Page 10 of Hunger & Harmony

Asingle piece of paper slaps onto the table in front of me.

“Quit.”

I blink at it before I look up. Ryel looms over me, crimson hair hanging around surprisingly impassive eyes. Is he poker-faced or just that deadpan?

“Huh?”

“I said . . .” He slides the paper closer, past my laptop and iced coffee. “You need to quit.”

Glancing down at the document, I read the words at the top.

“Resignation letter? Why?”

“Because you need to quit,” he says, like he’s tired of stating the obvious. “All you have to do is sign.”

My second day. The last to prepare before Arteria’s rehearsals wrap and the tour officially kicks off. I barely got into bed at five in the morning and tossed and turned until I had to get to work at noon. I’ve been holed up in this staff lounge the entire time. We haven’t even made it to the three o’clock lunch break, and I’m already dealing with this?

Forcing my lips into a tight smile, I gently shake my head.

“No can do,” I say. “We’ve got a lot to prepare, and I’m being onboarded late enough.”

His jaw clenches. My smile widens in response. Lorelai said compliance, but there’s no rule against defying with kindness, right?

“In the best interest of Arteria, I’ll be working diligently!” I poke his arm lightly. “Kind of like you should, yeah?”

A snarl rips from his throat. I suppress a giggle at how serious he’s being.

“If you don’t sign now, I⁠—”

“What did I tell you, Cadence? He really lives up to his family name.”

Ezren leans in the lounge’s entrance, a playful smirk directed at Ryel. The guitarist backs away from me, but crosses his arms. If anything, his hostility heightens.

“We should all get along! Cadence is here to help,” Ezren continues, tone dripping in snark. “She could even give you some pointers with your hair. She’s got that copper . . .kinda strawberry-blonde hair, yeah? You dye yours red. Basically twins!”

“Shut the fuck up,” Ryel says, voice barely above a whisper. “I share nothing in common with this pest.”

My jaw unhinges. First a drink, and now I’m a literal bug? What is wrong with these rock stars?

“You think I’m a pest?” I huff. “Well, maybe you’re just a prick.”

Ezren bursts out laughing.

“Suits you perfectly!”

“Are you my blood brother or not?” Ryel hisses at him.

Still, nothing seems to faze Ezren.

“I like you,” he says to me. “You take no shit, and honestly, you’ll probably last here because of that.”

Lorelai’s warning flashes in my mind. Is taking no shit still compliance? I shrug awkwardly.

“She needs to quit,” Ryel retorts, and Ezren just scoffs.

“Are you experiencing some iron overload or what? We need her, whether you like it or not.”

“This isn’t about me,” Ryel says, sullen gaze fixed on the floor. “It’s His Majesty.”