The Masquerade

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Long, elegant fingers, polished in lilac, skimmed the rose gold chain of her necklace. Her eyes rested on the centrepiece—a snowflake-cut amethyst, deep and mysterious, like twilight fading into night.

As she grazed the cool gem, a faint violet spark flared on her fingertips. She pulled away with a soft exhale. It had always responded this way, but even now…

She couldn’t bring herself to destroy it. Illogical, she knew. But the connection to this gem ran deeper than reason, like a thread binding her to something—someone.

The approaching footsteps jarred her from her thoughts. Quickly, she tucked the necklace into a hidden locket and slipped it inside her crystal-embellished clutch. A knock followed, and she opened the door to find her date standing in the doorway.

Theomund Whitlock was impeccably dressed in a bespoke white suit, the lavender pocket square perfectly complementing her asymmetrical gown. He extended a hand, lips curling in a polite, almost rehearsed smile. “Shall we?”

“Save the chivalry for the ball, Theo,” she said, smoothing the off-shoulder neckline of her dress and gracefully brushing her French braid over her exposed shoulder.

Theo nodded, pulling back his hand effortlessly, though she detected a subtle embarrassment in his cold silver eyes. He led her down toward the mansion’s front entrance, where his driver stood beside a gleaming white limousine.

‘A white limo? Really? What’s next, peonies and vows at city hall? We’re heading there, aren’t we?’ she mused, though only to herself.

Naturally, she kept the sarcasm chilled to perfection, her expression as neutral as ever. Not that she needed to put in much effort—her facial muscles had long since decided that any reaction beyond the bare minimum was a waste of energy.

Call it… efficiency. Or maybe laziness dressed up as principle.

Her lips twitched as she recalled a certain someone’s ever-so-witty remark about her… minimalist expressions. Catching Theo’s eyes widening as if she’d done something scandalous, she quickly reset her features to their default setting of indifference.

“Is everything alright, Astra?” he asked, giving his suit a quick look, his hands pausing as if to straighten an imaginary wrinkle. “I hope I’m not too underdressed for this event.”

Astra’s crimson eyes narrowed, her glare doing all the talking. What, exactly, was so shocking? She wasn’t announcing her alien heritage or anything. Though, amusingly, someone had once accused her of just that.

She let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. “An… infuriating feline, if you must know,” she murmured, fighting to suppress a traitorous smile.

Damn it.

Theo blinked, his confusion deepening. “What do you mean?”

Astra quickly added, “You’re fine. Status is the only fashion that matters here.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Well, lucky I brought a full-face mask, then.”

“Lucky you,” she said dryly.

The silence between them grew more awkward with each click of her 7-inches heels until Theo cleared his throat. “Thanks for coming up with this idea, Astra. Having you as my partner certainly simplifies things.”

“A logical choice,” Astra murmured, her tone distant as she reflected on her previous conversation with Eydis—the one that had led to this brilliant pairing with Theo.

In the end, it seemed like the best option among many—one that might even involve Eydis herself, who Astra was certain occupied Theo’s mind during that student council meeting. After all…

He wasn’t the only one watching her.

Astra’s heart betrayed her at the thought, quickening at the memory of those enigmatic amber eyes that had seemed to appraise her so intently. They had been cold and analytical, yet there was something else—something warmer, softer. Something… familiar, almost genuine.

Astra had barely registered the warmth of Eydis’s lips before everything spiralled. An uncomfortable jolt surged through her, and her instincts screamed for her to retreat. The kiss felt entirely out of place, leaving her both confused and disoriented.

Underage. Under the influence. As if Astra had taken advantage of the younger girl. Her mission at St. Kevin's left no room for distractions, especially a romantic one with a teenager, and even more so with Eydis herself.

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Not Eydis. It couldn't be, and yet…

“Remember the mission,” Astra muttered to herself as they reached the car.

Theo opened the door, stepping aside for her. “I remember. We’ll keep tabs on Athena during her private talk with Thomas,” He glanced at her delicate silk dress. “Aren’t you cold? Should I fetch you a coat?"

“I am,” she replied, sliding into the back seat, “but not how you think. I’m fine.”

Theo settled across from her, reaching for the champagne. Astra's subtle head tilt was enough to make him pause.

"Oh, good point,” he chuckled, putting the bottle back in the limo’s mini-fridge. "Probably not the best idea. I guess I'm just..."

"On edge?" Astra offered, her gaze sliding to the passing cityscape.

Theo’s fingers fumbled with his cufflinks, the bright silver reflecting in her eyes. "Is it that obvious?" His refined appearance clashed with the boyish uncertainty in his eyes.

"You mask it well,” she said, softer than usual, but her eyes remained distant.

He exhaled slowly. “Not as well as I hoped. You’re… not what I expected,” he confessed before sitting up straighter. “This whole spy business—it feels like a game I’m not equipped to play. Athena’s taking a huge risk, and I’m just… here, dressed for show?”

Astra blinked, caught off guard. Theo had never been this open, and frankly, it was unexpected. “Your presence alone is enough.”

He shook his head. "Is it? Without you, I'd have been..."

"It likely wasn't trying to kill you," she cut in.

Theo’s eyes sharpened. “Wait… how do you know that? What aren’t you telling me?”

Astra's hand unconsciously moved to her clutch, where the amethyst necklace lay hidden. Eydis’s voice returned to her mind.

"But for you, amethysts, perhaps?" Eydis had said, her amber eyes glinting with a secret depth. Astra had been thrown by how someone so young could look so… timeless.

"Amethysts? Why so?" Astra had asked casually, though inside, alarms blared in her mind.

"Serenity and intuition. Qualities that seem perfectly suited for a certain someone, wouldn't you agree?"

Astra’s chest tightened that felt painfully close yet miles away. It reminded her of the sea, each wave drawing her into something too deep to grasp, slipping away with each pull. Compliments never surprised her anymore—she’d been compared to diamonds and told her eyes gleamed like rubies.

But amethyst? Why would someone say that?

"Astra?" Theo's voice snapped her back to reality. "You looked... worried there for a moment."

Her eyes snapped back to him, realising she had been frowning. Fighting the urge to rub her temple, she masked her emotions and slipped back into her usual calm. “Something feels… off about tonight.”

Theo’s silver eyes filled with unease as he leaned in. “Why do you think that?”

Astra reclined in the plush leather chair, watching as the neon lights transformed into streaks of colour against the night sky through the panoramic glass roof.

“It’s just a hunch,” she said, leaving it at that, and Theo opted not to press her. In his gaze lingered a depth that resembled trust—something they had forged through their shared battles. She felt she had earned this respect.

Her mind floated away, to the sea and its endless waves, the stars scattered across the sky, and a voice—soft, feminine, soothing, yet terrifying—haunted her thoughts.

The limo halted, bringing her back.

Astra’s attention was drawn to the city hall, where reporters clustered near the metal gates, scrambling to capture images of the attendees. Their voices rose as the driver rolled down his window to communicate with the intercom and scan their invitation. Astra took the opportunity to survey the surroundings through the tinted window.

The hall was usually open to the public, except on nights like this when a private event was in progress. With Alchymia’s elite in attendance, this gathering was marketed as highly exclusive. Yet when Astra noticed a reporter photographing their licence plate, it became obvious that privacy was little more than cosmetic illusion.

The gate beeped and swung open, letting the limo glide forward. As they moved down the cobblestone path, Astra glanced over at the guards stationed nearby. Their faces were partially obscured by enormous sunglasses… because, of course, authority correlates directly with the size of one's shades, especially after sunset.

Still, she recognized the familiar symbols inked on their necks. Her gaze sharpened as she focused on the guards by the main building in the distance, noticing those same markings.

"Cosmetics," Astra scoffed. These guards were nothing but window dressing, ex-military—decent in a fistfight, but utterly useless when things got…weird. Thomas’s little fortress would collapse like a house of cards. It felt amateurish.

No, too amateurish. Astra couldn’t decide if this was born from sheer naïveté or blind arrogance. She scanned the perimeter again, searching for the telltale signs of Gifted security—an aura of quiet power, an unsettlingly still shadow.

Nothing. How could someone like Thomas climb the ranks so quickly?

“What's on your mind?" Theo asked, reaching inside his blazer to pull out a full-face silver mask.

“Let's just say, I’m overdressed for this.”

Theo frowned, considering her words as the limo glided through the lush garden, finally coming to a stop before the grand arched entrance of a stately pale cream building.

Constructed from ancient stone, this 19th-century Renaissance-revival masterpiece stood defiantly against the futuristic skyline, embodying a quiet rebellion—a piece of the past stubbornly refusing to be erased in a world that raced toward the future.

The historic city hall, though old, maintained a level of prestige that few venues could hope to match, at least according to Athena. But how had Thomas managed to secure this event seemingly out of thin air? A little digging revealed that he had taken over Noah’s Blackwoods event, a brazen display of sibling rivalry and power play.

A bold statement, indeed.

Speaking of Noah, where and when was his fundraiser? There was hardly any media buzz, just why—

“Shall we head out?” Theo asked, his voice steady now.

Astra glanced outside, where a procession of luxury cars inched forward, the drivers no doubt fuming at the delay. Theo stepped into view, holding the door open for her, his hand extended but pulling back slightly, as if recalling her earlier aloofness.

“We shall," she replied, her hand deliberately resting in Theo’s as she exited. She watched as he visibly relaxed, his shoulders easing with relief.

‘Is rejection a foreign concept for you?’ she quipped to herself as they approached the entrance, navigating through a sea of old money and the overwhelming scent of perfume that could probably pay her tuition.

It was her first time at such a high-end affair, yet her mind remained surprisingly steady, like muscle memory, as she returned the curious looks with a courteous smile.

Astra’s attention turned to Theo, who stood beside her, his broad shoulders and striking presence overshadowing the gathering. The brisk autumn breeze tousled his wavy silver hair, highlighting his marble-like face.

He looked like a prince—no, more like a righteous knight in brilliant armour.

Déjà vu surged through her, a disconcerting awareness that this moment was a fragment of a recurring dream. The sensation was so strong that Astra had to suppress the urge to withdraw her hand.

Had she experienced this before?