Page 17 of Unraveling Fate

In the morning Cadenza peeked through her living room window to find the Berlinetta parked safely in its spot. She jingled the keys in her hand. With the music so crazy the night before she hadn’t thought to return them to the Norroways. Taran obviously had his own keys. She jogged downstairs, climbed in the driver’s seat, and hugged the steering wheel.

Maybe I’ll just hold on to mine for a while.Even as she thought it, she knew it was ridiculous. But she couldn’t stomach giving them up yet.

“Besides, he’s been gone for who knows how long and then just swoops in and takes you out all night? How about we take a little spin to make sure he didn’t mess anything up.”

The engine fired to life. The clean water scent of the leather filled the interior. The sky was clear, the earthsong behavingitself. She pet the dashboard. “A good day to try Highway 49 again, eh bello?”

Drostan flagged her down along the road to the showroom.

“Morning, Caddie. Alright?” He searched her face, and she groaned inside at how bizarre her behavior last night must have seemed.

“Sto bene.” She gave him a thumbs-up like her father used to do, and Drostan chuckled. “I thought I’d just take the Ferrari for a little drive, if that’s ok.”

“Of course. Just keep it here on the lot. You can use the track. It’s been out of commission for near four and half years,” he explained when her shoulders drooped. “The registration and whatnot are expired.”

“Ah, right. I wasn’t thinking about that. I guess Taran just drove it around the track last night, then?”

“He kept it close for sure.” Drostan made to go, but his smile sobered. “Caddie. I haven’t said yet—thanks for making it go again.”

She nodded. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Aye, well.” He cleared his throat, and she pretended not to notice the shimmer in his eyes. “We’ve another race on Saturday. You’ll be there to sing?”

“Sure thing, boss.” Cadenza gave him a little salute.

He patted the roof of the car twice and stepped back, and she turned the car towards the back of the lot.

Sun and French horns glinted off the arena seats. Cadenza slipped on her sunglasses, letting the Ferrari prowl onto the track. She took a slow lap first, feeling the engine. On the second lap, she let the Berlinetta have its head. Notes spun out from the tires, stretched and cello-like. They tickled the back of her neck as she drifted the turn for fun. The engine growled a symphony, and she opened the throttle in response but kept a grip on the music.Control.

Drums, fast and rolling, sprung up from the earth like a punch to the gut. She gasped and the car fishtailed. Song flooded her body, wrapped around her vocal cords. The same urgency she’d felt last night pushed at her, and the need todo somethingwith the music stole her breath away. Her heart pounded in time with the drums. She let up on the gas, not wanting to lose control.

At least, not of the car.

But the music. The music had been so volatile in the week since she’d come to Norroway Auto—gone one minute, drowning her the next. That urge tousethe music was not normal but…not completely unfamiliar either. Where had she felt that before?

A memory surfaced, dim and blurry like an old photograph.

Singing dandelions.

A man with antlers.

A woman with full red flowers encircling her hair.

And the earthsong. Pushing at Cadenza’s five-year-old self so hard her throat hurt. Screaming at her like a distortion amp todo somethingwith it. Make something happen.

She gripped the steering wheel tighter. A man with antlers didn’t make any sense. She grasped at the images, searching for their source—maybe it was the memory of a dream?—but they slipped away.

“What do you want from me?” she whispered. Control was her watch word. She led. Not the music. She had no idea what the earthsong wanted her to do with it, but maybe if she let the music lead for once, it would settle down. It was tempting. What would it feel like to let go of control? To flow with the song instead of fight it?

The Ferrari slowed to coasting, and Cadenza took a deep breath. She gathered the notes all jostling for attention, pulled in the songs. Loosened her hold. And sang three wordless notes.

The car shot forward like she’d smashed the pedal to the floor. Her head smacked against the seat, and she dropped the song in surprise. The Ferrari spun out in circles, the track blurring around her. Cadenza cranked the wheel to level out, clamped down on the song, and came to a stop.

“What was that?” She threw her hands up at the dashboard. The last time she’d lost control of a vehicle was before she even had a driver’s license. So much for flowing with the music.

“If you’re gonna be like that, you can stay on your leash,” she muttered. At least no one was around to see her spin out.

“Andiamo, bello. Let’s head back.” She glanced towards the gates. And groaned. Down the track Canon finished a phone call, hopped the barrier, and jogged towards her.