Silversong (The Fable Series, Book 3)

Chapter 7

"We're running late now honey!" My mom shouts up at me from downstairs. "It's almost 10:30!"

"Coming!" I yell back. "I'm almost done!"

I scrutinize the suitcase lying at the foot of my bed, stuffed to the brim.

I've been through my packing list twice, but I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting.

My clothes, shoes and toiletries are in my main luggage. My laptop, phone and passport are in the carry on, plus I'm taking my guitar in its battered old case.

I'm sure I got everything, but still...

"Don't forget your toothbrush!" My mom calls out.

Ah. That's it. Toothbrush.

"Thanks mom," I call back, racing to the bathroom with my toiletries bag.

The bag is packed so tightly that I have to wedge the toothbrush between a bottle of shampoo and a tub of moisturizer to make it fit.

"Ash!" My mom yells. "Come on! We're going to be late."

"I know, I'll be down in literally 30 seconds," I yell back, instead of what I really want to say, which is I know, you told me that literally 30 seconds ago. I hurry back into my bedroom, zipping up the toiletries bag, which I place back in my luggage.

As I zip up the suitcase and check the details on the luggage tag for the zillionth time, I feel a wave of relief.

This is happening. It's really happening.

I'm going to England.

Everything's moved so fast over the past few days that I'm still reeling in the wake of it.

Just as Kitty promised, a talent rep from BYG Records phoned later that morning after Fable's (not-so-secret) secret concert.

The talent rep, who had a strong Scottish accent and introduced herself as Nessa (but said, with a little giggle, that everyone calls her Nessy, like the lake monster) explained that BYG was interested in me the moment they found out I'd helped write and perform the songs on Fable's new album. Although their manager was furious that the boys had gone off together to record a secret album halfway across the world, they weren't quite so furious after they actually listened to it and realised it was the band's best work yet, guaranteed to go platinum.

Nessy told me that the general consensus amongst the BYG bigwigs was that it was my influence that had sparked this new "magic" in Fable's music.

And then after Ben showed them the video of me playing guitar and singing on the beach, and Jeremy Faull insisted that he was going to "sign that girl in the video, no matter what, she's the one we've been waiting for," there was no going back.

Nessy said that usually it was a long, arduous process to assess potential talent for a contract, but Jeremy, being the CEO, had the final say and was insistent that BYG needed me on their label immediately, no time to waste.

Which was why, if I said yes, the moment we finished the phone call she'd be hopping onto Jeremy Faull's private jet and she would be in Portland within 24 hours to meet me and my parents. If that meeting went well, and my parents and I agreed to it, I'd then be going to London for a month-long audition. She stressed that it was not so much an audition, as much as a formality, ticking the boxes - because Jeremy had already made up his mind, and what Jeremy wants, Jeremy gets.

She confirmed my home address, and I agreed to the meeting in a daze of utter disbelief, not even able to fathom how I'd tell my parents that some random scotswoman was going to arrive on our doorstep and offer to fly me halfway across the world to make me into a LITERAL FREAKING POP STAR, or something like that.