Da Capo (Manifesto)

[Zhenya]

Despite admirable composure, Natalie was probably not much more than a handful of years older than the Vega boy. Clearly the young woman wanted something; Zhenya understood that, and she was likely to listen eventually, for she was rarely ever dismissive of those who sought her out -- both boon and curse for the ring on her finger. But she preferred to know something of the people around her before she committed her attention. As she had told Seven, there was more than one way to learn the truth of a soul. She had watched the girl accept Adrian’s hand, curious, but found nothing particularly fruitful in the exchange. He could be devastatingly charming when he chose to be, but tonight he seemed recalcitrant to the game.

“Well, you know what they say about business in Moscow.” She leaned to clink her glass against Natalie’s as yet untouched drink, then winked a good-natured tease in Adrian’s direction. Another game he cheated at.

A moment later Cruz gamboled amongst them like a pup, and Zhenya was charmed by his eagerness to retrieve the trinket. She laughed at the intrusion, hand fluttering against her chest, but there was a playfulness to her gaze that belied any true offense, or even surprise. It had been a tease and an invitation to escape, not an attempt at theft. “It seems to have quite the life of its own,” she said. She spared a warm, amused glance in Natalie’s direction. Then, to Cruz, “Whatever is it?”