Chapter 1

I missed Papá.

Or the Papá from my childhood.

We used to be two gears in a well-oiled machine, but after Mamá's death, being with him was as stifling as the gloves he insisted I wear for my own protection.

As server bots passed out another round of sparkling drinks for the hundreds of guests, Papá stood and gestured for the orchestra to finish their song. He cleared his throat and raised his glass. The buzz of conversation fell silent, leaving only the hiss of the tiny steam engines as the bots retreated. They had a similar design to some we had at home, standing about three feet high with round cylindrical bodies, wheels for feet, and brass goggles for eyes.

"Thank you for coming to my daughter's engagement party." Papá's words boomed with the same practiced tone he'd used countless times in his speeches. His gaze shifted to me, no doubt checking to make sure I still wore my gloves. Aether forbid I ever went anywhere without them on. "I appreciate everyone who has gathered to celebrate the betrothal of my daughter, Kyra Annandale, to Desmarc Kingsford."

I tuned out the rest of his carefully planned speech about duty, legacy, and opportunities for a bright future and took a deep, bracing breath-but not too deep for fear that my leather corset might break my ribs. Tucking a hand into the pocket of my dress where I kept Mamá's brass thimble, I rubbed the ridged surface. The familiar motion calmed my racing pulse.

While I was used to the way things were now, having been without Mamá for eleven years, it was impossible not to think of her on a night like tonight, when she should have been beside me.

Above us, a smattering of fireworks went off with percussive booms, signaling the end of Papá's speech. I jerked to attention and tilted my head toward the large glass ceiling supported by metal beams and arches. Brilliant colors bloomed on the sky's dark canvas outside. One blast created a scintillating rendition of the Epoch Clock. The sparkling light reflected off the large mural that took up the wall behind the band, depicting one of the first airships flying over the city at night.

Next to me, Desmarc stood from his seat, so I rose to join him.

"Are you all right?" he murmured through the polite applause filling the room.

"Yes." Now that the engagement was official, I'd be married in a month and no longer stuck with Papá trying to control every aspect of my life.

Before well-wishers could swarm us, Desmarc claimed my hand and swept me onto the mostly empty dance floor in the center of the room. The polished wood and metal shimmered as the chandelier overhead came to life. Its rotating crystals caught the light and reflected off everyone's practiced smiles and their finery. They were here to schmooze Papá and grease each other's machines-the bunch of cogs. After all, what was a social event if not a chance to network and monitor your opponents?

Not that I was any better.

Despite all my attempts to avoid Papá's political machinations, I was now nothing more than another of his pawns. Papá might have picked Desmarc for me, but I was the one who'd accepted. How could I not when agreeing to the arranged marriage meant I'd finally be free? And if I was going to play Papá's game, I wanted Desmarc, with his dashing smile and suave manners, to be my partner. He looked extra handsome tonight in his fitted pants, polished leather boots, high-collared white shirt, and a sapphire vest.

Desmarc stopped us over a large bronze circle about ten feet across engraved in the center of the floor that was bare of other dancers. My skirt settled around my legs with a swish, effectively hiding the knives strapped to my thighs. He snapped his gloved fingers, and the string quartet started a new song.

Gears under the floor activated with a rumble, and our platform rose with quiet clicks. Air tickled my neck, left exposed by my updo, as the rest of the ballroom fell away, leaving us alone on a miniature stage. When it stopped, I glanced at the ground fifteen feet below which rotated in a clockwise pattern, helping the dancers along as they twirled through the ballroom. It all felt so graceful yet orchestrated, just like the rest of my life. A beautiful facade where no one ever moved out of step.

While this was the perfect vantage point to search for Professor Sophronia, my stomach tightened at the distance to the ground, so I shifted my focus to Desmarc's cravat. Since I couldn't bring myself to look down right then, I'd search for her later. Papá didn't know I'd invited the professor, nor that I was planning on talking with her about my enrollment at the university. In a month, Papá wouldn't have a say in my life at all, and I'd be free to attend AIR U as a married woman.

"Now that we have a moment of privacy, I have something for you." Desmarc got down on one knee and pulled a small metal container that looked like a tiny airship from his pocket.

"Oh, thank you." I accepted it and admired the details on the tiny ship, from the tiny brass propellers to the aether-powered glow.

He grinned and reached over and pressed a hidden switch, and the cargo area of the airship sprang open with a soft click, revealing a gold ring with a small sapphire that glowed like a piece of aether.

My stomach twisted at the sight. Even though I'd suspected it was coming, I'd been hoping for an engagement necklace instead to avoid the chance of having to remove my gloves. I forced a smile, making it as genuine as possible. "It's lovely."

"I had it made for you." He gestured to the ring. "May I?"

"O-Of course." I held out my left hand automatically, even as dread curled in my stomach.

Desmarc pulled the ring free and steadied my shaking hand with his so he could slide it onto my finger. It didn't make it past my knuckle. His brow furrowed, and he looked up at me. "I think you're going to have to take off your glove."

"I can't," I said too quickly, before adding, "You know how Papá is, always saying it's unladylike to remove them in public." This would have been so much easier if Papá hadn't insisted I wait to tell Desmarc about my...ability.

"Don't you think he'll make an exception for tonight?"

I gave him a brilliant smile to make up for making a mess of things. At least he'd waited to give me the ring when we were mostly out of sight of the people below. "I don't think so, but I'll put it on at home. I'm sure it'll look lovely."

His grip tightened on my hand for a moment, and I fought the ridiculous urge to pull my hand free in case he tried to take off my gloves. Instead, he put the ring back in the tiny airship box. "I don't want to give you something you can only wear at home."

"I'll get it resized," I offered, reaching for it.

"That's all right. I'll figure something else out." His tone was light but his expression unreadable as he put it back in his pocket. Silence hung between us while the song drew to a close, but as a new one started to play, Desmarc held out a hand. "May I have this dance?"

"Of course." I accepted his hand and he pulled me to him, effortlessly syncing into the music's beat.

"You look lovely." Desmarc spun me out, and my skirt flared around me with layers of tiered ruffles and cascading pleats edged with delicate lace. A few loose curls settled around my face as he pulled me back in.

"Thank you." I blushed and looked down at my dress, an old one of Mamá's I'd reworked so it would feel like she was with me tonight in some small way. White chiffon sleeves overlaid the snug-fitting brown leather bodice with brass grommets and gold thread.

Desmarc turned his head and scanned the crowd below us, providing me with his profile of a chiseled jawline and straight nose. "Good turnout tonight."

"I'm sorry your uncle couldn't make it, though. I'd hoped to meet him." I pressed my lips together to try to cover my disappointment at the thought that his uncle's absence might indicate his lack of approval for our union. Desmarc was always closemouthed about his family and his past, saying he preferred to focus on our future instead. All I knew was that his parents had died when he was little and his uncle had raised him in a neighboring city.

"You can meet him soon." Desmarc pulled me closer and murmured, "This way I get to have you all to myself for a bit."

My heart stuttered in counterpoint to the music.

He looked down at the couples twirling below us. "Plus, I thought you might like it better up here."

"Thank you." It meant a lot that he had granted me this brief reprieve from the crowds. In general, I didn't love being the center of attention, although it was difficult to avoid at my own engagement party, especially with Papá's aim of becoming the Prime Meridian and governing the city.

His ambition was why he'd had a governess tutor me in all the rules of deportment and decorum from the time I was ten until eighteen when I came out into society, three years ago. She'd done her best to turn me into a perfect little lady. Not that perfect ladies walked around with knives strapped to their thighs. Even though Papá had been the one who'd taught me never to go anywhere unarmed, he wouldn't be pleased...