The Launch Party ((Radiance))

[Sofia Vasilieva]

Alina Marveet

It was a dangerous thing to talk about too openly, and Alina only nodded her agreement. She liked Ezvin the most of Maksim’s siblings, and he was certainly the only uncle on that side she'd trust with her son; she would not want to see him tangled in something he could not protect himself from. In all the years she’d known him she’d never once seen him settle with a boyfriend, and maybe it was the way he preferred it, yet as they both curiously watched he broke away to chase after Iáson. She looked up at Max, wondering how worried they should be.

“Sometimes love is worth the trouble,” she said. She gave a knowing smile as she said it, and smoothed the line of her husband’s collar. Her father hadn’t exactly been thrilled with Alina’s choice, but she had always been stubborn about the things she wanted. It went without saying that if Ezvin did get himself in over his head, she would support Maksim to protect him however they could, and would strongarm her siblings to the same vow.