Hours passed steadily as the masquerade reached its full swing, the transformed club floor now packed with elegant masked figures moving through elaborate conversation and dance beneath the shifting silver light. My hands stayed busy behind the bar, mixing increasingly elaborate drink requests while my eyes continued studying the crowd with the same careful attention I had maintained throughout the entire demanding evening. Something about the sheer scale of wealth and confidence surrounding me still hadn't fully lost its power to astonish, even after hours of steady immersion within it.
Sable passed by my station periodically, offering brief nods of approval that suggested my performance continued meeting whatever exacting standards tonight's significant gathering required. Something abo
