Masquerade [Kuskovo Estate]

[Sofia Vasilieva]

Sofia Vasilieva

Sofia watched their interaction with no small amusement. Zixin managed to be charming and insulting in equal measure. Actually they both did.

She tolerated Danya’s placations in part because of who he was, but mostly because she knew Elena to be little more than his choice of flattering and interchangeable accessory, and for that there was simply no comparison. If the woman herself was aware, she proved dismally vapid about the insult. “You’ve fine taste, Danya, and as ever a finer talent for words.” Her lips flickered a sly smile to his wink, indulgent. She was not convinced Daniil actually believed in loyalty, not like his father, but she treated him like a cousin anyway, and so long as he played his part she would continue to bestow that favour.

Afterwards her gaze shifted to the woman in question. She only gave Elena attention at all in order to observe Zixin’s reaction to her, or perhaps more succinctly to see what Elena would do with the weight of Sofia’s gaze on her. It was a bold or frankly stupid woman who would risk flirting; Sofia’s reputation far preceded her, and until she decided exactly what she planned concerning Zixin and his Syndicate, he was most emphatically hers. But Elena only wilted under Zixin’s arrogant charm. Wise girl.

Drinks were passed around between them, and she did not miss who summoned them with a snap of his fingers. Sofia laughed at the whisper in her ear, meeting Zixin’s gaze with a look of her own which said clearly. She had felt the heat of his eyes earlier, and she did not mind being the distraction when he was the one doing the looking. A man coy in his desires was always a disappointment, and she wanted that show; to make the kind of mark that would be flush over the gossip feeds before dawn. 

By then her father had begun his speech, a flex of power in ode to the family who built it, but she’d heard it all before, and did not immediately pull her attention away to listen. In fact the smile lingered on lush lips for several moments more before she peeled her gaze away from his.

Her glass raised along with the rest, a sea of crystal, for the final toast. But afterwards she shifted to clink her glass against Zixin’s. “To rewriting the rules, and coming out on top,” she told him, and him alone, with no explanation as to exactly what she was meaning, but she thought he would agree with both the sentiment and the ambition.

Around them the band finally began, and Sofia felt a small thrill for the evening to unfurl. She glanced in the Ascendancy’s direction, smug in the knowledge of his promise, but it was Colette she spied then. If Daniil was after a vision, that was where he should have been looking, though Colette was certainly no mere accessory and Sofia never would have foisted Daniil’s company on her. They’d spoken at length about tonight, including the identity of her date, who she looked up and down briefly now. Adrian Kane was handsome, in a brooding way, but he was also peripheral to any actual power in the city.

Colette could have done much better.

“I expect to see you two on the dancefloor later,” she said to Danya and Elena with a teasing smile. “It will be a vision to crown the evening itself, I’m sure.” She said it with complete sincerity, but did glance briefly in Elena's direction, still smiling with that knowing tease. A private pity. Danya looked as beautiful and elegant as a swan until he tried to move with any sort of rhythm. Which was why she would dance with his father, but reneged to extend the same invitation to Daniil. “Excuse us, I see a friend.”

Her arm slipped through Zixin’s, not at all abashed to run her fingers against the firm muscle beneath his sleeve, as she pulled him away.

Alina Marveet

“Sofia paid her to disappear,” Alina added in a whisper. Her brows rose. They both came from large families, and neither were unused to sibling scandal. Her sister was not the forgiving type, but fortunately she was likely to be distracted by her company tonight, and in any case, Alina would like to think Sofia wouldn’t actually go so far as to ruin their parents’ evening for the sake of an old grudge.

They circulated some more, greeting guests as they went, including dour uncle Sulteev who Alina nonetheless doted on with all the sweet graces of a favourite niece. She tactfully avoided wandering too close to Scion, always seeming to catch someone else in the corner of her eye, though they couldn’t avoid him forever. Alina was a well known social butterfly though, and the couple were both well-liked; it was easy enough to get waylaid.

She turned brightly when her father began the toast (her own fluted glass being lemonade, of course). The love between her parents was always something she had idolised, and she leaned into Maksim while she listened, her arm looped through his. After thanking the guests for celebrating with them tonight, and in particular the Ascendancy of course, Konstantin held out his hand for Edita to join him on the staircase, resplendent in tasteful gold, while he spoke about family, empire, and the love of his life.

After the glasses were raised, the band promptly began. The estate would hold plenty of diversions tonight, catering to all whims of its guests – there would be fireworks later, she knew – but it was straight to the dancefloor Alina was minded. She plucked Maksim’s glass from him with a smile. “Dance with me?”