. Pem held me in front of her and gave the wealthy family a smile that drew hearts. “This is my daughter. I’m sure she’s what you were expecting.”

Keane smiled at me, which disgusted me, before addressing his parents. “What did I tell you? Beautiful and full of promise.”

His mother looked at me as if I was something she had just pulled out of her teeth. “I still think you could fetch a better bride.”

The father placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder and smiled, relieving his haggard face a tad. “Honey, you know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he thought it through first.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know, but still.”

Keane took my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. “I’m so sorry for them. My parents are quite protective of me, even after my terms in combat. Are you ready, my bride?”

I didn’t move or speak. The skin of my hand crawled where his lips touched it.

Pem answered for me. “She’s quite nervous, as you can see. Let’s begin the ceremony.”

Keane bowed. “Of course. Come aboard. We’ll set a course for Atlas.”

As I was pushed up the ramp, something caught my eye. A blur of black shot through the upper corner of the opening, hiding in the farthest reaches of the ship as quickly as it could. For a moment, the weight of what’s to come vanished. Obsidian had boarded the ship. He hadn’t abandoned me. As long as I have him, I can get through anything.

The inside of the ship was like a ballroom stretched over the craft. It was one long room, ending at a set of fortified doors. A few others were on either side of the room’s center, probably for the engines. The same horrible greens and yellow were here in the form of a long carpet stretching across the floor and tapestries dangling from their hooks on the ceiling. We took our seats on the benches lining the walls, strapping in as the ramp closed. The ship rumbled, then I felt us take off. My body felt like it was off-center, my senses thrown off by the movement of the ship. The pressure in my ears increased.

After about five minutes, a chime rang through the room. A hiss followed afterward, making my ears pop as the pressure was relieved. The others unstrapped themselves and began to mingle. I stayed seated, scanning the rafters for signs of Obsidian. I caught him farther in, his pure red eyes watching me. I smiled at him, and he tilted his head.

A figure stepped in my way, blocking Obsidian from view. I saw a hand. My eyes adjusted to see Keane standing over me. “Hello, love. Would you mind a word?”

I hadn’t even said anything before he pulled me off the bench. He pulled me to his side, wrapping his arm around my waist. I want to rip it off. “So, are you excited for today?”

I bit my tongue, keeping whatever I wanted to say down.

Keane watched me with a smile. “You really are nervous. Don’t worry. After today, I’ll take care of you. You never have to worry about anything ever again.”

“What about being a Huntress?”

Keane's eyes went wide, either because of my question or the sting in my voice. “What about it?”

The burning sensation had returned as if a fire was erupting in my veins. “I want to be a Huntress.”

“And you will, my dear.” He gestured to the case with my weapons against the wall. “We have your equipment and you’ll be supplied with Dust. By all standing, you’ll be a Huntress.”

“What about fighting Grimm?” I kept pushing, the fire inside no longer able to be contained. “It’s been my entire life’s work to be on the frontline against them.”

Keane laughed. He had the gall to laugh! “Now why would you want that? No need to put yourself at risk. I’ll take care of all the fighting for you.”

“I don’t want that!” I yelled, pushing him off of me. Keane stumbled, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “You don’t get to decide what I do! None of you do!”

The entire room had gone quiet. Everyone was staring at me. Deino and Enyo shared a shocked look. The Chartreuse parents look displeased with my exclamation. Pem’s face was set and she started to move towards me. She was cut off by my father. He stomped towards me, a snarl on his face. “That’s enough!” He barked. “Watch your temper, young lady!”

“My temper? My temper! I don’t give a fuck about my temper!”

“Control yourself!” He yelled.

“I’m in complete control of myself!” I yelled back. Sweat was beading on my forehead. The temperature in the room seemed to have gone up several degrees. The Chartreuse woman adjusted her collar. “I’m sick of this! I’ve been stuck like this for years! I’m done!”

“You don’t get to act like this! You’ve been committed to this marriage and you’re blowing it with your outburst!” My father’s face was red, his voice louder than I had ever heard it. “Now calm yourself and apologize!”

“I won’t! You don’t tell me what to do!”

“I am your father!”

“You’re not!” I hollered.

The room was baking. Everyone was sweating, their attention captivated with us. My father was stricken at my retort, the whites of his eyes clear as day. “Stop saying idiotic things!”

“Oh, idiotic? Why would that be? Because you don’t want to admit I’m a bastard daughter?” I pressed back, letting everything I learned come spilling out. The look on my father’s face sent a thrill through me! My words had power, and the rush left me exhilarated! “Don’t want them to know? You don’t want me to ruin your prestigious reputation?”

My father looked over at Pem, who was as shocked as the rest of them. Even she was showing signs of the heat. “Stop speaking at once!” He was almost pleading!

I was flying too high to stop! Every word that I said made my blood sing with joy! The warmth wrapped around me, fueling me to go further! “What’s the big secret? That you had an affair? I’ve been around your stuffy work associates long enough to know that’s not unheard of in your circles. Or is it the fact that your wife found some rich guy in Atlas and spent years going to bed with him?” He paled, and I was thrilled! “Sleeping around behind your back for years! And then, there was me! A child of another man! And you didn’t even realize until years later after mom died! How hilarious!”

“Pem!” The stranger called.

“Calling for your rebound? You’re just a coward!” I felt the heat in my fingers, building with my rush, making me stronger! I felt something, a sensation completely unfamiliar to me. It was like I had a new sense, brushing against something warm, growing hotter with each moment my presence touched it. My Aura was active, coating my skin in its protective force. I felt it reaching out, trying to gain a hold of whatever that feeling was.

Pem was on me, trying to pin me down and keep me quiet. “Don’t touch me!” I screamed. I threw my Aura out, putting all my training to use. I grabbed whatever it was reaching for and pulled.

The ship rocked! Everyone stumbled as the floor beneath them swayed. The heat had turned the large room into a furnace, the air stifling hot. Keane had scurried away as Pem and the man who I had called my father charged me. I scuffled with Pem as she grabbed me. I threw my Aura against the unknown surface again, rocking the airship even harder. Pem fell off me.

The man grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down. He was on top of me, my back pressed against the carpet. I felt the heat rising through the material. He raised his fist, poised to hit me in the face.

“LET ME GO!” I screamed as loud as my lungs could handle. I put all my energy into grabbing the object and yanking it loose. There was a deafening screech as the ship shook again. All around me, the ship was tearing away, the metal red hot. The others screamed and ran away, except for the man, who watched in a stunned fascination, and Pem, just a few feet away.

It’s not enough! My Aura was awake like never before, pleading for me to use this new ability unrestrained! I abided, my body humming with power! I pulled again, the metal coming off and exposing gashes in the walls, large enough to see the sky outside. I pulled again and the gashes widened, whipping up gusts of wind. I put all I had into the final pull and I felt it come loose.

The metal was ripped free from the airship, large sections leaving the interior open to the air. The floor beneath me ripped away, the man was gone, and I was thrown into the open air!