Page 61 of Unraveling Fate

Taran shook his head. “I wish it were that simple. But think, everything that’s happened, even your career not going how you wanted—all of that’s brought you here, where you can find how to fulfill the destiny laid for you.”

She huffed. “Of course everything that’s happened brought me here, that’s how cause and effect work. That doesn’t mean that some outside force ismakingthose things happen. If I’d made different choices, the outcomes would have brought me somewhere else.”

He cut his eyes to the floor, and she realized what she’d said—Somewhere Else. The Somewhere Else that she always talked about. But if she’d been Somewhere Else, she wouldn’t have beenhereto meet Taran. Did he think she would have preferred that? Her chest constricted. Would she?

He hesitated. Kissed her forehead. “As I said, when your Somewhere Else comes, I won’t hold you back. Now,” he asked before she could object again. “If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?”

He leaned into the arm of the couch, body relaxed, voice light, but Cadenza stayed upright, tense. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know the answer to that question.

Fifteen

11 Sep 2019

5 Days, all the money. And someone’s trying to kill me. Perfetto.

In the morning, the Ferrari was in the garage, her couch empty. Drostan checked in, after which Cadenza passed several hours quadruple checking flight prices and listing the last of her performance gowns in online classifieds, while her thoughts played on loop, accelerando like the first act finale of The Barber of Seville—Venice, money, Fates, Spinning, Venice, money, Fates, Spinning—till she thought she’d scream. Instead, she called Reyna, to meet for lunch.

She clanged down the metal stairs—Venice, money, Fates, Spinning—pausing at the Ferrari on her way out, fingers tracing is roof. “See you tonight, bello mio.”

“See who tonight?” a voice asked. She yelped, spinning to face it.

“Sorry,” Canon said, a few feet away. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to check on you.”

“By giving me a heart attack?” She pressed a hand to her chest, catching her breath. “I’m fine.”Venice, money.“I’m having lunch with Reyna.”

“Let me drive you in my car. Who knows if someone snuck in the garage last night.” He pointed at her loaner.

“Taran kept watch, so I’m sure it’s fine.”Fates, Spinning.“And Drostan’s coming with.”

“Where is Taran?” Canon asked, face too innocent again. “I would think he’d want to drive you.”

She busied herself in her purse to avoid his eyes. “He’ll be back.”Venice, money.

“Cadenza—”

“I need to go.” She wrenched open the car door, but Canon stepped in her way.

“Cadenza. Look at me.”

“What?” she snapped.Fate, Spinning.

“I want you to be safe.”

She exhaled heavily and looked him in the face. Concern carved lines on his face—the face of a friend. Her pulse calmed, pernicious thoughts fading.

“Thank you. I needed that.”

He took her hand again, gently this time. “You’re welcome.”

A beat of regret plucked at her. “Why can’t you be a normal human being all the time, Canon?”

He frowned, face closing. “What does that mean?”

She sighed. “It means thank you, I’ll be fine. Please let me get in my car.”

“Ok.” He moved away from the loaner, hands up in surrender. “But I want to talk to you about something before you go, and I want to be totally upfront, so there’s no misunderstanding.”

She tossed her purse in the car. “About what? Because I think you were pretty upfront about your feelings, or should I say, yourterms, last week.”