Page 19 of Unraveling Fate

Voice lessons for Canon’s cousin?: ($40/hour 2 times a week till end of month) $320

(Get more students?)

Expenses

Airfare: ~$800

Bribe: $3,000

Rent: $910

Food: ~$400

It wasn’t enough. She could get the plane ticket by the end of the month, but she’d be short nearly $3800 for the rest. She’d called her agent again that afternoon, but there were no weddings or other gigs available in the timetable she was working with. The temporary job listings she’d combed throughwere all things she was unqualified for—dental hygienist, tax preparer assistant, computed tomography technician.

“I don’t even know what a computed tomography technicianis. And no place is going to give me a loan with my credit.” She groaned, raking her fingers through her hair.

Out the balcony window, the last traces of sunset glowed orange and blue. Feet planted in the middle of the room, she stared down the sky, her quads twitching. Maybe she needed some exercise. She threw on some leggings and running shoes, trailed her fingers over the roof of the F12 on the way out of the garage, and hit the pavement. A thrum greeted her from the ground, her feet pounding out a response as she ran past the racetrack and towards the fields. Asphalt changed to dirt as the lane curved along the top of the empty backlands of Drostan’s “estate.”

The dirt road cut through a copse of oak trees, and on her right the last of the twilight melted into night. The earth pulsed beneath her, lighter tonight, frame drum rather than kettle. The oak trees hummed to themselves, and the breeze trilled.

Cadenza dropped to a walk, not wanting to trip in the darkness. Despite her many visits as a child, she had never fully explored the fields and small woods at the back of the property. She just knew Drostan liked to keep plenty of open space around the main area of the business.

The path sloped down a hill, still wide enough for a car to pass, and when she looked back, the building lights were hidden from view. Nor could she see where the dirt road ended.

Maybe “estate” wasn’t as much of a joke as she’d thought.

At the bottom of the hill, the road met a stone bridge. Cadenza leaned over the side of it, watching the creek splash like black paint in the night. A bass note shivered up her spine. Movement in the trees at the top of the hill caught her eye. She stiffened. Who else would be out here? She cast anotherlook where the road disappeared in the dark, wondering if the property was fenced on the far side or if anyone could walk in.

Someone strolled into view, tall and whistling. Moonlight reflected off the walker’s white T-shirt, illuminating his face.

Taran.

Cadenza hid her face with a small groan. The way the music had been pushing at her last night, she’d been distracted, frantic even, when they spoke. He probably thought she was crazy.

“Cadenza.” She heard the smile in his voice as he spoke. “Evening run?”

“Yeah.” She faced him, trying to look sane.

“It is lovely tonight.” He halted just off the bridge and gazed at the quarter moon. “I didn’t want to stay indoors either.”

Starlight fluted on the blue and black outlines of the hill, mixing with the melody of the creek. Taran stayed still, watching the sky. Something in his silhouette—the width of his shoulders, the line of his back—struck her as familiar.

Say something, he’s gonna think you’re pazza.“I’m sorry about last night. I was just feeling a bit frazzled.”

“That’s quite alright.” The moon made gold highlights in his hair and along his cheekbones. Cadenza did her best not to notice. “Are you feeling better?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes, thanks. Although, that’s the second time this week I thought someone was going to attack me.” She pointed back to where he’d appeared out of the trees, trying to laugh it off.

“Oh, bugger me!” His eyes widened. “I’m so sorry, I had no wish to frighten you. And the other night.” He grimaced. “I wasn’t myself.”

“Then who were you?” she challenged.

“Apparently, I was a mess, and a poor excuse for a son, staying away for so long. But”—he laid a hand on his heart in mock solemnity and made a sweeping bow—“I promise, youhave naught to fear from me, Lady of the Woods of Norroway Automotive.” He winked, and Cadenza couldn’t help laughing.

As he straightened, the moon flashed off his gold eyes. Rhythm rushed up her spine again.

Where did he get eyes like that?She’d read about people hundreds of years ago with gray eyes, or lavender. But never gold. Drostan had normal, hazel eyes. She didn’t know what color Drostan’s late wife’s eyes had been, never having seen any pictures of her. She frowned. No pictures of Taran. No pictures of his mother.