Chapter 1
In our tribe, there was a tradition of bride-snatching. The man must sneak into the woman's home under the cover of night, carry her on his back, and break through all obstacles.
I had waited three years for Edward Quinn, and finally, he showed up with his guys, sneaking into my yard under the cover of night.
Just as I was about to run to him, I heard him give a low command.
Edward said, "Later, when things get chaotic, grab Zoe. She's frail, and we can't let her marry that spoiled brat from the next town. If she does, she'll never get out of there.
"As for Riley, she's got a fiery temper. She'll fight with everything she's got and make sure she stays safe."
His guys exchanged glances.
One of them said, "Edward, isn't this a bit much? You and Riley already got married out of town. If she finds out what's really going on, she's gonna flip."
"Let her flip," Edward said, totally unfazed. "It's pitch dark during the raid; mix-ups happen. I'll smooth things over later.
"Besides, you all know that the marriage certificate is fake. I promised Zoe I'd help her settle in Betrico, so Riley will have to put up with it for now."
Standing behind the door, I caught every word.
I didn't cry or make a scene. Calmly, I retreated into the room.
They figured that once I realized the groom wasn't who I expected, I'd blow up like always, maybe beat up the guys, and chase them off.
But instead, I quietly climbed onto his back and became the bride for another group.
*****
"Riley, my friend at the city hall, helped me look it up. You... You're really not listed as Edward's spouse," my friend said.
I set my phone down.
Something in my chest quietly shattered.
I had been married to Edward for five years.
No matter how hard I tried, the Quinn family elders never really accepted me.
Edward's mother, Laura Quinn, would never mention my name around others; she'd only refer to me as that girl from the town.
At family gatherings, I was forever seated in the most out-of-the-way spot.
In group photos, I was always placed on the edge, and if I could be cropped out, I was.
Edward, not wanting me to feel hurt, told me to go back home to the town first.
He said he'd go through the whole bride-snatching thing, follow our tribe's traditions, and then make it official by bringing me home for real.
I listened and came back as he asked.
Even though we hardly spent any time together, to everyone else, we seemed happy and in love.
But I had waited three years for him, had three years' worth of words bottled up, and hoped for this night for three years.
And yet, he showed up for another woman.
Edward kept me fooled with a fake marriage certificate for three years, so I wouldn't realize that the one he really wanted to snatch was my sister, Zoe Simons.
I looked at the woman in the mirror.
My expression was empty. I couldn't tell if I was happy or sad.
Soon, the yard was filled with uproar; the bride-snatching had kicked off.
People shouted, "They're here. They're here!" Laughter echoed, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air, and some folks deliberately got in the way.
The firelight lit up half the sky, but the celebration belonged to them.
The party was all for Zoe.
Another bride-snatching team had come from the neighboring town.
They were originally here for Zoe.
By tradition, if a girl didn't want to go, she could slip out early and make them leave empty-handed.
But Zoe didn't hide.
She stayed inside, waiting for someone to come take her away.
And the one she was waiting for was none other than my husband.
I found myself in a room that wasn't mine.
This was Zoe's room.
My stepmother called me over this afternoon, took my hand, and for once spoke softly to me, "Riley, tonight when the bride-snatching starts, stay in Zoe's room. Your own room is tucked away and too quiet; they'd never find you there.
"The guys coming for Zoe are nothing but troublemakers.
"You've always been tough, used to rough stuff since you were little. But Zoe's so delicate; if she gets hurt by accident, it'd be a real mess."
I kept quiet.
I understood what she was getting at.
According to our traditions, when it came time for a bride-snatching, the groom's buddies would storm in first to snatch the bride.
The bride was expected to fight back, struggle, and do everything she could to keep from being carried off—that was the whole door-blocking ritual.
The harder she fought, the more valuable she was seen.
The guys had to give it everything they had to get her out.
And those punches and shoves? They were the real deal.
My stepmother sighed, looking genuinely concerned.
She studied my face and said tentatively, "Besides, Edward's an outsider; he doesn't really understand our customs. If you stay in this room near the entrance, he won't have to turn the whole yard upside down looking for you."
Back then, to make things easier for Edward, I agreed.
I even sent him the location of my room.
But who could've guessed they had been plotting this bride swap all along.
Suddenly, an even bigger uproar exploded outside.
Someone yelled, "We got her. The bride's ours!"
Laughter broke out, people started hollering and egging each other on, and firecrackers crackled through the night.
I tilted my head, straining to catch the sounds outside, but stayed perfectly still.
I knew exactly who they had taken.
I could practically picture the whole scene in my head.
Edward, carrying Zoe on his back, stumbled through the crowd.
His buddies were guarding him on both sides.
Some folks blocked their path on purpose, while others threw stuff at them.
Zoe buried her face against his back, pretending to struggle a bit.
It must be nice.
I dropped my gaze, not wanting to see any of it.