She sighs at me. Veronica fucking sighs at me, like I’m the one talking nonsense.
“Featherstone is the Academy for the leaders of the Underworld across the States, some even coming in from other countries under special agreements. It was agreed before any of our times for the descendants to attend Featherstone and learn the Underworld to follow in their bloodlines footsteps, the family name specialties, and skill sets ready to take over when the time is right."
How am I supposed to get out of this?
Featherstone? What sort of Academy is even called that? I'm 18. If I'm supposed to be going anywhere it's college and I don't want that either. I already know what I want so why is this being forced? I'm gonna have to give myself a minute here to prioritize what questions I need to ask first.
“This is bullshit,” I glare.
"You'll watch your fucking tongue young lady! There's only so much of your attitude I'm willing to take and I'm at my limit. Let me tell you, you'd be dragged to Featherstone whether it was me doing so or someone else. It is your legacy to attend Featherstone whether you like it or not, it'll be best for everyone if you know your place and do as you're told from the get-go."
"What does that even mean? My legacy? I've never even heard of this place. I have a life I'm happy with and it doesn't involve you or some academy that I have no interest in."
"Oh Luna, it means you are bound to attend Featherstone Academy out of oath and loyalty to your bloodlines as well as the founders, no will not be accepted as an answer. You should be appreciating the fact that I didn't come for you sooner and force you to attend the High School, like I did."
My eyes bug out at her. I can't help it, she's talking to me like I should know what she's babbling on about and I have no clue.
"What oath and loyalty to my bloodlines? You abandoned me when I was six years old mother, after we'd just experienced a life shattering ordeal that no one should ever have to live through! The same ordeal that killed my father!" I yell.
I'm starting to shake a little, she's got my memories floating to the surface and I can't deal with that right now.
My mother sits taller, hands poised on her knee.
"Steele, that is your main bloodline when attending Featherstone, your father’s bloodline. I met your father at Featherstone as my legacy led me there also."
She's talking so matter of fact about it all but completely overlooking any emotion. What the hell happened to this woman to make her this way? Is this how I'm going to turn out too?
"So, let me get this straight. You show up, out of the blue again, on my 18th birthday forcing me to leave my life behind. To attend an academy named Featherstone because both you and my father attended when you were younger. Now, I have no choice with regards to the whole situation, because it falls down to an oath I didn't take and loyalty to a bloodline I no longer have a connection to?"
It's official, she definitely is a maniac. How was she ever allowed to have a child? She is the least maternal woman I have ever met, and that goes back as long as I can remember. I don’t ever recall a loving moment between us.
"Yes Luna, that is exactly it.”
Looking around the car no one is surprised by what she is saying, not even Rafe.
Rafe is taking this all in, not liking the fact that I’m learning all of this information, especially because it’s coming from my mother’s mouth. It's clear he truly thought he had spared me from all this otherwise he’d have been the one to tell me. I'm trying to digest all this information, but I just want an escape plan. I want to get out of this car and go the fuck home.
Meeting Rafe's eyes he shakes his head lightly at me, he knows what I'm thinking and that's his way of telling me it's not possible. All the training, the constant practice, the time and dedication, and we find ourselves in a situation out of our control and he's telling me to back down, that we aren't enough to get out of this? Why?
He must see the question in my eyes, the confusion, "Featherstone is connected to every piece of the Underworld, Luna. Every drug dealer, everything on the black market, every assassin, you name it. If it's breaking the law they know about it, and if you don't fall in line you're dead, simple as that."
My brain can't process it. So, any illegal organization in the US is run by one giant organization who apparently call the shots that you follow, or you're done for? Mulling this all over it suddenly comes to mind.
"Rafe, how do you even know all this?"
It's instant, the shame. He can't even look at me. I can sense why but I want to hear it.
"Luna, you know Rafe was a good friend of your fathers since high school so if he went to Featherstone High, then so did Rafe, silly." She giggles like it's just trivial details but it's not and Rafe knows it.
I don't know whether I'm angry or upset but I want him to look at me and confirm it. I hate that all the information is coming from her mouth.
"Rafe..."
"Yeah Luna, I attended Featherstone High and Academy when I was younger. I hoped it would never matter so I never discussed any of this with you, but I did attend, and I honored the Gibbs bloodline."
Honored? Why are we calling it that? Am I reacting so differently because
