08-30-2026, 11:05 PM
Ezvin saw Cadence before she saw him.
He had been watching the river, one gloved hand tucked into his coat pocket, when a flash of purple caught his eye beyond the cab. His smile arrived before he quite had time to decide whether he wanted it there.
She looked beautiful.
Not celebrity good. Not just polished-for-a-camera good. There was something softer about her tonight, something almost ordinary in the best possible sense.
Purple scarf. Purple coat. Hair tucked beneath a hat. Layers enough to survive a Moscow winter and gloves that suggested she had remembered the hands that made her living.
Then she spotted him. Her greeting came with a shoulder against his and her hand found his.
Ezvin looked down at their joined hands for half a second, then back up with an easy grin.
"There you are. I was beginning to think I'd have to entertain myself."
He gave her fingers a small squeeze. "Fortunately, I'm exceptionally good company."
The claim was delivered with such solemn confidence that it was difficult to tell whether he was joking.
He turned toward the carnival as she took it in, watching her rather than the lights. He'd brought people here before. Cadence looked at the river, and Ezvin followed her gaze.
The lights trembled across the black water, broken and reassembled with every ripple. "You know, there's a trick to new things. Do them with people that love you.” A mischievous smile tugged at his mouth. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Ezvin glanced down. He read the message on it, and his eyebrows lifted.
"Ah. Lore has arrived." He looked toward the path.
He had been watching the river, one gloved hand tucked into his coat pocket, when a flash of purple caught his eye beyond the cab. His smile arrived before he quite had time to decide whether he wanted it there.
She looked beautiful.
Not celebrity good. Not just polished-for-a-camera good. There was something softer about her tonight, something almost ordinary in the best possible sense.
Purple scarf. Purple coat. Hair tucked beneath a hat. Layers enough to survive a Moscow winter and gloves that suggested she had remembered the hands that made her living.
Then she spotted him. Her greeting came with a shoulder against his and her hand found his.
Ezvin looked down at their joined hands for half a second, then back up with an easy grin.
"There you are. I was beginning to think I'd have to entertain myself."
He gave her fingers a small squeeze. "Fortunately, I'm exceptionally good company."
The claim was delivered with such solemn confidence that it was difficult to tell whether he was joking.
He turned toward the carnival as she took it in, watching her rather than the lights. He'd brought people here before. Cadence looked at the river, and Ezvin followed her gaze.
The lights trembled across the black water, broken and reassembled with every ripple. "You know, there's a trick to new things. Do them with people that love you.” A mischievous smile tugged at his mouth. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Ezvin glanced down. He read the message on it, and his eyebrows lifted.
"Ah. Lore has arrived." He looked toward the path.