Page 29 of Unraveling Fate

“Yeah, sorry.” Cadenza shook her head. “Just a static electricity shock.”

Two people. She’d heard music from two people. It had been different this time. With Taran, she could hear the drums from yards away, and the closer she got to him the louder and deeper the beat became. Nothing had come off Reyna until Cadenza had touched her skin. Assuming the music really had come from Reyna. Time for another round of tests.

“So, tomorrow afternoon, ok?” Reyna asked.

Cadenza shook herself back to the conversation. “Sorry?”

“To rehearse?” Reyna looked at her expectantly. “You sure you’re ok?”

“Rehearse, yes. Sorry, I was in a bit of a car accident yesterday. I think I’m still a little off.” She brought her fingers to her temple. The only thing off was the earthsong, but if she hadto deal with getting run off the road, at least it made a convenient cover for being distracted.

“Car accidents are the worst.” Reyna eyed Cadenza’s forehead. “You did a pretty good job with that concealer; I wasn’t sure if I should ask. You gonna be ok for tomorrow or should we wait a day?”

“Tomorrow’s good. Only I have a student coming that afternoon too. Is it ok if we meet at my place?”

“That’s fine, text me your info.”

Cadenza sent her the address, then followed her back through the teahouse, looking for a way to test the music again, but not finding a reasonable excuse to touch the blacksmith. Just as she figured she’d have to wait till the rehearsal, Reyna touched her arm in farewell. The song plucked back to life, flowing in a melody of strings. It cut off as soon as Reyna removed her hand.

“I’m gonna head back to the smithy,” she said. “It was great meeting you—I’m excited to sing together. Take care of that head.” She waved and jogged off down the street.

Cadenza rubbed her arm, watching the smith’s blue braids disappear around a corner.

Two people.

After stoppingby the main sales building to grab her mail and the day’s paper, Cadenza headed to her apartment. She left her garage door open, watching the sunset burn through the sky and paint orange flames on the Berlinetta.

“I don’t know what’s going on with me, bello mio.” She crawled into the driver’s seat like a refuge. The leather warmed,and she snuggled in deeper. “Two people. Magari, potessi parlare pure.”

She sighed. The Ferrari might not be able to talk like she wished, but she could bathe in its song. Eyes closed, she reached for the music. The Gaelic lyrics came easier this time, like they were waiting for her, but they came with pictures.

Dark hills, stars overhead.

Strength rose from the metal beast around her, flowing into the song, into her voice.

Muscles pumping adrenaline, lungs pumping icy air.

Vitality boomed, bass in the space between notes.

The hills dropping into a ravine. Legs bunching, leaping?—

“Whoa!” Cadenza ripped her eyes open and braced her arms against the steering wheel like she was about to fall. Life and excitement and speed thundered in her chest. She laid a hand over her heart, breathing slowly to calm it. Images with the music. That was…new.

“Well, I’m glad one of us is feeling better.” She pet the dashboard. “I, however, might be losing it.”

Heart still racing, she locked the Ferrari, scooped up her things, and retreated to her apartment. Out the balcony door, the stars woke in the dark sky, like in her vision.

She shook her head. “It’s a good thing you had herbal tea today. You’d really be a hot mess with caffeine in you,” she told herself. “Talking to myself, seeing things.” She shook a finger in her own face and tried to joke. “Really, Cadenza, what will people think?”

Her mother’s voice drifted to the front of her thoughts.Cadenza, what will people say? That my daughter is a pazza?

Pazza. Crazy.

Cadenza ripped the newspaper open to the middle and smacked it down on the couch to read.I’m not crazy, Ilaria. Andyou’ll see that when I make it to Italy and wow the direttore. Now shut up, I’m trying to read.

“Threatened Yosemite Toad Population Down by Fifty Percent in New Study,” the third page headline read. She flipped to the beginning of the newspaper. Maybe there’d be something less depressing.

A photo of her with Canon at the Opera House smiled from the front page with the caption,