A Quiet Arrival (Radiance)

[Jia Xin Kao]

[[Continued from The Kao Orchid]]

A private jet saw her safely into Moscow, where she was met by a chauffeur and limousine. Liyana had been correct about the hideous cold, though Jia Xin was wrapped warm against it for the short walk that saw her into the luxury of heated seats. Her people had made all the arrangements at her direction, and she felt no anxiety to be here alone, yet it was strange to be so unsurrounded. When she stepped into the hotel lobby it was with some private amusement that she observed what she considered to be ordinary life flowing all around her. Radiance was among the city’s most luxurious and expensive hotels, of course. Yet normally Jia Xin would have no need to approach the desk herself in order to check in.

She was not staying as a Kao, of course – that was the whole point of leaving all the usual fuss back at home. Not that she would be here unprotected for the duration of the business she had arranged in Moscow either, but that was for later. For now, she would acclimate to the time zone and the new and foreign city in the decadent suite reserved for her use.

[Edurne]

Edurne wasn't sure what to expect of Moscow, but it certainly wasn't the glamour. The stories she had heard of the city did not do it justice, and as Edurne stepped off of the plane and into the armoured Rolls Royce limousine, she felt that she could finally relax. Flying from Spain to Russia was only about five hours, and she had flown private after all. While she sat in the back of the vehicle, Edurne crossed one leg over the other and pulled out a cigarette- the brand being black devil. They were pure black save for a red ring around the filter, and tasted exactly like cherries. Winding the window down slightly, Edurne embraced the One Power and used a simple thread of fire to light the end of the cigarette, before releasing it and taking a drag. It was a frivolous use of the power perhaps, but the feeling that came with having the power flow through her was euphoric enough that she channeled at any given opportunity. Yet the memory of what had happened to Roshni still haunted her, and Edurne was cautious about channeling too much of the One Power at any given time.

Once they finally arrived at the hotel, Edurne stepped out of the vehicle clad in a flowing white silk dress with flared sleeves, and was dripping head to toe in gold and diamonds. Her golden hair was loose around her shoulders and down her back, and her makeup was lightly done. Entering the hotel alongside several bodyguards on her payroll, Edurne's heels clicked against the marble flooring as she made her way over to the front desk. "Ferrón Arriaga," she said simply. The woman working behind the desk, an elderly lady with wire-rimmed glasses and graying hair.

"Lady Ferrón Arriaga," the woman responded, to which Edurne nodded. She hadn't quite shrugged off every heritage that her parents had bestowed upon her, and she was technically still a part of landed gentry. The weave of compulsion she had used on her parents didn't seem to have struck them as odd, given that they wired more than a few million CDD into her new bank account. Besides, it wasn't as if they were going to miss it. They earned more than that in a few months with the amount of business and companies they owned. Shrugging her shoulders, Edurne flipped her hair over her shoulder and leant against the counter, drumming her French manicured nails against the marble.

When she was given the key to her room, the penthouse suite comprising of several floors, Edurne nodded her thanks and took the key from the woman. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a woman, not one that she recognised. When the elderly woman said that there were no bellstaff available at the moment to take her bags, Edurne raised an eyebrow. "Perdona?" She asked in Spanish, unable to believe her ears. "Are you serious?" Edurne's accent wasn't too thick, but it was definitely noticeable. "What am I supposed to do with all of my luggage?" There were several suitcases at Edurne's feet, and with a huff she briefly considered using the power to compel the old lady into carrying them herself.

[Seven]

Seven crossed the modern, resplendent lobby like a king in his court. He recalled that wild night—one filled with laughter, the haze  of intoxication, and the thrill of a night passed with Jay and two women for company. Conversations with Nox, Sage, and others had only deepened his curiosity about his dear friend Jay, who had since vanished like a wisp of smoke.

Determined, Seven strode toward the reception desk. He was not here as an employee but as a guest with a purpose. His fashionable winter wool suit and open white shirt conveyed both confidence and style, while the pair of golden sunglasses that had shielded his eyes were now looped on the pocket of his sport coat.

Behind the counter, an elderly woman was working. Her gentle features, though warm, carried an unmistakable aura of resolve. Seven suspected that beneath that kindly exterior lay the hardened spirit of someone well-versed in the power plays of Moscow—a matriarch, perhaps, to a feared lineage, or a spy planted by Radiance to watch over the lobby.

In that moment, as Seven paused before the counter—his mind rehearsing the inquiry about Jay—the murmurs of frustration reached his ears. His gaze shifted to a striking figure: a woman adorned in a flowing silk dress, gleaming in gold and diamonds, who now stood before the desk with a  vexation as she regarded a cluster of unattended luggage. The absence of bellhops was evident in the air, and her expression spoke of exasperation at the burden of her many suitcases and the impatience of waiting.

The thought stirred something within Seven—a quiet resolve to ease another’s troubles, even as his own quest for an old friend lay momentarily on hold. With a subtle smile and a hint of his distinctive Swedish lilt, he stepped forward and addressed her, “Allow me, madam, to lighten your load this evening.” As he gestured toward the elegant luggage, there was a gleam in his eye as if his offer were a double entendre.