Page 57 of Ruthless Chaos

Peaceful doesn’t even feel like the right word.

The view puts life into perspective. On the ground, things feel huge, too heavy to handle. Up here, everything seems tiny. Manageable.

I want to stay up here forever.

Nya chuckles. “It is. I remember when I got in one of these for the first time. I was like, five,” she says. “I knew this is where I wanted to spend most of my time.”

“Are you studying aviation here?” I ask.

Nya shakes her head. “No.” Tara frowns slightly, giving her a sympathetic look. “My father would never let me become a pilot. He’s still stuck in the dark ages.”

I grimace. I understand her more than she’ll ever know. “So, what are you studying?”

“Engineering,” she says. “It’s a compromise. He’s probably going to marry me off to one of his friend’s sons soon, so I demanded that I at least get an education.”

I can’t hide my shock. “What?”

Tara cocks her head, her eyebrows furrowing when she looks at me.

“That happens a lot,” she says. “I know someone who had to marry the head of her syndicate when she turned eighteen just because he wanted her.”

They’re discussing it so casually.

To be forced into marriage is a cruelty. Whenever I think of my wedding, I picture that I’m there because Iwantto be, because I’m in love.

Not that I’m forced.

That would ruin me, I think.

To be honest, it’s a miracle my father hasn’t thought of that yet.

“What happens if you don’t like the guy?” I ask.

Nya’s melodious laughter fills the cockpit. Tara smiles tersely.

“Your feelings don’t matter. Duty always comes before feelings,” Tara says. “And if you try to go against it, you’ll be killed. You’d have to be very lucky to escape it.”

To hear Tara—someone that seems to move to the beat of her own drum—say something like this is…strange.

Perhaps Saint Frederic is a haven for them too. A place where they’re not defined by their families and what is required of them—where they can feel normal.

Maybe that’s why they put up with all the crazy stuff that happens here. It must still be better than whatever they left back home.

* * *

The Saint Frederic Devilswin their game against the Darkwood Vipers 4-1.

A hat trick from Vance in the last half of the game cements their dominance. The energy in the stands is electric. Even though we are so far from campus, the support for our team makes it feel like a home game.

After the game, a party breaks out in the stands.

Our marching band provides the music, and the cheerleaders lead the dance and chants. The crowd is hyped up on the booze from the concession stand.

Things quickly turn into a rave.

It’s so different from that party I went to on my first night here.

There’s no method to their madness, just vibes.