Strokes of Fate

Chapter 1.7

As Kai pulled into the driveway of their home, Zara's excitement from the gallery began to mingle with a growing sense of unease. The house loomed before her, its Victorian facade suddenly seeming to hide secrets within its walls.

"You okay?" Kai asked, cutting the engine. His frameless glasses caught the afternoon light as he turned to her, concern etched on his face.

Zara managed a small smile. "Yeah, just... processing everything, I guess."

They made their way inside, where Vivian was waiting in the living room, her laptop balanced on her knees as she worked on what looked like legal briefs. She looked up as they entered, her eyebrows raised in question.

"Well?" she asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

"I got the internship," Zara said, unable to keep a note of pride from her voice. "And they might even feature one of my pieces in an upcoming exhibition."

Vivian's expression softened, a genuine smile spreading across her face. She was proud. "That's wonderful news, Zara. Maybe you made the right choice in leaving school. I can't judge artists, I know is a different world, one that is foreign from all this legal stuff. All I do is go back and forth through textbooks for references and accurate data. But this really is wonderful. I'm happy for you. And you too, Kai. Good job for putting in that word for her."

The warmth of Vivian's approval washed over Zara, catching her off guard. For a moment, the tension that had long existed between them seemed to dissipate. As successful as Vivian was, maybe all she wants is the best out of everyone. She always seems to gather notes on people and their potential. Kai is a prime example, with his advanced mathematical skills.

"Thanks," Zara murmured, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit."

As she climbed the stairs to her room, Zara's mind raced with the events of the day. The internship, the potential exhibition, Dr. Vance's intense interest in her work – it all seemed too good to be true. And underlying it all was the mystery of the antique drafting set and the strange, living cityscape it had helped her create.

Closing her bedroom door behind her, Zara's eyes immediately fell on the wooden case sitting innocuously on her desk. She approached it slowly, as if it might disappear if she moved too quickly.

With trembling hands, she opened the case, revealing the gleaming tools within. The crystal compass seemed to wink at her in the afternoon light, beckoning her to create once more.

Zara hesitated, her hand hovering over the tools. Part of her yearned to lose herself in the act of creation again, to see what new wonders might flow from her hands. But another part, a more cautious voice, whispered that there was more to this than mere artistic inspiration. The surge of inspiration she felt last night was intoxicating.

As she stood there, caught between desire and apprehension, a soft knock at her door startled her out of her reverie.

"Zara?" It was Kai's voice, tentative and concerned. "Can I come in?"

Zara quickly closed the drafting set case. "Sure," she called, trying to keep her voice steady.

Kai entered, his athletic frame filling the doorway. He had square shoulders that now filled his relaxed T-shirt. He looked at her searchingly, his brow furrowed. "Are you sure you're okay? You seemed... different at the gallery. Almost like you were in a trance when you were showing that drawing."

Zara sank onto her bed, suddenly feeling the weight of her secrets. "I'm fine, Kai. Really. It's just been an overwhelming day." She slapped her thighs at once, "I just feel like...new inspiration is coming, and my art is changing. In a good way, you know?"

Kai sat beside her, the bed dipping slightly under his weight. "You know you can talk to me, right? About anything." He leaned back with her, both staring at he ceiling.

For a moment, Zara was tempted to tell him everything – about the drafting set, the strange energy she felt when creating, the way the city seemed alive with hidden meanings. But something held her back. It all felt too new, too personal to share just yet.

"I know," she said instead, offering him a small smile. "Thanks, Kai."

Before Kai left her room, he placed a meaty hand on her leg gently massaging her thigh. She felt relaxed and at home. At least she had a brother to count on, and apparently, Kai had good connections.

When Kai closed the door behind him, Zara's gaze was drawn back to the drafting set. She knew she should be focusing on preparing for her internship, on the practical aspects of this new chapter in her life. But the siren call of artistic creation, of delving deeper into the mysteries that seemed to be unfolding around her, was too strong to resist.

With a deep breath, Zara opened the case once more and took out a fresh sheet of paper. As she set the crystal compass to the page, she felt that now-familiar surge of energy course through her.

The world around her faded away as lines began to flow from her hand, weaving together into intricate patterns and haunting landscapes. Hours slipped by unnoticed as Zara lost herself in the act of creation, barely aware of the setting sun outside her window or the soft sounds of her family moving about the house below.

It wasn't until the first hints of dawn began to creep across the sky that Zara finally set down her tools, her hands trembling with exhaustion and exhilaration. She leaned back, blinking as if waking from a deep dream, and looked down at what she had created.

The drawing beforeher was even more intricate and mysterious than the last. It depicted a seriesof interconnected nodes spread across a cityscape, each pulsing with an almosttangible energy. At the center of it all stood the clocktower from her previousdrawing, its hands now pointing to different times, as if counting down tosomething momentous.