Page 22 of Unraveling Fate

“She’s a blacksmith?”

“Aye, and a fine mezzo soprano as well. I think your voices will meld quite nicely.” He shut the cover over the piano keys. “Off you scoot now.”

Cadenza gathered up her music. “Thank you, Mr. Learmonth.”

“Thomas, please,” he reminded her. “And Cadenza?”

She turned back at the door. “Yes?”

“Don’t worry over much about that tightness.” He smiled, not unkindly. “We’ll sort it out.”

Cadenza had spentMonday job searching in person, but no one was open to hiring someone who was leaving the country in a month. Her lesson with Thomas Learmonth and the drive back from Modesto had taken much of Tuesday, leaving no time for more job hunting before getting ready for Canon's campaign rally, so by the time she arrived at the event Tuesday evening, her finances were burning a hole in her belly, and her mind had yet to come up with a possible reason that Taran Norrowayproduced earthsong. And she’d dreamt of him twice since meeting him at the bridge Sunday evening.

Canon met her at the entrance to the Sonora Opera Hall with a wide grin. She’d agreed to attend to support him but had insisted they take separate cars to make it less date-like. A steady stream of people passed them, greeting him on the way into the building.

“I thought this was supposed to be informal?” she asked, eyeing Canon’s jewel-blue button-up and white silk tie. Her peach blouse might pass for dressy but not her jeans.

“It is.” He grabbed both her hands. “And you look great.”

“Canon.” She pulled her hands back.

“No, I know.” He held his hands up to forestall her argument. “But you do.” The polished veneer slid away, and his eyes softened. “And I appreciate you coming, even if it’s not a ‘date’.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, and gave him a playful nudge with her elbow. “And hey, look at that! You have real expressions under that politics…sales…face.”

He laughed. “Glad you noticed. Come on, I’ll introduce you to your prospective student.”

The Opera Hall’s one long room swam with people. Cadenza slowed at the sight of the stage at the far end of the hall, hugging her arms around her middle. She’d had her first recital on that stage, at just barely eight years old, after Ilaria had left them but before her father had remarried.

She shook off the memories and let Canon retake her hand to navigate through the wall of people.

“This is crazy!” she called over the noise.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “Even I’m surprised.”

Canon introduced her to his teen cousin, Brylee, then pointed out a table on the stage. “There’s a seat up there for you when you want it. I’m going to keep circulating, so I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

Cadenza exchanged phone numbers with Brylee, who, late for work, shoved her way through the crowd to the front doors, leaving Cadenza alone in the press. Across the room, Canon mingled like a pro, all smiles and hospitality. Just watching him made Cadenza want fuzzy socks and tea. She rubbed her hand where he’d held it. What would it feel like if Taran held her hand?

What would she hear?

Maybe it had been a fluke, hearing music from him, but the earthsong had been so unsettled since she got to Norroway Auto, perhaps she was developing the ability to hear people too? She didn’t know if that was possible, but it wasn’t as if she’d had a teacher for this weird thing she did.

She surveyed the crowd. No better place to test if she could now hear music from humans than in a room full of humans.

The earthsong beat beneath the floor. A faint fiddle tune danced in the wood of the walls. The evening sun beamed through the windows, tinkling like crystal. But when she searched, no music came from the people around her. She brushed against the woman next to her, in case she had to touch someone to hear them.

Nothing.

Only voices, arguing politics or chatting with friends, that she heard with her physical ears. None of the earthsong that she felt with her whole self.

She tried once more. The crystal sound of the sun cut out, leaving a gap in the song. The same fluttering sensation she’d felt at Canon’s fundraiser short-circuited her ear drum, like she’d ducked underwater.

Porca miseria.She rubbed her ear, trying to find the song again.What did I do this time?

“Times like this, a little quiet could go a long way, don’t you think, Ms. Cavalieri?” a voice at her shoulder asked.

She jumped, heart pounding, and turned to find Canon’s financial sponsor. “Mr. Pearce, I didn’t know you were here.”