It is said that love is the greatest blessing and the most vicious curse there is. That was my thought as I had watched Naylin being escorted from the tent—about the curse, that is…
There was an anger inside of me for the way she had rejected me tonight, but there was also a longing, a yearning, an emptiness that I knew she could fill. The question was, how did I get her to feel it, too?
I huffed heartily as I pushed myself away from the boulders by the Silken Wood. These had been a favorite place for us to play in our younger days. My scowl deepened as I was haunted by those ghosts of the past… two children laughing as they chased each other to the top of the boulders… two children poking at holes with sticks, hoping to scare something interesting out… two children turning into one… and that one spending hours alone… sitting alone… thinking alone.
“Garak…”
I whirled, chiding myself for not hearing the approach of my visitor. Relaxing, I recognized Hourim.
“Has he left yet?” I asked, coldly.
“Yeah, Bere is following him.”
An unpleasant smile spread over my face. The competition would be a problem. I had seen that resolve in others before, and there was no shaking it. The only answer, then, was to cheat, to unnerve the competition, and to create an atmosphere where I was bound to win. With my friends’ help, it would happen.
A soft and unkind chuckle escaped me. I knew I was taking more pleasure from this than absolutely necessary, but I didn’t care. Winning Naylin at any cost was the objective, and that was all that mattered to me.
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