I made it to the end of the hall without seeing anyone, but also without figuring out where I was. The aircraft was quite large, and I wasn’t sure how to find my way around it. The sound of my heart pounding in my ears made it hard to listen for sounds of approach, and the chain threatened to slip from my sweaty palms.
Reaching an intersection at the end of the hall, I turned left and kept walking, doing my best to ignore the buzzing sensation in my chest. Doors still lined both sides of the hall, but I didn’t need guest rooms and storage. I needed to find the main cabin. That was my surest way off.
I made it down another wooden hall before I stopped short.
Ahead of me, a large window revealed the dark world outside, telling me I’d been asleep for hours and it was already nighttime. It was time for my wedding, and I hadn’t told anyone but Papá and Desmarc that I wasn’t going through with it.
I swore and stepped closer to the window, doing my best to ignore the way my stomach squirmed. I looked out the window to get a better idea of where I was on the ship, but all I could see were the blades of the propellers emitting rhythmic puffs of steam with every rotation.
The aether lighting had turned on as evening settled over us, infusing the ship’s exterior with an ethereal glow. It matched the stars twinkling above us, millions of lights trapped in the black fabric of space, and for a moment, despite how terrible the situation was, I couldn’t help but admire their beauty.
Until I looked down and saw the sea of lights beneath me. We were miles above the city, much higher than we’d been earlier while docked. My stomach dipped again, and an image of me falling through the glass and hurtling into the darkness below flashed through my head.
I swallowed hard to avoid throwing up and stepped back. The ship was already flying through the air and there was no escape. The best I could do for now was hide and try to avoid Desmarc until the ship landed. I needed a place where I could sit and think so I didn’t stumble blindly into another trap.
The memory of his cold green eyes made me shiver, and I dashed away an errant tear. I’d been such a fool to believe in him. Desmarc had played us perfectly. A dependable and politically savvy son-in-law for Papá and a dedicated husband who would support me. I should’ve trusted my instincts, especially after hearing what he thought of the Lower Chimes. Because look where my naivete had landed me. On an airship in the middle of the sky with a murderer. My thoughts darted to Hiram, and I bit my lip to keep from crying. Hopefully he was all right. Aether willing, I’d see him again soon.
I traversed another hallway, but unlike the previous ones, doors only lined one side of it. A large window providing access to the stomach-churning view took up the opposite wall. Keeping my attention ahead of me instead of to the side, I continued forward. I’d made it to the side of the ship, so if I pressed forward and stayed along the edge, eventually I’d make it back to the main cabin through one of its many entrances. And once I knew where I was, and, more importantly, how to get off, I could find a hiding spot and wait for the right moment.
Anxiety itched across the back of my neck, and my hands grew sweaty in their gloves. But I didn’t dare take them off. Now definitely wasn’t the time to Slip and leave my body defenseless.
I turned another corner and started down the next hall, my heart pounding in my chest. I had to be getting close. I could do this. I hadn’t come this far to end up in the hands of a killer.
Voices grew louder as I continued. If there were people, maybe there was a door. I had to at least look. Then, if I recognized anyone, maybe I could ask for help. I’d just have to pray that none of them were working with Desmarc.
Pressing my arm with the chain tightly against my body to keep it from making noise, I took another step forward and peeked around the corner.
Dozens of people dressed in finery crowded the hall, and, through an open door on the other side, I could just barely make out the main cabin.
The sight of them made my head buzz with a nervous energy. Their silk gowns and fine suits told me what I’d refused to believe: they were here for my wedding. I swallowed down my rising panic and tried to think. There wasn’t much they could do with us in the sky, but they could at least help hide me.
If they believed me. Desmarc was a well-liked and respected and public figure.
The chain around my arm cut through my thin glove, its harsh metal icy against my skin. I looked down at it. I was an idiot. Of course they’d believe me. I still had a chain attached to me.
A familiar voice drew my attention back to the crowd, and I scanned the gathering until I found Papá standing with his back to me.
Relief rushed through me. He could fix this. No matter how we’d ended things, he’d always prioritized my safety first. “Pa—”
A gloved hand wrapped around my mouth and jerked me back against a hard body, muffling my scream.