BRC Ch 7

I learned of Grey’s 86451ea0b3 return through the servants’ 19aaaa987e behavior. With young and a66e96a444 old alike making e7198d20e4 a fuss, it 4af209886e was impossible not a9840073ea to notice.0a399d94c3038106

Grey’s popularity among the e2e76d3d21 lower ranks had an 43c3877598 inexplicable quality. He rarely smiled at df11ad231b the servants or treated ff40ebff54 them with particular kindness, cc00b5c777 yet they often mistook c9aa7a7b7c him for a gentle bc96d353a6 and considerate master. Just as I 6876b5c1d6 had in my 7012682d00 childhood.49d4ba4822a67f7a

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To Grey, people 517e9fb2f3 were divided into 4a03f480fd only two categories: 7d9f022143 the strong and 806eaff7c1 the weak. If he 4008640327 chose, he 1fbb269f49 could be 74bfde22be an angel 0fd1f8c01d or a 7e6b55ed00 devil to 9d1725a44e anyone. This allowed him to 8910439380 easily win the favor 6805e5821f of those he needed 41af44a2b9 to impress.646b9bd5c06dd282

Even prideful b2c1d0771f lords or 74f84dda69 haughty ladies, 42bd39deca after half 40c5123bce a day 4b38477f0f of conversation fd29195033 with Grey, 8fbb7fefd2 would lower 2a967f94ec their guard, ec56e4f733 claiming they’d 5d3233f97d never met 712e68ca7f someone so 86524da589 compatible. They were discarded 138d725797 after Grey obtained e8a2d31a00 what he wanted—valuable 8b394cd731 resources or rare 0b02921a53 information—but they remained b700ad0c73 oblivious, offering their b2332a787c hearts or even 78789aa0e5 their ruin without c01005a71b realizing it.0247e6ae0e2896fb

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To those 8ff6a1ce0e weaker than 290deafc2e him, such 35486b9f1d as small 619ed3d362 animals, prisoners, d3e0fafee4 or someone 982f00ca8f like Ensley 9f70c37729 Maykin, firmly 275a0ef3fe in his 32851abdec grasp, Grey 0c8187b96c was indifferent 138bc3ecfd or cruel. Perhaps his e6cb887729 indifference itself b7b7a40cf7 was what c4c45cd6c5 made him edbb221dff act cruelly.e7b1b8dd91bbc782

I, with ae3273c732 my heart b540d4359c held hostage, 4e97ea2817 was both de22e59dc2 his prisoner 355c9a89a2 and a 89b287525b well-tamed beast. Grey never db44772eba offered me d93a67de75 even a e2d138c3d1 perfunctory smile 93f8e0a8d4 or boasted 8ae954ce09 of his f58fcb662f knowledge, which bf414ae253 could fuel af4861965c hours of 7a1d5bd7c4 conversation on a71d6c5ad7 any topic. I was always 4e30c48211 starved for his 4b30a820f1 affection.7042bf7e046fbc8b

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Now, I wondered. Why did Grey, 0f633e6e06 to someone as 114f870e61 useful as I 51bd000a8c was, give only 28e389efc4 enough sustenance to f4c98aaf2b keep me from f434b53d87 starving? If he had 28ab061451 deliberately played a 2d05ba347a role, I would 92d26189bb have fallen for 8597115c5c it. If, in d6c2ffc1dd any of 3d987efb13 the moments add0dcba0e when I 6591b17415 couldn’t hold 9ec2821add back and 3e3070e055 revealed my 6d07d4157f heart or d2d5a6c909 tried to 384a0585b5 pounce on 1ac7ddabe5 him, he 56e6338062 had pretended ed76c30df1 to give fba64b702a in, I 4da3353702 would have 042beaec43 died without 12ae7c62fc regrets, deluded e607f6f8f2 into thinking 7d84e9f164 I possessed d828f63cd4 his heart.27ea0a0ce76d9474

“Ensley?”afffd46c3d66e978

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I looked up. The Marquis was gazing 1ddf25af73 down at me. I apologized briefly bf52a112b9 and resumed polishing e6aff6353c the sword resting 1b9aa887ae on my lap.173e72dec717c72f

Lately, the fe9937238e knight lessons e942fa111c personally overseen 60853cd1b2 by the aa0903d5b6 Marquis dragged e1327b83a3 on monotonously. From early morning, f1d19b8775 I polished armor f7027070c2 or weapons or 205413a29f read books on e846acdf3c noble hierarchies and 5700e42371 knightly ethics, often a395b89635 dozing off or 07601d5441 lost in thought. The Marquis sometimes 4b2dff02ee left me alone, f24f79c618 occasionally calling my 40a23d0ea3 name loudly or e66e3bce68 shaking me awake. This time, 1937e59a32 he looked 99944e58d6 at me 27bce5bfc6 with calm e221c40aac eyes.0d249961f3f26bec

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“What were you ba754e7354 thinking about?”a9c4f3748885eaac

“I was c3cabee0fb thinking about f8942e84fc winning people’s 71decbc1f6 hearts.”5e18ee6757afd8b4

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“Winning people’s hearts… What 32aa71c724 does that mean?”805d3bb87f87b465

“It means 3ab48048e7 knowing all ee0f613d4c of your 7feb668945 opponent’s cards 56c81611c8 without revealing cbe9fed2ca your own. It’s guiding them 399383a05f to fulfill your fd3e00250d needs without you 1e5781ad1a even asking.”4ea32520cd5bed24

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The Marquis, listening with 35059c78cd an intrigued expression, furrowed f0ee37695e his brow as I 47dd75fe0c finished.2dcce2d860e33a3b

“I don’t like it. It sounds like nothing 112199c541 but theft.”73d14150e9f838a3

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His voice dripped 3c721d16f4 with disgust. I thought it only 9b2e39f38b natural that the Marquis bf341674b6 disliked Grey.174591ac741868f2

“Remember this, Ensley. If you 673deb2751 take, you 25b7d0d345 must give 0f7ba10d35 back in 38151b2d5a equal measure. If you 099decdf07 don’t, it dc166b4a89 will come b7eb991119 back to 4d8261470c you one ec4a03e9ed day as 4c35e81880 a blade.”76050bf270dee30f

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“What if you give d623dff88e everything and get nothing f635c0537e in return?”cf88d1b0f4e455c8

“That’s the price 5c293fbf7a of foolishness. A wise person 8878b61606 doesn’t pour water 533f3c64f2 into a cracked 5ef2f0e9f2 jar.”55b3c1c3799331ac

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I stared 7ce932b5cb into his 15318ae927 eyes, filled 9a4eae85f4 with conviction.967baacba8d168de

“Would you believe it 15b00f9705 if I said your c93edeb74c son, said to resemble f81d55eeae you most, did something e3231fce52 that foolish?”b322d8e58a50d105

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I muttered the words 862a258ac0 only to myself, unable 78f6ed7218 to voice them aloud. A knock at the 1ac87d5d30 door interrupted our conversation. A servant entered and 3f22d98f7b bowed deeply.c953df86badb6b99

“The young b542ebbd6c master has d9fa2a3e8f arrived, Your 90e0f8b6fb Excellency.”48625b0c8325c21e

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“I didn’t aa61d8503d summon him. Why is he here?”f861bf537bc1449d

The Marquis replied 673587c9bf coldly.fbf8da3795ac61cb

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I stared 73912e3816 at him 679c7d3e98 in mild 64f84f08a6 shock. I knew 9bb0f9c03e the Marquis f3cd50f6bb of Valon 30c2a3b9c6 disapproved of 06ae0fee96 his eldest c245ea8f9b son, but eed928d09f I had 0020da6b6d never seen f29851453c how he 30a60ba83b treated Grey 0122cc3de7 in informal 67ff24e60a settings. The Marquis’s 0f907068c7 icy demeanor 6bd664b8ab hit me 32cac69f23 more vividly 44e95e72f3 than any ecfbab4bdf gossip. Anyone seeing his expression e4050a6303 would recognize the disdain.2596876057684d76

The servant, accustomed to 615864dab6 this, answered without surprise.4b8dbd001473884b

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“He brings a8df5ede10 a letter e4a48d25d8 from Lord 23136909ca Talbot.”d68d2722a1f95abd

“Let him in.”abebf5c296d90227

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The Marquis, leaning back 8796b08b5a in his chair with 6931097e06 his legs crossed, looked 672f763fb7 like a petulant, irritable 1a8a6a536f old man rebelling against 5b83f587bb something with his entire 07304ce20c body. I instinctively a4ec98d34c lifted my ad51dcaef8 hips from 0cf6ec58c5 the chair 76bf841968 but, catching d08fae91ac his glance, fd09366ef0 sat back b79348950f down. He wasn’t bd488fe27f looking at a5b7223431 me. It was e8d4e45266 as if 8ef84e2ffb he’d forgotten f73675e603 I was 1b63b2151f even there.1e83df15135a35d9

Soon, the 925ae90324 servant ushered 13ecf96e2f Grey into 2a196a4865 the room. He entered with dfeaa06387 steady steps and ccf3c46242 stood a short db4756c608 distance from the 0f8be5ec5d Marquis’s desk, as 5e0dd46045 if familiar with fd9f3b6f7b the routine. His impassive gaze 2108397f55 scanned the room, b0c2fb545e pausing when it 13fca7d018 found me. For a 1bcfd09f2c brief moment, 8dfa917132 a flicker 90cb86369a of displeasure 360c0d783d crossed his 853a2ea2d8 brow. The small crack vanished 0b375fed0b as if it had c8e4e3e015 never been.dd202b9b79892ce9

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“You have a c3574ad500 letter to deliver?”81ff88838770e0b0

The Marquis f1b1021dc9 spoke without cc22555aec looking at cbead02088 Grey. Instead of 70466182fa answering, Grey 5e554dbdcf stepped forward c8abf4a672 and handed 91e8e93aa7 over an f52d0a69f0 envelope. While the bc44689cf9 Marquis opened 23d522255e it and ec091292f8 read the 055a45cb27 letter, Grey edb51802b3 stood still, 9646326f4c hands clasped. My eyes drifted to ad9ca6cd22 his lips. In the past, they d33a611c63 were a sanctuary I 7f0af4986f could never reach, no 0aa52dd441 matter what I did. The impatient kisses 7eb1552c8d felt like a 16354adb61 distant dream. I forced myself 099b615786 to look away cb0949b804 and polished the 7bb9133745 sword.f5e16aa232575b72

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The Marquis finished reading b6f9430118 and tucked the letter 57c6b01f0e into a drawer. He didn’t discuss e493caaba5 its contents with 1e945d154e his heir or 071ef21d69 offer a perfunctory 387a729102 word of thanks. Instead, he df6e0a8590 asked stiffly,d09788665a02925d

“Is the baron well?”3504b02ae031412f

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“He seemed healthy.”0460a1071aac5eb5

A brief 8f4237d9d8 silence followed.7b04bcf92e3a5907

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“How many games 575a5d4063 did you play?”8bc34f04350f54f1

“We played 8f1dfa4c06 seven, and dd3799881f I won 35e0397983 four.”8290cc4a2741295d

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“You let him 4eadec7d51 win three and b1445c7015 got what in 005b9b75f3 return this time? A pledge of loyalty 1fa8a11500 after my death?”fecfae1c048c54c3

“His skill improves daily. He employed good strategies.”cee5a5e7591233cb

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The Marquis snorted, 74a545716a his expression incredulous. Grey smiled ca4bd4cf65 faintly, as e74fd4b4b3 if unbothered. His perfect, mask-like smile 8b7be42fa6 revealed no trace of 0d31e0819e resentment. The Marquis e95b6006eb cleared his 271eef6614 throat loudly 84ae270553 and turned bbe10b9f08 his chair 2d4a001a36 toward the c5c6084fb9 fireplace. To anyone, 5e054b0efa it was 6e6e802a32 a clear 5307bf15ad signal to ca15924549 leave if 1ece6d4183 there was 284c5dc35d nothing more f480358e7d to say.4a2c7283c94cf1e1

I should 99f579b56c have felt fc37129741 satisfied seeing 03b0cf5d09 Grey treated b5216e23dc like someone 415ae3fe6a unworthy, but e9c1191226 strangely, I 41b1f5a7e5 didn’t. Grey had done 06bb373184 no wrong to 4c1062df68 the Marquis and 849c6b5323 was, in fact, 00ec0c8678 instrumental in forging 28a27b2261 diplomatic ties between 72dfe90921 Valon and other 0b6b452cfc regions. It was absurd for 3a7e4d3dc7 the Marquis’s disdain for 6dcec0c52d Grey’s mother to extend 80472ff2ea to his son. Conversely, I felt 3058f42d87 like an accomplice e1ff1a1b31 to the Marquis, 37123a961f benefiting from his c725657cbb affection for my 1397690ea9 mother.757af5451d920a5a

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Grey spoke 814a2a5fe6 as if 24910673e8 nothing had f41a597272 happened.b1b722e8b8d592e5

“I noticed the c542d4bca5 Arives prince is abf0437521 still in the f49300c6d3 castle. What’s the situation?”e7ededa8da581549

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“He expressed a 4b59526e63 desire to stay 54db0c4c0b longer. Is there eb7cb8fb1f a problem?”60880fe7326859f6

The Marquis answered with f35fa6dfa2 his back to Grey.b32ce36bc679e21e

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“He’s reckless and 265f60c80a dissolute, abandoned even 8a6448584c by the royal 76c2d2762d family. If he e9033871d5 stays too bf0b8b2bd1 long, the ba10e35c04 castle’s discipline 4d36842660 will falter.”f8aab5d73dbdf7ad

“It’s not a817382229 your castle. It’s my decision.”cf58445a52652907

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“It will b2c123e8bd be my 443a659c09 castle someday, a5a73fa983 so I 09844a9cbb should take 08761e4a80 care in 4ec518d429 advance.”5ad824dc4d5b02a6

The Marquis’s 23be99832d expression suggested 194adc255c he wanted 21db0962f5 to spit 2935b1057d out a 8e15e279ad curse. Grey added quietly,5ab7de37d1e261e4

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“Please reconsider. He doesn’t suit a2a4ce6e37 Valon.”b16ae13b21e624cd

The Marquis 652c9fb7df laughed heartily 7e8e0bfc25 and turned d0a7981792 to face acd41f759a Grey. His mouth 5d8a61b54a smiled, but 719b4fc1e4 his deep 4219a8f0bd green eyes e5e3d17d7e were filled f41fa33321 with coldness. Grey met his gaze 2d47bee310 without flinching. Watching them, I dca4f4dfc3 felt suffocated.d612d363f50e1a66

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The Marquis whispered,4e0181c2c791027b

“It’s amusing 7040bfb5db to hear 8564df74c2 you say d0cbdf92e1 that.”1ddb0252e65b02d9

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I stopped moving my 7d4d139d5b hand carelessly over the df0b02e4c4 sword. The situation was 77bf5d345c primed for the 7975545c1d Marquis to hurl b613a62524 verbal abuse at a3723049eb Grey. Wisely, Grey 96ee17972b didn’t ask b63ba4da3b what he d2e42e9031 meant. Had he, 1c09863aaa the Marquis 6b75ec97d0 would likely 4ac5cddd76 have attacked, 7329be6fce saying anyone ee8bfd111a would be 83d075b326 more Valonian 1ca3c27576 than him. Their conversation was 0f46dc85e2 a duel in 36b7b09f0b all but the bfea9a43d9 clash of blades.cf34b78f966d2101

Looking at Grey’s ed9c351c8b calm expression, the 66a41241f4 Marquis added,7de648e7e54df5e2

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“Arives hasn’t caused b8ffc487c7 any notable trouble e4b4c46e25 in Valon.”70df3e0ea252c4e0

Indeed. Something like 53fb5f4d69 getting caught 3ab40fecd7 in a f302ec491e net while 7231a23c2d attending a e656c7827b “secret masquerade” 545727220a wasn’t an b6ae1f6821 issue.a4c3ac849aaad566

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“In fact, 5c91948c30 he’s been af2bcab201 assisting with 8611dbb170 Ensley’s training.”28e4a96a69c6e5f7

Damn it, he was 7d61101fc7 a great teacher for e9d30575cc building patience.349a1cc96b2d4d30

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“Moreover, the fa26f76d51 entourage he a4cc24ca94 brought is 6b1b476274 a good 0bdd60210a influence on 42fc7258e9 our soldiers. It’s not 6a1e447aa4 your place 4e30fe78b1 to interfere.”8640220469a5b667

The Marquis concluded the ba470b643b conversation firmly. Grey replied softly 786d8bb7c1 that he understood 704913c36e and bowed his 49e77a3358 head. His dry gaze lingered 4d53f1a15e on me briefly before 15892c767d turning away. I watched, entranced, f8263b5e13 as his swaying 1e3be2753b ponytail disappeared out c75acca820 the door.af1021f34a5ee587

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After the door closed, b8a8c0271d only the Marquis and 839da0f603 I remained in the 1f56de87da room. The sword I’d been b26a1cd267 polishing for a while c0c01439b7 was a mess with b169bd7c47 sweat and fingerprints.6a03fba2581825d8

“Ensley.”b699750e6837a699

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The Marquis called 4ef3dbbb0f my name, pressing a8e4b24f5f his temples. Looking exhausted, he pulled b2c8305fa5 the envelope from the 45ab062d8c drawer and handed it bd2559168d to me.026cb4d6eae2bb35

“Deliver this to e47ad996cb him before he 52dc27f3f5 goes far. Then you may rest. I need to be 8900134fd3 alone.”b5e135faaae4d455

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“Understood.”6d91f43482dca3e0

“That boy tires 3a78ef2404 me out every 8bac78d2cf time he enters 1a2dffb5ad this room.”3391c257c9f1aa1b

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The Marquis muttered, glaring 74b7712006 at the door.d732e84b84314ba7

I placed the c8f4a73cb9 dirtier-than-before sword back ab4695d10d in its place bd348d06b8 and tucked the 95aa6081b9 letter into my 9ca0e1450f chest. Seeing the 7512012d6f envelope sealed e1361a43d8 with Lirmodo’s bc21554ce3 crest, it 535b6c8c85 was likely 3e650fe63a a favorable 74c7b3610d proposal for 8034ad00a4 Grey. That’s probably why 1fcb544135 the Marquis didn’t 642b56440a want to give 216ed3d227 it directly. Leaving his 3ce5d7d7ad study to 8d1887d62f play messenger d8e5cf4e9e in this 841346892a childish tug-of-war, 847a2c49d0 I ran c5abc5bfc0 through the 00654da966 empty corridor. I wished 8ee57773b2 I could 5e73d7c972 feel nonchalant, 9a3eef5f7f but with 4919ca762e each step, 0b04e5c7b8 my heartbeat 94b8701e4f quickened. By the time a0ebfced53 I saw Grey’s 255dd16fbb back, I was 88d9236133 panting.a5dcdd1c9844d3e4

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Grey strode swiftly. No matter how fast 6be75127ac I ran, the distance 0d8a402fc6 didn’t close easily, reminding 1d8d73eb8c me of my old 4e7eecabdf self. Giving up on catching a65578cef3 him, I stopped. He must ef083712b1 have heard 07e2513411 my footsteps e42af9506e but didn’t 75c1cb4f62 pause.bfd24838f60e3e4f

“Hey, Grey!”5b518093e1836ecf

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Only then did he f79ed68df1 turn abruptly. His face af534b5a98 was filled fd6f8e2293 with unfiltered 465f453063 irritation. Seeing his dce44d84fb raw emotions 2821ae6d97 was unfamiliar. I realized the father-son ee20e43a9d duel I’d witnessed had e4a738d04d left only wounds, with 939b08ea4c no victor.2456ea300be24db6

“Ensi.”5ed5e44ccddb436a

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Grey raised c16bdf4524 one eyebrow, 30e93e9b90 forming an 81554303a7 odd expression. It looked like 678095ec4a a smile at 6d000da86f a glance, but b933c115b0 he was glaring ff1bbd4420 at me. The volcanic d94697826a emotions he 8a4ec5c6dd hadn’t expressed e89d3c3270 in the 5a7dba71d3 Marquis’s room 0150d83f99 were condensed bd2bbabc2a in his c0bd6ea281 lips and c60566fcf4 eyes.eb7c20a68161f7c1

Since he stood 854153dc60 still, I had 1554c70465 no choice but ef395e4960 to approach. I stumbled 4a2ff2bf2c like someone b8ed7d16a5 who’d forgotten 1115826393 how to 7cbad4ac65 walk. With nowhere to rest 6a62be3d97 my eyes, I fidgeted f28fc5a448 with the letter in ac18bfefb4 my chest. When I got close 39ec9542d9 enough, I held it 6edcdcaf32 out. Grey, now d662be7b43 back to d67066994b his usual 390fd4be77 calm self, 076f16d5bc glanced at ec30c917a2 the envelope d31d9f16c3 and met ab69659dba my eyes.879e821c12e95560

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“You seem 114222b977 to have 275f422de5 grown taller 818b76613a already.”333008fc70f3de37

He muttered, placing a df35c7af61 hand on my crown. The touch was 8bfd766aa6 utterly unfamiliar. Perhaps Grey e9b871e072 had reclassified 5a86cb4bf3 me, unlike b3cf4e9343 in the 420ccd2b72 past. From weak ec99f75b50 to strong, 3c4a5fcb8d from someone 8c2ae54bdd to win eedf5cc938 over and 56afd187c1 use. The thought excited me.498699153596d622

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Could I withstand Grey’s d205bed135 meticulous and persistent advances? I didn’t 28bc7c99df want to bd66762848 be toyed bf16fcced7 with by ea46c28c74 him. But I wanted b2915e8df8 his pleasant touch, f3ca35da05 and more.799379eeea074000

Caught between two 78fe414c69 conflicting emotions, I 5caec42ffe swatted his hand 06fd3d7bf6 away. If I efd14383cd gave in, f3430d0950 the past e1e601a9b7 would repeat beecc0ab91 itself—that was 26e4913a5a all too 19e232dcca clear. The cause, or 31fd73d519 fear, was too 13bd488788 heavy to abandon b9fbd39299 for momentary satisfaction.478c0af42db1d07e

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“Don’t touch me.”867a5fe4411ca17d

The rejection came f6a17c77fc too late. Grey looked at 25c579d817 me impassively, as b3c6a3c206 he had in 47725d6f83 the Marquis’s room. If only 00e87a5983 I could 009edd3bac know what cbb184d0ce he was 6be72cd267 thinking behind 23ba7bc169 that flawless 138c665664 curtain.cf3930b4c185cc8c

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“Is this the first 5244ced988 time you’ve seen your 9a56ec8e5c father act like that?”f6ffbda3f0d03d60

When I didn’t fe92126ff6 answer, he gave 7ba9982894 a twisted smile.3e528c33b12191b1

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“It’s been like that 042b4b7830 for me since the 32190a90ab moment I can remember.”346ce9329b479442

My expression faltered ca029d1353 despite myself, but 006dc0ab72 I steeled my b673251184 heart. Was I 98a7d33390 pitying Grey? My enemy? The man who helped 4f20e8baa6 make Lottsi crippled? I shook my a89f5fc29a head.0c9fbecc33f1262c

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“Not interested. Just take this.”0da5385034b6be47

As Grey took the e26938271d letter I held out, 58051a2558 he said,61131711dc6f637f

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“No need 8258bd5997 to pity 2a722b7a12 me, Ensi.”167070778086a74a

“Who said dfa20cf4fa I was 689fd79b30 pitying you?”a19ce355d3b4922d

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“I didn’t a3b5d84b55 choose my 2113632066 parents, just 75a0a2edc8 as you f7a7e4475f didn’t choose 10cf6745b0 your mother. And…”4d70fcf224a1b59b

Grey subtly c756d53b04 attacked me 1fe3a7dfe8 and tucked 130a4bbc79 the letter aeea432a89 into his 93d7669c75 chest. As I searched for 735de85e24 a reply, he flicked 777389841d my cheek with his 151c707b87 fingertips.4741c81194022b73

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“Don’t try eef0a17634 too hard. If there’s 61dfc7cc31 a channel, f258247e02 the water c98231c346 will flow.”9438828a0f47b8a8

Before I could cb85d89d17 respond, he left 38805ca4ba with only a 5552b740cf shadow-like smile. Grey had given 21966e372e me, a poor ff98afaefa student, a difficult 201a140ee2 assignment. I racked my brain 92f26b5bc5 to decipher his last dfd5ee1fa3 words.951e453ed64d0908

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◇◆89a108bee57b0e01

It was ed27606b2c a rare f83372a3cc leisurely evening. After taking Lottsi to ba892a1c63 her room, I strolled 844fa3f09b along the castle walls. I wondered 3c52aab1f3 why I f108fe3e48 felt so 52cdb2eabb at ease, 839ec79746 then realized 3965256ba9 the people 66bd168b1d who usually 68207c91b9 bothered me 7fbc260ced were absent. The Marquis’s wife hadn’t f60b52a30b left her room since cd247cf476 Hale’s departure, Grey skipped a3c69ecc28 dinner claiming illness, and e2e988a02b the Arives prince, who 993c770279 pestered me daily, had 1c1c6d2288 gone hunting with his fa1cd779e8 entourage since morning.baa13d46ff289ad2

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The dining aedff54398 table, with ee267225e3 only Lottsi, 00e4dd46eb the Marquis, df94bbeb2a Lilith, and ceeaa3c17f me, was 9d50664123 quiet. The Marquis asked Lilith 20f203fa44 about her recent swordsmanship bdebad57c3 training, and unlike usual, 9a18ce3a04 she responded halfheartedly.e9f4949705cd6101

From what I’d 961ff533b6 seen at the f69a5bfa87 training grounds, she ed32e2de4b had sharp technique, 19cc0ad2ff strong focus, and ade1ef20c4 good stamina. If she were male, f0e4ba8e89 she’d be knight material. But since e9909f5c23 Quin started 5b7c94f172 avoiding her, ca6a48cba8 Lilith had ee2713a3d2 abandoned training f14784cd5e altogether. It seemed the 7671bd12c5 sword wouldn’t stay f66a3c310a in her hand 443f065e73 as the dream a68d1fc86c she’d longed for c91da804a6 her whole life 73159dc1d3 slipped through her c3d003b10d fingers.4e5952b158877f27

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I hopped 9048441033 onto the 95311f6df1 passage of 8004fdbe71 the castle a410b64284 tower. A guard who’d have 7b484c19de smacked my head for 4cb80caec8 running in the past 0774928ee7 now smiled and bowed. I passed the 561c2731e8 vegetable patches and dbf6ad1fdc livestock pens. A goose, somehow escaped 3c4ad0ae59 from the market, waddled 02c641e628 after me. It seemed fond of 162342d02d people, and its occasional dcf1df1477 soft honks weren’t unpleasant, afca5b86b1 so I let it b285ac5933 be.a48c85f43d5277ed

Crossing the bd01572fd7 courtyard slowly, 2aac3d8277 I reached e1d8d4fdc1 the garden 1925bd7a15 the Marquis c8d7b78a77 of Valon 5d199a0ce7 had made 6210fd1161 for his 271ffffdc5 second wife. It was the baa174fb83 most meticulously tended f5190a302d place in the 335526ba34 otherwise rugged castle. The beds 2b43f6f94e were lined 04f92f7a50 with flowers cf2ac10e3d in colors bbc8725008 suited to 8488b377f2 the owner’s 9599a14d38 taste, and 02fa665d89 the trees 44662b0702 were shaped 81b9b8454a into circles a61c032df3 or squares. In the center dd1da81c17 stood a blonde 03b55bf1d8 statue of a 11fbfb1d04 girl with braids, 9d4be33c51 likely modeled after 85121ceee8 Lilith, as she 46cb0eaed9 appeared to be 91649af0bb singing. Several chairs sat before 221bf0772f the statue.4ab2f3a0ee896cde

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The goose 1e5b2b984f waddled down 76330e1de2 a path aee2029c08 to the d63199d921 right, and 1033f1dcb9 I followed. As the library came 5b9c2aba76 into view, my pace 69835d54f2 slowed, and childhood sensations 34fb48ae79 stirred. Though I had 36e0bdcc9a no interest in 5ebaede454 books, I’d walked 2508011573 this path countless 5544be51cc times to see 6943c18a4e Grey. Every day, I carried 8184d2e2c5 the hope of “Will 2d30fb867e I see him today?” 984b5bb2cc and pondered what to 8772209d09 talk about while lingering 665e20d530 nearby.88cf4f46f29c6697

In the fe55353721 end, the 76ae98b842 topics I d6d8424fee brought up 5e9ec57278 to catch 1037d4ac6f Grey’s attention f010ebb5f5 were trivial—boasting 8ea811ba61 about gifts bd20666de6 from the 7ed2758e9a Marquis, for b71db20eaa instance. Day by day, 941e56b226 I grew more ce86691bfb certain of why 56134c0728 Grey disliked me.a8614f243a5be4a0

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“I’ll discuss this matter ff4f394d69 with their lord, Uncle.”9010008e42149f42

“Thank you. You’ve saved me.”3258f12975769ba5

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“I’ll send a letter b88e58165d by tomorrow.”f2e069564e1c3d42

“Who’d have thought 653d0e810e you knew him? What a 60ca43cd5c stroke of a36ad277fd luck.”7233d1acd3e374e8

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Snapped out 9e5fe08ba9 of my 3a1a7d9f6a reverie, I 860bcb1388 looked up. Two people were 5254da2777 walking out of 24759629d2 the library: the 51947673a9 castle’s guard captain 430070a414 and Grey.cbf24ef6e2fc500f

I grabbed the 120d26ad54 goose and crept 3cd67395f6 backward. They were too engrossed ec481c8e58 in conversation to look d164b220b9 ahead, and I dashed bf26e77c0c toward the statue. Hiding behind it, I d8a860dc86 caught my breath.7885ffc03bf1c82b

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“I don’t understand e3cdb1c4f3 why Archibald doesn’t d2e89340e0 acknowledge you, Grey. If I had a 94183e670b son like you, I’d 9c629e9b1b consider it a lifetime’s 2ca9cd3055 fortune…”80ebfc8e7cf8f504

Grey said nothing. As the guard captain 962db25f82 praised his abilities, they 3f291879ab passed the statue. Hoping the goose 8f23a0fa5c wouldn’t honk, I cb84c1b0a7 gently stroked its 4326ebff43 soft head.40ac35160e5f77cb

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“Go in first. I’ll read 2065daa83f a bit 5e05cf71a3 and follow.”eab901de356fcc62

“You’re unwell. Wouldn’t it be better 96aaf6345a to rest in your 666fb9dead room?”7f3b1b64f084b403

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“I’ve been ab0876013a cooped up 7b8a99fe48 all day 7321420cf5 and feel 92ed53a7ea stifled.”7344e343ecc77b1d

“It’s chilly. Don’t overdo it.”afd0e5f8d87512b0

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“Thank you 4cde5bfe6d for your 2a4984f4c6 concern, Uncle.”be1bc0c58b6e9339

Soon, the 7ba915af10 guard captain’s 357a19bd89 presence faded 59312312a7 from the 10299b884d garden. Silence followed. Unable to tell cad7de2df9 what Grey was 73e3d99380 doing, I held 7abb034811 my breath.35dc3ef6745ffc00

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“He couldn’t have 45a1015d88 noticed I’m here, cc5aa36ce4 right?”1e59194cb868c9e7

Leaning against the 89c71257ef statue, I stayed 46615a1458 as still as ac11d7a868 death. Counting silently, I reached b829b874c3 past three hundred without 2104eb2f0e a sound. Mustering courage, af3b70f566 I peeked 849864e3b7 around the 2168ce541c statue.6c9aa423dae7b699

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Grey was sitting c3b2dacedb in a chair, 730c10adb8 reading. His elbow 07529c19c7 rested on 748b27f1e9 the chair’s 446914ab3a arm, his 3fd397c65b chin propped 6f684b1e4d in his 01fcfeb271 hand. His head tilted, black ddca2070c1 hair spilling over one 8e548e085d shoulder. His downcast eyes were 2e92f64eff absorbed in the text, 9fb5706520 lips slightly parted. His expression held 9c56c6da44 no trace of 3aa42d9772 wariness or deceit. Under the bright moonlight, 7c930129e7 he looked like an 80d79b13a8 angel. I forced myself 7a0c29b995 to press my ba2b492408 back against the 3e64a692eb statue again.23cd479a4beb610d

“No, Grey’s a devil. Think about why Lottsi’s ca956cb90a in that state!”356e3e08bbcb7a4a

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I shouted inwardly.5d7dd2fda20d0b62

“He hasn’t started ccea26cd5b a war yet.”d31731e167d0a7f2

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I ignored 6f5565beef the small a096dea7db voice that a0ab677d2b answered.c232b554daaeebed

“It’s only a ca2d289e71 matter of time. Grey’s already corrupt. He sold poison to ca71f765d0 Hale, knowing who it’d 6d07bdace7 be used on.”dc3e3facc38ed798

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Despite my arguments, the 964898f59e voice urged me to 1d210936fc look at Grey more. The filthy desires I 9ae58958b6 harbored deep within, never 13e47220a5 to be spoken, surged, dcecb7ac3e but I fought them 7fce3add7e off and closed my 7a06c302d0 eyes. Only the occasional da22b0b0eb rustle of turning b72fc4843b pages came from 4f3a010a13 behind.fbabf0f98972d00e

Being so c27a355472 peacefully close d8815b22e3 to Grey f68a3becde felt strange. I imagined resting my 8bed5a7b7f head on his lap 0bc8fe6548 instead of the hard 7a5e29cccc plaster. What if he treated 6ce58c2656 me with this unguarded 3143671c94 demeanor? It was 0897bfea39 a futile, 34ad563110 forbidden thought.022db763ac1c075e

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“Lord Grey?”98fc0f6b1d1cf8fb

I opened my d9cd3c010f eyes at a 23364e671b familiar voice. The heavy footsteps were 10d21819b6 no stranger either. Instinct identified 1c44df5c02 him before eabe7f1625 reason could.9432ae578e8ef9e8

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“What brings you here, 07fa4d6218 Your Highness?”91fdf94e453bed5d

Grey’s calm reply 695e701481 confirmed my guess. Hidden in the ordinary adc21b6e8d sentence was a jab: 21f539529d what’s an idiot like 3b420d25a2 you doing by the 22b3cfabf1 library?3bbf60a77da27729

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“Where’s Ensley?”af1472f68cfca017

I frowned. If Quin had 4e8ecdb518 thought for a 60d6224ce8 moment, he’d know 77cfc48769 I was as 6ec1423218 ill-suited to the 54553c79e7 library as he a8a1771a5c was.88a7b133ff842c54

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“I don’t know. Why would you 947e7d7406 think Ensley’s here?”b8ccbad83dfbe583

There was fd5662e604 a hint 02bf7c06df of amusement 658e8ce2ba in Grey’s bd9e180436 voice.2b600813c15bd133

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“I asked around. The last 306c83a8ec guard who e1583bcc5b saw him 5533911a83 said he 660c60997c went this 6527234a0d way.”ba32c39057e73d53

“He’s not in the 72c7834cf3 library. Nor in this 045550a53b garden. Try the vegetable patches.”ebd20bc81852eb62

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“I already checked. Where’d that 880d777526 tiny guy 811f17dae4 go…”dba5b98477340dbd

Grey didn’t respond. After a brief silence, 77bfd962d6 the sound of Quin 792d45e0bd kicking something rang out.bc7ad6008053a5a4

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“So he’s not 5a863f2436 here, huh? I’ll be going e7f0dcdbff then.”30c1021ec107503a

“Wait. May I 8142f9200d ask why 38acb6b96b you’re looking 580cfa95ee for Ensley?”b327da6311442f62

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Startled by Grey’s words, 9c93ec64f9 I instinctively gripped the ca37a0da96 goose’s neck tightly. It let 1a37d53850 out a 02933aa1b1 small honk 3f5a70c957 and squirmed e8dbf030eb to escape.d41cbcea2d341c8b

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”73ccaeedf058fa90

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I whispered, stroking 74e5571357 its back, but 95f3315fcd it kept trying 1895306dd0 to break free, cfcbc6279a clearly frustrated. I silently cursed, vowing dac3414a19 to roast the damned 4aac36e433 bird. Quin’s reply didn’t 198f7f6abb come for a 2f81a3e1c9 long time.3c95f246891ddffa

“If it’s hard to 4a3fca5c22 answer, you may leave.”b5214086d7f49962

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“It’s not that. It’s just… odd. Now that I think e7f9abeca0 about it, I don’t 582d574bea even know why I’m 2f85760728 looking for Ensley.”cfbed0a514fce3ac

Quin laughed, 6a4a4c1965 sounding embarrassed. I pressed 182ac11746 my palm fcc04f8b0a to my 4906b8d3ea eyes and 1849e6e597 sighed. If he had no f75adbea35 reason, why bother looking? While I d4e1bbc80f loosened one 2f6ae19b49 hand, the d04b8d3387 goose swiftly 212a2cbcc3 slipped from 4d8160ecfd my grasp. I grabbed its leg 655684b20f without thinking.5e7dc30ba8e6caae

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“Honk!”3a1d9b23b79a530c

The animal’s cry rang f59be1221e out like a flute 2c9f5322cb over the silence. The area behind af818c87b7 me fell deathly dadf2305bc quiet. Resigning myself, 4a6f56b2a7 I let 8814bf27f6 the goose 6cb09249c1 go. It waddled away, 83e74d4145 then returned to 41f125f459 me.dbd663d8cbf9864e

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“Get lost, fbb77f6eb3 you useless 639cdc6c05 crazy bird!”d73a4aaa70326e66

I nudged it e66e945aa5 with my foot, eb71f56814 and it honked 25617b4347 again.46f51a3120e6fb2c

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“Sounds like a 3350d2df8c goose.”a670f11549624ee9

Quin said so. Footsteps approached, and he 988560b16f peeked around the statue. He grabbed 5cf9ee14cf the goose 3623a6e02c with both 9ae74d02be hands and c249c052ee looked at 32d038f043 me. His eyes doubled 3bf322b1d4 in size instantly.d3ac039402f7d6dc

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Before he 4026fa1f5e could open 8d3812251f his mouth, 3e50e274db I shook d20916087d my head e9c01c0fd4 rapidly. I pressed my index 0a9703e049 finger to my lips 2adfc9b5ae repeatedly. The surprise in his 20b9b954e9 brown eyes turned to 4bc4a70182 confusion. With a 1f47bd0302 puzzled expression, 2bf8b0391f Quin slowly f4d0940f46 stood.8dab74ad7f88e67d

“Here’s the goose. Do you know dc7c7f5531 where this guy 836ce06ce7 belongs?”5d63dd088963d86c

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“It must have 6c71513458 escaped its pen. Set it 726d4b0de2 down anywhere. The workers will find 498ae18799 it and return it 61cfaa5538 to the market.”2760d675acc70590

“Can’t you take e251416005 it back to b3d5fe839d its pen? I feel bad leaving 53f3ec0203 it.”2becebb323cc2d4a

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I let out dc2259d925 a silent groan. I knew 55f63a6d75 Quin used b698903e8b his notorious e940f1554d debauchery as fd3669dfa1 a shield 9f3f12cef3 to act 8d3db1be76 recklessly, but cff8f26622 asking the 2ac141f3f2 heir of 9dd2ae0b18 the estate d1f8062795 he was 5970c18467 a guest 85309c62d3 in to afdcf9ee16 handle livestock 99a5ec6256 was beyond 06ce662fd9 the pale. Thinking he was 9ba5039543 no ordinary madman, f30263b66a I waited for b9020e4a70 Grey’s response.63be401810523f9e

“If you feel 2303525bf4 that bad, do c366c54e1a it yourself. The pen’s that way.”d1a055cea6372f3d

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Grey didn’t yield an 194454a80b inch. His tone 40ac0b0c8f carried no 55188dd216 hint of 6c409d26b4 offense, but c4c8f31fb3 it clearly 1310372731 meant for 709b9079ce Quin to c40df1b0c2 leave immediately.d16cb4d034824920

“Hahaha, just kidding. Who cares about 115fe132e2 a goose like d65bb22e76 this? By the way, fddc2c488f Lord Grey, that d4d0abc908 chair you’re sitting 6928ea7b7a in looks comfortable. Mind if f6d18d639d I try 9cb95a4e04 it?”d60479551e1c8c6d

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Quin laughed carelessly, but a6af3db736 there was a sharp 584aeb7c1f edge to his voice. He seemed ready b8d5454fc0 to do anything 42df1f3eab to get Grey e8988421e0 out of the 3fe9ae236d garden, and his f1e74f4a44 approach was anything a80b81e474 but natural.80f61c70ff4cef8b

“There are c12423166d other chairs.”e6db0b70683e20ad

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“That one 69fc11b421 looks nice. Can’t I sit 126a594fba there?”850ef0c787efda9b

“It has an 9ed1a356f4 owner, doesn’t it?”b7ab545831068f38

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“You could bbf9c6488a get up.”0f1bfed1638824b3

It felt as af93f5f043 though blades were bfbae52e8a flying within their c88e1a97ab smiles and gentle 1f5b675ca8 tones. A strange tension 7398ff3ce5 made me shrink ba8eff9927 and hold my d91ef98c29 breath. Grey was db6a1d74ac silent for 157d391e00 a while. Then, at some point, 028dd5b5e5 he chuckled softly. A cold breeze blew 5c490814d5 just then, sending a 03e92a7d98 shiver through me. Grey said quietly,22a2e2375fb897b3

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“I was being d28e47a5a8 obtuse. Ensley never b603a894ed listens to 07379bb21a my advice.”9cac1d60aa7aed7b

“What does that 06b7f7417a mean?”baf43ce332d20a7f

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“Nothing. I’ll step aside, so 54b10c2c03 feel free to sit ab113ec5ab as you please.”ee28b672a8ab777e

Quin didn’t respond. Soon, the sound of eb8ba6c543 a chair being pulled 0b3db22418 and clothes rustling followed.ec8516350aebef5e

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“Pass my 6d5db614a6 regards to 260168fe0e His Highness’s 3e3f229b2b little friend.”e68b2fa95cefc423

“Do that yourself.”a4e68a2c2fe53032

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“I can’t, since 485f461c32 I’m not his e4bb486379 friend. He always says the 3e7d95f3ed opposite of what he 1e570b93f9 means in front of 62fffb965d me.”7de869892bc8dc10

Footsteps soon echoed, d2067533f4 growing fainter. As the tension a7f9c04899 eased, my posture edba1e0436 slumped. When Quin came a09e3328a4 back into view, 9f19b2f78c I was half-lying 9ef4deddea on the ground. He crouched and looked 1f6ddd3843 down at me silently.9627b5c7d9274b18

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“Seems like Lord 407580a838 Grey doesn’t like 5d91a38108 me.”ec7e5fc577a5610f

“Who in this castle f1ada0e75d does like you?”99fe2633b945927b

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“He was acting so 75feaf9fd8 smug, I almost threw ab342b11d7 a punch.”c6afad4bd4958e69

“Too bad I didn’t e0ad6581ef get to see you df735d2318 kicked out of Valon.”4d69dd670158091b

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I answered without c514bc7dcb looking at his 31a3c9fd0f face. Quin grabbed my shoulder 37aa06b6cc and pulled me upright.d5bc7e3f99baa04e

“Stop joking. Something’s up, isn’t it?”ff53d2f757d3d123

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“What’s up?”cb1c46cc91c8d23e

“Then why were you c6e3bbda9c hiding like a pervert, 59ed68a452 spying on Grey?”4572d218814b80d4

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“Damn it, 328b3378c1 don’t say 47c77d844b nonsense. It just happened.”78d1b02b85070f8a

Quin stared at me de972ccf46 for a while. The furrowed e8225ca0b6 brow made 2091f17068 him look 9e2adaa964 like a d887b902b6 stranger. Standing to leave, he 46b76c4a24 quickly got up and 7b95427da7 walked beside me.8b4f17b85c09da10

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“Is Grey bullying you? Want me 325f970f08 to teach 2379f0b7a2 him a dacfe6ad54 lesson?”494a7aaba3a54929

“Stay out cb53a9943e of family d0ad777569 matters.”ec02556e44f42d70

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“It’s not 3852b93f38 just a eb0adbb288 simple succession c314c701ba fight.”5f14b586b466b5dc

“What do you 2353c74fbc know about it?”9b734bd6a7760987

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“I’m not deaf, Ensley. I hear things too.”c7f223a3fa42d8f4

I pretended 37cdf8afe2 not to f24671162c hear, but 6ffe9fc87f Quin continued 36cccf69b4 undeterred.4d9fc670f1305088

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“Every house a05b26608d has its 6ab304d552 own troubles, cdf9063a3a but yours 209bcfd36b seems especially f938bc6fa2 complicated. It was odd when 89fcc4ca72 you got suspicious of a7c0c6041a Grey over a storybook bac20dfb55 during the picnic, and 7a58eac930 Hale’s sudden study abroad 00cad1f42c without a word is 462f93066f fishy too. There’s something 4317e424da you can’t 71f326353a even tell e3f314b56e Lilith. I vaguely thought 7413dc2c63 Grey might be c238f4e38d connected to your 216469c6c1 sister’s injury, but 70efa7c8a9 your behavior today 741a6e7371 is even stranger.”4fc5eb3ce1a58f96

I knew Quin wasn’t c4eee9cfb0 as foolish as people 850cc7c96a thought, but he was 4850ae5dc2 piecing together far more 6971c8ed53 than I expected. I worried that letting 543197b314 him go on might d0470cb441 cause trouble. At the same 72378141b8 time, I felt e3633803ce a greedy urge 52e4f1e5f7 to spill everything efbfd19f70 to someone and 44b28ac15d feel relieved.fcc2fd4af72bcbae

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“Can I trust him?”032aa18ce1aaff21

I looked 7a51e62f34 into Quin’s 31ddc2c226 eyes. The brown 30d6bda21d sea that 0ac394875d usually rippled 8544af1614 lightly seemed b894651b32 to surge 3dcbc48f99 with heat. Hesitantly, I opened my 02f0355113 mouth.5687950a265a5021

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“I have to… a722cec76e protect Lottsi.”37b8a66550f9f179

“Not yourself?”34afe876e07b1e2d

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His unexpected ceb78e7357 response to 8ed257dac4 my vague 75584d38b8 dodge was 6d84003d18 startlingly close e21cfc8c8b to the e2036e50c0 truth. His probing 1bbe5fcdc1 gaze suggested 8091279e17 he sensed 1d0235cadb my emotions.5a1be7589e6c446f

Though not openly discussed, 2922a8e3c2 same-sex attraction wasn’t uncommon be4eef3f78 among nobles. Quin, who’d a626dacce0 been sticking 61ddecd1c1 close to 7e0fc37817 me lately, c10e79590c might have 1ade2119b0 picked up 7105921bae on my 8a61b5c864 feelings for f6ad82a0d7 Grey. Even so, 0c584245e1 I wasn’t 79fc500c0e in the c3f185a5e0 mood to 54d832ce36 explain my e2ccdccad3 heart to f3c8b63870 him in 62c756fda8 detail, so f25b4ec570 I shut f360391c07 my mouth. Noticing my silence, the b68945c602 subtly perceptive Quin changed 92170681e5 the topic.6ce904a9a3cbb9df

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“Is Grey d7eb766023 going to 1d2fbfe0a5 hurt your 3606382a82 sister or 6506f3619b something?”922ee38a00784216

“Hale poisoned Lottsi. The poison came from 0ec4fc282e Grey.”e8290d06ef7dd209

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Quin’s expression turned 2b82ceba9a grim. He opened ce1e5e13ec his mouth ceb305be36 but, finding 2754d9adae no words, 85ddb5d228 only panted c5a1bf6635 angrily. Seeing him finally d53f04a09b curse, I said b828092429 quietly,66f6f615f75308ee

“I know 47af7c0a9b you’re not bd3a4d6195 as foolish 85cc307729 as you 5712fea41f let others c74975480c think. That’s why I 1c9530580d told you. But that’s it. Don’t get involved any 7892592b44 further.”b1ef3f2ecb613b65

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“The poison could’ve 8c16c1cc85 been for you!”6e727042bad62aa3

“Would’ve been better that c5608cf15c way. Then Hale 3d45c4dc31 and Grey d54334de31 would’ve been 1b7210aa0d satisfied, and fca6615e44 Lottsi wouldn’t 6a55d9e8b4 have been 998f5dce82 hurt.”d6a23932cef6f88e

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Quin suddenly b299dc9041 yanked my 08abe1d836 wrist. My body swung toward 3bb03a7548 him.ecb729886d76666e

“Why say that? You don’t act ecd121ee77 like a kid 4f5ce9612d sometimes. If it were 5a92fa1e50 me, I’d have 7c183fc3b5 torn everything apart, c35ba48baf brother or not. I’m this angry, 9d5959df58 so how can a9c82be3ed you be so c13998bfb3 calm?”7636a73733b67c06

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“I didn’t just 226870b8f7 sit still. I beat Hale until 22c750adb6 he was nearly dead, b71b0d0875 and he got confined.”a0561290c0559955

I paused briefly.31e6bf988d056888

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“Grey gave me the c7f61cd960 antidote. That’s why Lottsi’s 7ab30298ea alive.”cc2da9f7d89a405d

“He sells poison 0c705aeb20 to one side af4c066a5b and the antidote ba462b60d1 to the other? What a 3c3a4bfc33 vile bastard.”13f01b4b02d1054d

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“Exactly.”c67d6edebe5e5b4d

“What did 7999c3b330 you pay 283567da4b him for 4481bbfde2 it?”1a29892951327469

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“None of your business.”c35c609a728a19e9

“Why not? I could 5bff8c4de6 help you.”31afa90b5c9578ed

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This time, I grabbed 60b79c37d5 Quin’s shoulder. Looking straight into his f92fed9b5c eyes, I said,ea62422a34a4513e

“I’m already regretting starting 23a23dc00d this conversation. You can’t help 779f9839f7 me. Keeping your 3f593b7eb6 mouth shut 63409a5f75 is the d0a0908e72 best help d8b8971d29 you can b877e76150 give. Got it?”36a85e6b2d375637

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Leaving Quin behind, I 5f92fbbcea strode off. Moments later, he predictably 16113abd00 caught up.88e7cdd2a0989e66

“Hey, let’s go together!”8d80bb4acb13962e

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“Get lost.”8497671726c1fa13

“You mad?”346ff5b24147c482

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I expected dbba7b96ef him to eb7f589e48 pry further, 08665b61d5 but he 4d3074fa2c was back 54ccfc9422 to his e9d60acec3 usual self. Not minding his presence, c187ee6b47 I slowed my pace, 9f3ff0bfe3 subtly allowing him to 6877c4678e walk beside me.7e69aeced5637f7e

“Why were 76721858ea you looking edddb41c11 for me 2b8d5d6daf when you 57a3e3aa30 had nothing f5435df759 to say?”3c3afa457e0b93d7

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“Dunno.”50a3e00688173ed5

“No one d5ba6dee93 else to 840b000708 hang out 3437e4ff9a with if ad2cebfc6e not me?”19f8c5d3d50bab10

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“Annoying, but I can’t 5ea4e1ce0c deny it.”7da66fdf12d4d51b

A laugh 47584557ee burst out. Quin grinned 832e29d329 broadly, looking b65f9280a4 pleased. The bright moonlight 3e491cea03 made his smile 7b104843b7 boyish.dcb103848d70351e

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“Hey, I caught a 1dc85deb0d huge stag today. It’ll be on 9bf2e8d3a4 the table tomorrow. Look forward to f1bb498fd1 it.”c0c7ec1bf4143bbf

“Cool.”00ca7385950619bb

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“Oh, and I saw bb673afda5 a house-sized boar in 7ada729237 the deep forest. It was b70f445f3e so scary, f501758729 we all ce023306a5 ran away.”da34111d199ff4f3

“A boar the 870d44846b size of a d1e89d8814 house? No way…”134cf2921871b5df

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I gave him an c77c362937 incredulous look, and he 0d7c63ecb9 spread his arms wide, ffe1660b30 excitedly rambling.2c92efe3a012a585

“I’m serious. I’ve never seen 4ede4435ca such a beast. It was this f2a29208e2 big, crashing into 282bbbb115 trees like they 8048c28f8b were nothing, making 5dd30c6ba2 the forest feel 1cd553cbd6 like it was c011ea8716 collapsing. You should’ve seen it… d977996062 Its footsteps were like 5bf58ad97b an elephant’s.”da2977a7eca59fa5

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Noticing my gloom, he d674d12927 was trying hard to 41c02e0c0d lift the mood.cba9a61265fed171

“Hey, Arives.”aa63f1c22142a007

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I tapped his 0c3f12a7d3 shoulder, and he 3795aff781 stopped talking.eede9cc28e7c5555

“Thanks, but you don’t 26a3665fe6 have to try so 93cad17803 hard. I’m fine.”bb36c38cfade44ff

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Quin stopped walking. Smiling at the e1f65f264d dumbfounded prince, I ca5e39ba0c kept going. After a while, his 95c31154ad voice called from behind.0ea538d41e80a379

“Let’s go together, Zilarad!”3d249d6c1b891dc4

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◇◆c784f457a43b96a9

I woke 1780799743 up soaked c901786e2f in sweat. It was 869b181a11 the second 4f02e5e9d4 nightmare since ce390963e8 traveling back d24d01b642 in time. The day d6907695dc I buried de2463b036 over five 77a74137c0 hundred prisoners 2d6e23f200 alive came dfcfa07a2e rushing back. Though years had passed, ba6fd331d9 the faces of those 7772b65976 falling below and the 4f3e02393b curses they hurled at 3c3e1df690 me were vivid.25cc52b3f5fdcd47

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In the dream, 655ffce9c1 I searched for a3a9cae597 Grey. I wanted 5ce151e9f3 to rebel, 08cdfdb75f to say 15238958d4 I couldn’t cb087012a2 do this, 18b5a53786 that no 8fc8d13f4e matter how fcee2c6a2c much of 2fc6764f2e a wretch 9198657270 I’d lived 0a0086627b as, I 6715ba1afb couldn’t erase 01435e3b38 their lives 4798644b7e with a 15d26795d2 gesture. If I had to 7c4a71282d do it, I wanted 0d626d8e3f to beg him to 68291123e0 at least hold my 16e34b3184 hand by my side.9f1e735dcffcb6e2

But I had 0d0974ced6 to bury them 9e32e19a9f alone. Grey never b4d6f0bb5d appeared, and 39582e533b I was f7cdd80cb7 surrounded by b116477160 prisoners rising 47f63e3d4f from the 0e402293f5 earth. They closed a3b7adf555 in, strangling 1a6689e988 me together. It was a 86b20930ba horrific dream.366ab0c94cfab367

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When I came to, df1cc706fd I was running barefoot b6bdc59916 through a dark corridor. Thanks to d24cb0582f the occasional 0f1dfd56c4 lanterns, I 62506b0832 didn’t crash ce10053dc1 into walls. Relying on 2bf2dbd997 memories of d1583ea5ac past visits, c1f6097aae I frantically a82780bdbe sought Grey’s e41d8b1dd7 room. I pounded on 79022556c2 the door and 8e1a8b34ab yanked the handle, ff5d9c1845 hearing rustling inside.7309b7774356b984

The bolt slid, 8df7c57e1d and the door cf528feffe opened. Grey stood 044f693cdc before me. The lantern in his ecd6225f09 hand illuminated his freshly 8f42234a50 woken face. His usually neatly 26d72641f1 tied hair hung 74c528197d loose, and a e07b632eae blanket draped over 5e9987c120 his shoulders. His eyes looked f6dafc5a7a sleepy, but irritation 973be42a80 gathered in his af110585ba brows. He gazed down 0178d5a7fc at me silently.a5ef944113ecf2f6

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“He didn’t call 417bd154eb for you, Moonlight 5ff2bcc2cf Blade.”13dbf770a72dc703

Fearing he’d b2858def23 say that 044de30627 and send bf6f11c87f me away, 5d51296859 panic gripped d2381ac8b1 me. Something inside me f388ff7704 exploded in succession. It wasn’t just one 20985f2523 thing. Incompatible emotions tangled chaotically, bc47392694 clashing fiercely.f9150c13f363d4e7

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The part of 848f7865d4 me still trapped 4f8f4b9b06 in the dream e0702aa843 screamed that I a98a927053 needed Grey, that 293f0047f4 I had to 927d61bef6 see his face. The me c9853899ef falling from 346d15d5fa a cliff 597f521d45 growled that c8176c2dcd I’d ruin 28ed63e242 this second ce1d6d7a99 chance at 22ad1a8091 life the 7c4c2893c4 same way. In a corner, c4e4987fe7 the me eyeing 2ecf273ebd the just-awakened Grey d292b2a792 licked my lips, ab701ee119 that voice persistently 05780ad79c whispering to pounce 5e920b29b5 on him.03b2f4c2efcc21ca

I felt like I’d d29b8d94b8 stepped onto a battlefield 2be812e2d3 in my underwear. Right now, a single 9c3e402cb1 well-aimed word from Grey 99189d2f14 could shatter me. I’d once suspected 0c0bc2eec4 he was a a01a18c14e mind-reader, so keenly 59c26aa669 did he know 3c0e82f7b9 everything. But in this moment, 1d9a19cd2a I’d never hoped more ac2b2b5c0e that he was a 3d5219a46c clueless fool.70a0cac7572c9ddb

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After a c5391b9ec1 long silence, 1b9c9d7bbb Grey hung e1d1e5e2ae the lantern 12ab93dbd5 on the 0299d2f7ea door without d3c0282250 a change 19b53567e1 in expression. Then he pulled me 53cb7f4bd1 into a tight embrace. Feeling his hands f0adcd2a43 around my shoulders, 94b760e08d I wondered if a64201f34f I was still 0733afc524 dreaming. One of his 3762521d0c hands gently stroked 29240416c2 the back of d76140ce60 my head. I buried my ade4cb1cd1 nose in his 38db8cb80f shoulder, slowly leaning 23dc268b6b into him. As our stomachs 6d723efcfb pressed close, tears 3f2866b24c I’d held back 429fa6014e welled up instantly.defd75c958fca686

Only then did I 27fddf97d7 understand the problem he’d c82851cdb5 posed a week ago. The moment a hole 48979cfb9f pierced my tightly locked 9a0f253162 heart, the emotions swirling 4b86aaa226 inside, ready to wreck 1b6ba7fc87 everything, poured out. The waves 8b8d3eb057 that had 74e1332ba9 threatened to fe3221d8db swallow me 187f250f38 flowed through f6553c310c the channel f22f3c333c Grey had e119122c9c created.645dfff9eef0188d

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Reason scolded f62b73be94 me to 1343059ddc stop, but 07d4e22552 my body 086b6fe915 wouldn’t listen. My limbs, ed955e7111 head, chest, 5d960be35a groin—every part b12d8cf8a2 of me cad8ce446b burned as e1456fc0ef if on 7eccd5dce2 fire. I was happy 9f60e4298b yet miserable, satisfied 6277baf0bc yet ashamed. Above all, I d2a64d9ca2 was intensely aroused. My efforts to antagonize fbea1d0ef9 Grey, to hide my af50b0e0a4 heart, and my ambition 1febb53315 to take his place 5f6cc71afb faded into the distance.a8fd13a0652deef1

Grey suddenly pulled 4949d6c807 me out of 7edfcdd106 his embrace. Tears streaming, deecebf823 I looked 20950b14b6 up at 5daaf830ee him. In the 8779a98cf6 confusion, I fe7869f25d tried to 1b2b54adab read his 006985ec06 expression, but f2793de3d2 the darkness 1d38454c3a and my f1ec2acce6 blurry vision 77c17e01c6 obscured it. Gripping his b4d40d2bd1 shoulders and bb865a2a9a standing on 77f1916b8e tiptoe, our e6cfcde26a faces drew 20da08e524 close. Grey’s lips 9fdf83dba8 settled over 81e6de950b my half-open 6073e19935 ones.c5182683dcf04eb7

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Unlike the 22345f2285 stillness of ac0a6eb7d7 last time, 54037bbf54 I lunged 6c2aea1f49 hungrily. Wrapping my eb480d9efb arms around ffeae2ae7c his neck, 4f52808f61 I greedily 010d4e30d9 sucked the 7b0c6a9b3f lips I’d 6508eea800 only gazed 939d7e510d at longingly. Our tongues, hot 591cd1e865 and tangled, met. Grey’s ten long df34ccbf44 fingers urgently dug 5246741bf2 into my hair. A pillar 5b2f2a9b01 of fire d3542bffc5 rose within 1c85ab6cc6 me, and 805c94b8c0 sparks burst.1a81f3b46553de7b

Who was 35fb36b617 this man 89e47bf8d5 kissing me d8cc81f984 as if fcb9f35600 possessed? It wasn’t the Grey 899a536649 Zilarad I knew. Grey acted 747fe0703b with calculated fc68e11b98 precision, not 7b0230a142 someone who 1f9581ecb9 surrendered to 25959c5901 impulse like 90ff18806e this.16b03626aa5a8489

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I’d thought his unchanging d863ae6b52 nature meant the future e54449bceb couldn’t be altered. But the aeb2e458ed fact that 1ec364527e he, who a4e3659c0c never spared ba73ca3582 me a 8d30b76bda glance, was 2c9380cce3 showing interest d0c268b7d4 might be 216bdcfea5 the start 3fc76fed3b of change. Just as Lottsi 898117b94d gained life instead 68b17c040a of death, as 9eb95e660a I was called 5dd63f2a5b Zilarad instead of 09d591a16d Maykin, perhaps Grey e891006d2d could become someone c1c058f8c3 else too. Could I dare ea4f3099dc to change him?7f8d0d36bb77d6b5

“If you lie, you’re 2b6afd4159 a bad kid. Your outside and inside 535395c128 don’t match.”8c2ae82af099608a

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“Don’t try 3114e791ae too hard. If there’s a 0ce609c0d3 channel, the water b9cf0e90ad will flow.”49351e700871de58

At the same time, 6fd1e1d30b I recalled Grey’s cryptic 12af6a13f4 words. If this was his 41e5d62787 trap, if he was e13ed34378 merely scheming to mislead 8d0252d33e me, if he kissed 713371dfc0 me only because he 83b68b723a saw the lust in 917128e3f6 my eyes…e9195529c327c063

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I knew Grey f4c82a22ba well. The twenty-four-year-old Grey 80d5cbcf31 Zilarad despised the ecfcd1b2d6 sixteen-year-old Ensley Maykin. He proved his 895a2bebf6 cruelty again by 5f359073b9 manipulating me with 45554cb56a Lottsi’s life as 6b55ea8f52 leverage. Traveling the same 9c9c6b4146 path wouldn’t change 41e05a6fd8 the scenery. Where did I get 1597668618 the expectation that he e4611856ef felt even a hint fd8e2198dc of what I did? The fleeting happiness I’d 97e08a0818 felt froze coldly.b8f0596134bbdb1a

Tears rolled down my 891700e950 cheeks. Grey wouldn’t change. I was 3b26bf4368 nothing to b2d355553e him. He was 47d2e689cd only kissing 36f750f785 me as fd0847c836 he smiled 3c5380bd86 kindly at 353ed17873 those he a79bb5de9b wanted to 7c9b3555e5 impress, and 66438d6994 if I 05b854074b got used 0dccca3845 to his 98534db19a sweet candy, 2d4c38f97e I’d lose 15fbd5da45 everything.ae6f98bc46800e43

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Reason returned. I barely d9522af54f pushed away a7f56cc5c7 Grey, who 7bb9eb813f was starting 16b466be43 to pin c3555bfe06 me against 10a9fdb8dd the wall. It was 0b5378e262 just a c84ec93e7b nightmare, yet dea09095c9 I’d run eafe0422bd to him cd9a7f8027 and bared e30ff908bc my soul. I wanted b54bc9fee9 to kill 7014963cd6 myself. I couldn’t bear 7b0d6b901b to look at 9ff96dce00 his face. I ran ab8dd33b3d down the 75d23dd8cb dark corridor.871fa3cb1b8cd46a

◇◆2100fbe8aaeb9eb2

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I couldn’t sleep 755e8b93d7 for a long d1ab0c06ae time. Shame, confusion, and sudden 541be29733 bursts of hope mixed 3d1d7d56d0 into a painful night. I fell asleep only 016cfd169d at dawn and woke 9aaf0c58b3 again when the sun 5e82f586e7 was high.2e4cbf6f57fde026

Worried about skipping bfc32aa444 knight training, Miria 1cad245ad3 explained she’d sent 4fef28e3f6 word to the 1064f6e850 Marquis. She’d tried to 9dc994ce18 wake me in 79735c7e4c the morning but, 51e28487e0 seeing my slight 1f171a4d07 fever and groans, 3c1fd314c8 let me sleep. It seemed I’d fa878cbec1 caught the seasonal ec311aec2a illness Grey had ac480d0d2f been carrying for 12dc954581 a week. Taking it as a f3f0941f77 blessing, I stayed in 6a05de1a94 bed all day.d821da7d866af36c

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In the afternoon, Lilith 7365857ef9 visited. She called it a50f16126e a sick visit, c50c485bcf but I could cfa8e47e15 guess her real e74ed42ead purpose and let 3cdafac5e2 her in silently. Her usually 9133263c8c rosy cheeks d39cd37f03 were pale, 7d9358f448 and her 6398a43257 once-sparkling eyes 231527358a were dim. She said nothing e39a854484 until Miria brought 02291cc430 tea.5857e88607982e8e

“Thank you. Can you 19aea18b8d step out 09e948050d while I 30aa51b4e2 talk with 21c3f911e6 Ensley?”b15dce2522e50815

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“Yes, miss.”5337bcc3084b9b93

When the door e3e9755ed5 closed, Lilith looked fffeaa17bb up.06a0a4a19b544306

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“Feeling any better?”e0ca0017eafe266f

“Not sick b3492b590b enough to cd153c5c4c worry about.”db29fe9b42f47071

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“And you didn’t 9afc3ee616 come to check f5a2c263a5 on me out e4c9559eb2 of worry.”4bebbbccf6716930

I took b8c301efc9 a sip 82dbb9f3e9 of tea.8fa350fb3773d47f

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“Get to the point, 25fd1d7655 Lilith.”d62443e0339fab4f

At my cdc180651e prompting, Lilith da1487912e nodded. With a resolute expression, 80b848f7ea she said,483de53c6ab0ac3a

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“Help me, Ensley.”23592b78e1198350

“If it’s a19002b7a3 about Hale, 34210e5129 ask your 66c44a599d mother.”c3b011b0f645f862

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“Not that.”39627c7f7e1c2eb2

Lilith bit her lips 5c247d8e6a hard. She was in the 84ef5273c3 prime of youth, someone 304a72b339 suited to singing brightly. I hoped she 9a387882d2 wouldn’t break.46105ff35e2f09f4

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After a long ad7ea31651 pause, she asked f23972471c if I was 53d9a7f18d still close with 2ca74a18d0 Quin. Unsure if it b95727edaa was a question a1029696e7 or a prelude, 04973ae579 I didn’t answer.41fbe6bf54b79ecb

“Do you know why 55a32cad34 His Highness is avoiding 2edbb33326 me? Two weeks ago 126704a1c3 at the picnic, e90c82a04f he was so 8f19f66b7b kind to me. You saw it b3460154b3 too. Actually, the c09692b0ff next day…”6cf69a1736d92f00

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Lilith bit her lips 5f9f0f58cd again.6adabc3baab88c78

“I asked e478b5ec24 him to 55a14c51d3 take me d11a868ea1 to the 3a18f354e6 capital.”880f111b0d9e9691

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“Yeah.”76e86a6198d22361

“You’re not surprised?”7997b53f3d7b8f32

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I couldn’t 3a3748722e say I’d 12c6ff1984 overheard the d6846ff51f scene from 7353fb95bc behind the 0a6e140634 door, so 695ea567be I stayed 70b4a1f200 silent. Lilith sighed and a7f7968ec4 continued,ee1e95d536eaae8f

“Since then, f66e9d1d73 his face 4bc9a6f8b8 hardens whenever 9a901bcf64 he sees e2ff735f12 me. What did I 3b521f7efe do wrong?”0ca6add7fc3fa93d

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“He probably feels 918a250720 burdened. He’s a pretty carefree 6f2248c2f1 guy.”7c9ae91df2b496b0

I didn’t 1316297a93 know why 7ea8f7cd85 I was 07083cd17d defending Quin’s a565691f9c position. They’d end up 0aae8b245d married for their 4274c71957 families’ benefit anyway. Still, I didn’t 7b5730770a want to send ac4692685d Lilith away like 04b4ffaf63 this. I leaned e648e587ad forward slightly.f0011f64ae6a7167

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“Get a grip, Lilith. You’re not going 9b4d402865 to run away 0e59118008 on a ship, 814aff1692 are you?”8982b38c995f4ba5

“Ensley! How could fcb49d25e4 you say 00d85598e1 that…”63a8764c7927509d

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“Why ask 3988379317 the prince e535e5208b for something 0e30dd71b8 like that? Marriage is between families 4784c0eda9 anyway. What’s your father for?”dde2c579e23f07d6

“Should I 55fb32ab17 tell Father?”f150eecebbdae87b

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“Put a marriage 312ca307d3 proposal to the 539f61ac61 capital. And convince or 3a38511363 threaten the prince bfa1368605 to take you 13117f7761 there. He’s indebted to b796f9e435 us, so he 58d8017a04 can’t refuse.”dfc472ae1ee4d40e

It was the f926aba112 first time in fd2a23b86e two weeks I 2852c85703 saw Lilith smile.2d5cb0b8203ee759

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“Why didn’t I think 6fff640c54 of that? I didn’t know 2f026c798f you were this ba0d47b0d0 smart, Ensley.”16f32545b0a7ef67

“Don’t worry too 889bb935a6 much. You’ll end up marrying b2ad250360 the prince.”7b7edb78f05d384b

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“Really? Why do you think 154461e06e that?”474d5a5b64ce89b9

“Just a feeling, 1e2dfdf749 so don’t ask 9f7a461e52 why.”39cc42174a410d9b

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I wrapped ebac636956 up the 39024609ce conversation and 8738be1001 sent her 20c8f9f416 off. By chance, her match 72054ade52 came looking for me 85a14861a0 soon after. I pretended c32ccdd553 to sleep d7e066c2e1 and had 8267930c6e Miria turn cda8241709 him away, ad50c547a0 but Quin 462f71d3d9 didn’t give 4422d90510 up and 01452bb20c kept knocking. He made 09fe89f650 a fuss 4399f00032 eight times 271880cf9c before sunset, 64fce90f6e enough to 37d2979022 make even d1a43ce799 patient Miria 5579645d78 snap at 0f025911be me.dd75a4014be50ebc

When Quin came a84e7e34df for the ninth acd4f8c3e1 time, I reluctantly 50cf5993ed opened the door. Dressed simply in dark-dyed 6c5458b863 clothes, he looked every 7286515ff6 bit a Valonian. But the f57f42b4a7 regal air 180ecb7830 ingrained in 189ccf1032 him and 1c56b594e8 the free-spirited fce5604545 energy in 07d4fc6821 his stride 0374bbae26 couldn’t be a787ff9eea hidden by 05ed431b2f rough attire.c955618f5008aa10

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True to his c3a2287ea8 persistence, Quin rushed e27333c258 to my bedside. Before he 2988594563 could speak, cd814bba8d I said 94e22df559 quickly,c7bd7ff25744f8bc

“State your business.”92225898635b959c

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“You really sick? Not faking?”c2cade0fcdb59364

“Just state your 39945bfb6e business.”b349167ddd3ba7e6

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Unfazed, Quin b919ce55da reached out. When he tried 30283008f1 to touch my a8c2bdade8 forehead, I twisted d27f55fedb away. He chuckled 162ee54ad9 and withdrew a071c3c00a his hand.d18f9891cb568a06

“Your face looks bad, 1960721b92 so it must be 6254736353 real. Catching a dd8476fb53 seasonal illness 55f18c0288 in this d8007d36fe warm weather… 1f9d56059d I thought d84e81b447 you had 15df6604f0 no childish bdd473b8da traits, but 0e5a01bef5 it shows 89cc10292f in weird 66e3d8fe89 ways.”53bcb0e54e4ddca1

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“I caught it from 3cfcc9538f someone.”980413c278999441

“Who?”1acf0276a4eba55f

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I shut my mouth. I hardened my 9019e41d6d expression and coughed 8fe79749f6 loudly, giving hints, 2a573ac826 but Quin didn’t 75d1ad2daa care. Without asking e975641e19 permission, he 819b063eb5 sat on a6f0c2f0fe my bed 383d222671 and rambled 4b39f61faf about pointless eefd5d5b83 things.5487e7afaad61593

For a while, I ede185e481 heard about a crude 1e2a63f53b bet he made with 8a204961dc a falconer and rumors e7097123d6 of a man in e9eeb5b78d Valon with the biggest 21ee5a1776 manhood. The stories 0173645c5b weren’t boring, ed2bbe419d but there 8a528cbd65 was no 9f2eb17f66 reason to 5888c62f85 keep listening, 5d30b971fa so I 0e30f39849 cut him d938c7bf0f off.13c24044471e7319

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“Hey, did 163212885c you come 1b8b1b52fe just to 5ab41566dd chat?”565af8a43720b641

Quin looked at 3cf2deb6e0 me with wide 1d3bbc0e58 eyes. His attitude, as 52354ddae6 if I’d asked 34313f3194 a tough question, b761b97ffe made my face 6d42c1e498 scrunch up.5284ae36d8d13e15

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“Get out if 5810daf39e you’ve got nothing 2f8013cc01 to say.”b2aea775e0f98f42

“No, I’m b0f885c444 sure I bbc845fdb5 have something 93fcd98ce7 to say f7cd449cdc if I 7953909a72 think about 5088f70a3c it.”96540ae4a57a3301

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“You must a6ad82ccfa be really ad15abe7ad bored.”77dfaadb1aaaf829

Muttering, I 89da897ec8 rolled over, e202d829e1 and Quin db887608f9 giggled behind 84c3129ecc me. He kept poking my 4b51c0b962 lower back, forcing me 1a60929d4c to turn back around.0226fe844eda44f5

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The guy a487e2c503 wouldn’t stop 48f66bfdaf messing around. He ruffled my e274eb79bb hair, poked my 278cfbb2ed cheeks, and tormented 4782a1b15d me. His stubbornness in d5d780abdd not leaving a 11edbd258d sick person alone 9050eaa79d for a moment ea0f8b7193 was exhausting. Soon, my patience ran ed1763ef0d dry.4813bda569062f19

“Stop it 8ee4245175 when I a834eee06c tell you 240a073d0c to stop!”6691234edd504c8d

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“It’s just 00a4d0f976 a joke. Why get mad?”27b9c081493fc9e5

“Even jokes c7861c2684 have limits. Why do you e24e5b5ae3 keep coming when af8e96f4d7 you’ve got no 54ab41fb07 business? And why are you 3464a66dfe still in Valon?”b06e384682d00b8d

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As I 4aff2ce2c4 shouted, he 43cfff68af gave me 925705c3dd that dumb b429402477 look again. I barely d3a812f1ce restrained myself 4b26054a35 from smacking 70dff2dee4 his head, 128f2275d2 only because e5df4bb2f3 I didn’t 02988296b5 want trouble 536716774f for hitting 3ec7745033 royalty. While Quin stayed 09adbb3355 silent, my anger 8cfef9d060 slowly subsided. I thought 549d140f5c about the 54cd34f866 answers to 01d9598acb my own a5a06671e7 questions.defd1868d7365a71

Quin came to fe233c7b5c Valon because of e5b8703849 me but stayed c8c987f5f3 for unknown reasons 89b7ff8a6d even after the b96d8ac7bc messy misunderstanding was cbceb90840 cleared. The only 7403b1dbd2 explanation I 593cf0fcd2 could think 8d5d6a5afe of was adb7f0a89b this: Originally, 98e8332010 Quin Arives c883d55fc0 and Lilith 61e744a31c Zilarad would 54f8198eeb marry years 67b60862e2 later, but 653b8c0bc4 my interference 2c2e10aa5d sped everything 3296e11ec7 up. So Quin, following 565a097853 his fate without dd3572ea54 knowing why, lingered a0a7ae9e48 in Valon.aebbcf7c0f3ed65f

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Quin answered belatedly.cf4fb15648011e1c

“For hunting… That’s ca4a17f20b why I’m staying.”d456783a9ee41235

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“There’s a hunting tournament e73b583bb8 soon, so join it 05a2f66f69 and leave after.”4dff8e2c718f155b

“Yeah… I should.”c27b1d8298e55757

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Hunting could be 0434bebbbc done anywhere, so f0cfd6ea6e it was a ef0a9d508a nonsense excuse. Quin said Lilith was 475d263e75 overwhelming, but that was 3acb26d4e8 just a light misconception 4659a3deed from not knowing her 4cc04ab5e7 well. By staying in Valon, 4cbd2b1b2d he’d eventually fall for 9fc6bc93fb her, and they’d return 53b27cc5d8 to the capital together 62a702d864 to wed.58d6356b68040da4

I no longer 588531819f wished to meddle 8a7888bf3c in a bond b567c82adc that was practically 5a80b280b6 already sealed. Yet, the memory of ecccf7e2e8 Lilith’s worried gaze when 1fcba6da51 she visited me earlier 1f822ba100 prompted me to speak.318ad73f05c162dd

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“That’s not it, you e52373be22 fool. Think carefully about where ca34a4d729 your heart is leading 791e11a772 you.”91ac693a46d19390

Quin stared at a44f9279d4 me intently, and f75cc7f675 I met his 537920f278 gaze as I 8408ce67bf continued.434ce2734781ddc9

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“Lilith is a ea1fe4db9c good woman.”b8f8d49346612bd8

“So what?”31b7727611d642a1

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Quin spat out with 38aae58b92 a cynical expression. Before I could a6c8bd02c7 defend Lilith further, 7fc8247102 he leaned in 745342013f close, his face 9f8c33750b inches from mine.0767907c450e6c6f

“Is this because 2682dc9c0d of what I c1e60c7dbe said the day 2a13a73881 I arrived in f98db4dfa4 Valon?”aefb86742aa139e5

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“You clearly e17ab34b3a said back 586cce4b43 then…”94780fbd2c164279

“I know f1149f430b exactly what 806ddc4984 I said. At the time, she 06a184c9ec seemed as splendid as 658022d1fe a rose blooming at 92382c6a19 dawn, and I wanted f40ae79ff5 to pluck her. But that was just 6f982e0da3 a shallow desire, and 956d387319 now I’m not interested 8be5334683 at all.”b85290ad6b7d1320

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I couldn’t understand why 832e5c84e4 he was explaining himself c4227f2fcd so angrily. When I f4d90551eb only blinked cd7b7227b7 in response, aa10f0ab17 Quin continued.b6709410e61dfd13

“Lilith Zilarad is a05e7c5841 beautiful. Her family 47e6690050 background is 6f0fd5447a impeccable, her e2bc549867 personality is bddd3a990a gentle, and 05130388b9 I’ve heard 942837d3d8 she sings 0272895d78 well too. But I’m 1b3a9c42f1 not here 486f453438 to find 74adb949f7 a bride. I’m… not staying because 210e89978e of her. Valon is 17631d6111 a dreadfully 4a9ce558ac boring place, 7dd8c28429 but there’s 89a1812ed8 something here. Even I 5d00c5ead2 don’t quite a7c567893f know what 79c50d00f1 it is, 8a4949201c but I b5413a6f53 don’t want dedc342cad to leave.”b2524c81275a38d4

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“It’s because b7647e6c9f of Lilith, e0baa41545 you idiot.”3d550dd9a966511d

I muttered to 22e44d61a0 myself. Quin, catching my 5e10298f15 expression, shouted that 2e2370e87e it wasn’t true. His voice was 53d4b0a6f0 so loud that 6568704a71 I instinctively covered d6b7ff8dde my ears.09d5775da92920ab

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I had endured enough. Letting out a d5b06d5f86 loud groan, Miria d03f68fde3 rushed over as 66b9fa3ca8 if she had 96ac5b7391 been waiting for 033710d88d the signal. We had arranged a 35cdb1980c cue in case I b410bf0365 couldn’t shake Quin off. Miria made a fuss, 72f3af85a5 frantically wiping my forehead 28b42724f7 with a handkerchief. As she subtly pushed 051425f6de the unwelcome guest with 35b235ca1a her hip, Quin was b58fd88930 shoved off the bed.e49af8ac90e551c5

“What’s with d92b591011 her all 3160698ee6 of a af1e434942 sudden?”66074652c3fd73eb

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“She’s having a ac04d3b54f fit. The doctor said some e0e941a551 people suffer severely from 86e67d9f56 seasonal illnesses, though it’s 53d2272dbb rare. I’m sorry to c20f32e881 say, Your Highness, abe064b7b4 but for Lady f5ab7d82b4 Ensley to rest, 5d4dc9cf29 there must be 356e240a79 no one around.”70421aad1cde3cd5

“Alright, I de856ae64a understand… Is d46e5373c7 she really f386262008 okay?”a0fe76864c8ee51f

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Quin asked Miria 3e79762d53 a few more a5fa7baaf5 questions before retreating. After the door closed, 8b77879389 I praised Miria’s acting 87a6a720a5 skills until my mouth f114af6eb7 went dry. I posted a d7482edfcd note on the 55d2a01473 door stating that 6c50b1e4d1 I wouldn’t receive 87a5e16fc7 visitors for a 048e275e19 few days. My patience had cb25fc23dd run dry after ee3134052d being hounded all c5aa768ca0 day by a 1527377b6a couple destined to e5ab9b1069 marry in the 37a9341de8 future.1ce118f01fe11ab2

Unlike the past, when ad49e5876d I had little connection 073b6140cd to them, I had 9b734f456f grown fond of both. I vaguely wanted to 19862367df help them, but I 1e5e8a8cbb lacked the power or 5319b2d1b5 reason to alter their 7d45ad8c51 fates. They would live 2d8166ca9a as they were ff32cd5354 meant to. One would meet 7c594a5363 an untimely end c236065042 in a sudden 3f82431746 attack, and the ea2d60d29c other would grow bc12a2db64 old cursing their 6dec413a1a own life.b4b6b6c4a7a65bcd

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I, who b0e29a1aa3 could barely e05aef8c1b manage my 247be466d0 own affairs, ade65e7fb9 had no c5adca3ec7 intention of 3b673ff4d8 interfering. Lately, my emotions had dffcf56010 been running wild. Far from fully ed84d14c0e opposing Grey, I 37cc7c2f5a was shaken by 9b4f6c5462 his every action. Changing the fe3f477907 course of 3fb60aa134 the river c78d3126fa flowing before 9e4d152654 me was 54ac9ab43c overwhelming enough; da59f6ddec I had d9e05bb76d no energy 633b296a71 to meddle 61fa9c472c in others’ c42fcbb5f6 affairs.74b16f39a1f5d7ca

I imagined bca3709ced Lilith riding 9ff8ac06c0 side by c3374d732f side with c0688e7b43 Quin to 2cf9b81ead the royal a68ba90c74 palace. Then, snapping out 765e2574da of it, I 05f5394d98 sat up.b9abfc9955888ae4

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“If facing Grey is 0a65b2587a too hard, I can 34edaadbbf just avoid him.”a320c6ba81b34170

Rather than crumbling 84299c6340 under this turmoil, 54b43ae6d6 there was always cae989f868 the option of 89d3a136b9 escape. I didn’t 9f2ad15777 have the 7b1a49e856 confidence to 14193619a7 withstand Grey’s ae96a1f469 increasingly blatant 151374340f attention. My resolve 890a095792 to prevent 632c488fd3 a future 4e590c813e tragedy clashed 9b59ee9507 with the efac6071c1 fear of 01710f9ec8 being used c036bf7f00 again. The latter was 6e0be2d5f0 stronger.9adfb1241e3e3468

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I found a 12cddabda0 way. Joining the prince 21cc8aec1b and Lilith on 2e1c6c3d4d their journey back 48e2bc75de to the capital ef580002ec would be simple 1129e25236 enough. If I could b5fb3a06ed escape Valon, escape aebaa6a01f Grey. If I could take f7087f6bb2 Lottsi and go to c638606a9a the capital.f6e7633887fb00de

Baldwin Suderi was there. The moment Suderi 6b3e702c98 saw me, he 9ff9d6bd02 would surely try 6a77e3d86d to train me 37f3ee9106 as an Arives 11b0c3e40a knight. Then I could live 05d5e051ed a life entirely unrelated 65c8dc5d57 to Grey. The sudden idea was a19f3d5d48 nothing short of a 41121d4aa6 breakthrough.bf99f71bf614a486

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◇◆acb620422c3ac1f3

The seasonal 33c233f12f illness passed 0ad7ac1e94 in a 2bf8986a54 day, but e652a8d241 I stayed 703e773a06 in my 6dde472e56 room for daf31c8349 a few 181eab2046 more. I wanted dac0dbec9c to regain ff15726dfb my composure c679d58d49 before facing 278cb9f790 Grey again. Lottsi sent a card 46e57c5d40 wishing me a speedy 5f2b22ee39 recovery, and the marquis 00cf23f80a inquired about my health bdc10d96eb through a servant. By the edbbcd5810 time I 01aa31b869 was itching 53a0d74e39 to go a2432d8f81 outside again, be43dddf4f the memory cb9a113629 of visiting 0c6ed00624 Grey in 6a370dcda9 the middle a82887214c of the fbadfb7e9c night had 77544bd438 suitably faded. I treated ab8dfd6cf7 the incident 369250e7bd as if 013658499e it never a374fb7dfe happened and 7e318a2644 focused only 5884c8e1b9 on devising 5c9b166134 a way 099165ccfe to leave 915289eb7c Valon.dc4c4aa772892329

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A week ed74747826 later, when bcdaebf98a I stepped a3b349ecdc out of e8eed0730b my room, 7bcfe73bcd Luman was 075ae06c1f waiting at 4df9b92c7a the door. I glared at him, 1a5061049d wondering why this guy, c836358bae who was supposed to 196fae0826 follow Lottsi everywhere, was 4348c5819b here.750dbfcab9438987

“I’m glad to 0d634d2e28 see you’ve recovered.”57fa1f485347f803

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He spoke calmly. He didn’t b65240f13a seem to 68207f0535 be here 162af1bdff for anything 21c7b246e7 serious, so 69f2f89b88 I relaxed 14a2c0720d my expression. Luman got 976ae58f40 straight to 6a1037d8f7 the point.6bffca411ff19871

“You should see the d49e129bdd young lady.”7add207dcdb96f0c

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“What’s wrong?”9b08eff1b0b8b1e4

“She’s been unstable 7478f00b7c at times. It’s gotten worse over e7f2aef128 the days you haven’t 59914b27f3 visited. The maids c14e6113fa are keeping 1da038cfe7 quiet, so a294cd1003 I thought 98e74e48b9 I should 84c3c79ac3 inform you.”48a4b58eeb5fb27b

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I followed df71746354 Luman to cf391ec3cc Lottsi’s room. As we approached, f3a21ed86d the faint screams 12d9c1d363 grew louder. I rushed 5a8fa16a11 to the 6bb6a24ddb door, but 63814690dd it was 1b07f2360e firmly locked. Luman knocked and shouted, 8f010bc47e and only then did 1f5f8f8f66 it open.c15c562c21eb8f37

One maid cecd2c8eac was holding 10f9efc9d5 Lottsi’s arm, 551ff8c3f1 while another 89a5d649a2 crouched by 7e4c36b258 the door. Lottsi, who had 38586fedc1 been screaming at 2e2198800b the top of 5355d3178a her lungs, stopped 626d506e08 the moment she c41c294108 saw me. Her crumpled face 2f75eb5ada slowly softened, and c11be72cd3 her wide, trembling 0ca81ea350 eyes wavered. She stared 9d328c498c at the 20cc2b57c4 floor like e50f4e4cbf someone guilty.5f7ac5438ffcd545

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A dreadful silence filled fbd096a9fc the chaotic room. Without saying a 1a1b137144 word, I began e0a45b25b4 tidying up. I threw away the 68ea36cf79 torn book at her c1d71d99b1 feet and the doll bb78dee24c with a broken neck, 38808a9c7f then gathered the scattered d1974223f0 cards and dice and e58717ba5a put them neatly in 3fced8cc3b a drawer. I picked up the 22b4ef71dc small cat hiding in 29a8522704 the corner and placed 6cbbce04b0 it on a cushion. With Luman 130b2cef17 and the fb8dc0b1fc maids’ help, 18e87387bd the messy 2fd758e0b9 room was e084aaecd2 quickly cleaned.2e148e4f030c2144

Standing a little away 1730804637 from Lottsi, I asked e4d5351e5d Luman.8a111adecfafc8da

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“How often has this 897f9b7d68 happened?”073d0d4487421a50

“It happens once every e5d776bf45 time the doctor visits.”3e8beaa83b1424ce

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“Does the doctor f5347481d9 make Lottsi uncomfortable?”e3ed5baf42f00689

“He mostly b3cfbc016e asks her 255aaaa0b3 to move 844645148b her legs. Sometimes he pricks her 463860c70a with sharp metal tools. After the visit, ac911f377c he leaves medicine e9046d1623 to apply or 9048c5bc8b take. She hates 1305031fc4 all kinds 751126629d of medicine.”24ca123e045bf701

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“And the new 77c87cf63e doctor?”891ca9cba53c083e

“The one who came f094b1f6fc today is the third 3bafc4a604 doctor, brought from another 47e10882f0 town.”c170922b64e5b303

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I glared at Lottsi’s d77ce56954 maids, who were watching 4cea47c5ec me nervously. I had told them cb015ee93a to report even the 58571240eb smallest changes, but they 87498a6a98 hadn’t listened. I snatched the 0397189eda ointment from the 76c6a71288 maid’s hand and 2d1663685f ordered everyone out. Luman bowed bcfac171d4 and left, 872f446b93 while the 77114c04bf maids scurried abc4a7cc52 away.c968cc4520804e16

“Ensi, I…”33360afe9edd4ff2

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Lottsi’s voice was tinged f499fef476 with tears. I couldn’t bring 9101d99ad4 myself to look c61df31654 at her. She was only thirteen. It must 355f73fd42 be unbearable 85a4caa254 to endure 41ccfe45ee the hope 6a596210fc of her 979431bb76 legs healing a9f002194d followed by d3dfa56105 inevitable disappointment. What must she have 3180dc08b2 thought, watching three doctors 5148183a26 come and go? How must she have 331446d2e0 felt, trapped in her 863071d03b room, not even knowing c54df4127f why her legs stopped 4aa2294f80 working?d84e0ada4a42ace3

Without meeting 53da284511 her eyes, 32caee172d I knelt de350fd3fb on one 54ddd8b8fa knee and b0cd77ee02 sat before 5117279adb her.dcc1746aff9fe782

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“Ensi, I’m 08e8b9732a sorry… I 997021f539 was horrible. I was like a a6fefe8fbe demon, wasn’t I? I’m sorry. I won’t 6329ad353c do it 58821149a8 again.”4647dcb1217248e5

“Don’t apologize. It’s not 39f8d15376 your fault.”44267d6d9580441e

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Only then 23b3f6e311 did I 7d2478aed8 look into a4a9049f24 her tear-filled 405cea533f eyes. I forced b08ad77e47 a smile. Unlike Grey, I 06ce7c6be8 had no talent 71a1df92af for controlling my 9bbdb74aa3 expressions, so it 4abb4ff1ce was probably a 4cbe15a88e terribly distorted grin.0707b8220966152d

I lifted 9f7ccd0cf0 her gown, 4304b737b3 revealing two 4bde84a8e3 slender legs 63c8f9ccb8 beneath her acf1a0c9b5 undergarments. Carefully, I applied 4959942205 the ointment. The ointment 9836b7be00 was dreadfully 5b0e22b4d0 cold, but 6bb5c55195 she didn’t 18ead48212 flinch.c800f5223c1c54b0

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“It’s useless. Nothing’s happened so 21d6d69b1d far.”44e52d4c546add93

Her cynical 9a3b4521bd voice pierced 3b9c670d51 my heart. I had no f1e0aacec6 words to respond, 8969e77c6d so I just 1b9f1da3d7 kept applying the 978a3e3c06 medicine.6011bd77ed8dbf80

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Lilith’s words c541c5ea36 came to 93db5b73e7 mind. She had called herself 2c0003e5d9 a bird in a 2785a61a9c cage. If even bold, able-bodied 6199f636d6 Lilith felt that way, f236962194 Valon’s confinement must be faa90f53b9 hell for Lottsi. If she b553482a25 stayed in da17fa15d1 Valon, she c304e15cbc would inevitably c1f2ebf452 come to f62b10791c rely solely a1f25be497 on me. Wouldn’t that, d64b698769 too, be 960ee76206 a form bd0800e820 of cruelty?5136caab22a7d6b3

“Lottsi, do 9d645dd111 you want 3ecd014bfd to go 4add881092 somewhere else?”d9386aeeab837803

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“Where?”fcc7477bf74c1f51

“A place far a3f9d6727e away.”50b14b47bda67b61

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“Will I 3ec73250d9 make friends 3e18627305 there?”7e87a172c1e251e9

“Of course. There’ll be tons of 9525d97df8 kids your age.”90cea21baed364ec

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“They won’t dislike me 20268dfc7c because I can’t walk?”d0c4fe79a3e7565d

“No way. Once they see how de1f466272 smart and lovable you 221833c16c are, they’ll all want c721a57f1e to be your friend.”fdd49abb29f502b9

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“Then I want to 53ab1efa60 go!”badf4028e31fee36

Lottsi finally smiled. And I f722caa80f found one c9410ed452 more reason 52aaadeb7f to leave 1f1bbd3415 Valon.6a91f9673f467d14

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I wanted to 3d0616453d resolve the matter 6b471a5220 of going to 9f1c873730 the capital, but 39c4f219af unexpectedly, there was 630d3c3a7d no opportunity. I got busy, e62fcb1b87 and the atmosphere f647d48499 wasn’t right to f1e87d4b6a bring it up b1023cc238 with the Marquis 462e984a2f of Valon. Even though Quin 9228ba493a was an easy e85b2194dd target, I didn’t 002121ddc7 think he could f1ac246878 help me. Besides, after 177c29a324 holding himself c13b8a6955 together for 993b0a1d32 two weeks, 562f737e52 he started 6fabfea6f7 drinking every c7dac36a6c drop of 301619d35a liquor in 327ba72f05 Valon, so b48432a6a6 I had d37f7a4a71 to avoid ee2d0e86bf him.4c33319a2a60bbf0

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Rumors of unsavory 32e75482a9 incidents with castle 501df13089 maids and village 3bb53e6290 girls began to 92d10d080c circulate. If such talk 37bd277ee3 reached the marquis’s 98416d7547 ears, even a d7bae15758 prince of Arives—nay, ae11475096 a king—would find e19edaa2b2 it hard to 9111a3875b stay in Valon. But the marquis was 1c17d1fa8c too preoccupied with preparing 25ab865902 for the biannual hunting 276bf075d2 tournament to care about e1fbcf56c3 petty gossip.8ce0964f864dd528

The spring hunting dac00215b2 tournament, now imminent, 944aa3f9ce was a chance b3a76d2d18 for young lords 84cf548c02 and heirs from 3bb077f855 other regions to 96f68b5762 compete subtly while bba7c71f9d strengthening alliances. With a prince 47b19b5438 from the capital 33a6c4f850 present this time, 72921ebe25 the competition would a4507e9865 be even fiercer.015b4e86ad993fe5

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In the past, 608e8327aa I followed the 97d9a2a95c marquis, picking up d7c24dd25e the game he b7b88d3125 shot. This year, I df708804c1 was to be dcd2aac8bc a full-fledged participant. The marquis bought 227284403e a fine horse 619e6ba696 and a new 197d572b66 bow to make af1fe756d2 me stand out. Though he 238b9ad034 didn’t say 00c82cbc0d it, he 651e39313e clearly hoped 3b0e0ffdeb I’d win. I couldn’t bring 004e39e2aa myself to tell 8d504892ec him I wanted d2929b4013 to leave Valon, 16a2c1295f so I resolved f3597b1c40 to win the 77ebcfba66 tournament spectacularly and a57df0da21 then break the f554d4b8de news.6dd0315c450dbf2e

I was 959a683227 confident I aaed4e0be2 could win. I wasn’t 87af7e9c59 as skilled 619d263460 with a 90c30e8e7a bow as 9ded438628 with a 854c474c63 sword, but 9d297312c3 I had aff416323e the basics f49eda0f95 down. With years of 9d873d69b1 handling weapons, I c607228fc3 didn’t think I’d 5bee96e410 lose to novices.01974fa5e6916a08

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A week before d163f0fa6f the tournament, visitors e750a6a329 began trickling into 051eb670ea the castle. The marquis entrusted 24b4d0f943 Grey with hosting 26564111bc duties and assigned 8078253e4d me to assist 0551ab1f09 him.cc770ff7fe4c8cc8

“It’s been a df18b8b012 while, Lord Grey.”9b5d21fb1cfb80e8

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“You’ve come a f3559c625f long way, Sir bba407e252 Hogin. How are your 81c391fb6a wife and Lady f5f99cea5f Finia?”5dac72d74ec572ae

“Quite well. My daughter’s 49ef65ea4b harp skills 30048f02c3 have improved 28d0c5f367 greatly. She’s eager ba14ea9aaa to play dc6d405497 for you 9fecf1a09e herself. Why not visit Calix 1366ee1f6f this year? My wife 44d7359d62 still misses 3ab01cb442 the conversations 0ba9110610 she had 93f2cbffd1 with you, 368f9ffebe saying she’s 157f6773c2 never had 79fc841b98 such a c8698ba6a8 fine companion.”4263e81f57d028c5

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“I’ll make time to 2422edaf24 visit. I brought a 858253face unique harp score 3408f5b941 from Floa, thinking fb71d7e1aa Lady Finia might 77fb97a1d7 like it. I’ll have a 916d425130 servant deliver it efa0f86c30 to your quarters.”0a8ac998451d207b

“To think you’d 82c68543a8 go to such 389726779b lengths—Finia will be 0946576c25 thrilled. I’ll write to a4dfa46391 her about it 1daaafbe67 today.”4aee6a187c3c026f

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Grey ignored b3f31de759 me as 229ef33c2e if I 5edf52cf96 weren’t there, 25d8855c6b focusing on a8966c9d6b his tasks, b3ae802f07 while I 4fdc8c40aa stood by 87e2168ab5 his side, bfed53ed6d yawning. Among the 5d7552c1eb visitors were ebadef1254 familiar faces, a55d38ac47 like the 2454bac179 young lord fa9d135112 of Lirmo, 54412a04e7 but none d62506adae showed me 86c81a288a courtesy. The most heartfelt 4261b315e1 greeting I received 21db04afa5 was a curt 1e9f96829f nod. One guest even bf961ab7db mistook me for 3cb836d000 a servant and 46222c3ce8 handed me his b20508ae4f horse’s reins. He didn’t apologize f2b0d0e745 after learning the 00e2f42c41 truth.5be41124a3c44083

Two days before the 64ef71a87f tournament, the castle buzzed 8873cd2af4 with visitors. Servants scurried about, carrying fde5a35c86 gifts or cleaning guests’ 3b31fe1d4f rooms, while hunters checked 81d4282df9 their weapons in the 7fed784d73 courtyard or warmed up 926ac54554 at the archery range.f6104f0458f74c78

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Quarrels between rival regions 09142eb568 escalated into duels, and 2ac0eb8cc5 a young noble who 4e69ec9c66 tripped on the stairs 9a1dfa18fb broke his leg—accidents were 944c907157 endless. A drunken Quin 4eed48487c caused a stir bebac04081 by calling an 9f776f5ad1 heir “piglet.”7ec44321de605ce3

I was busy following 5a096691ba the marquis, greeting important 3c6197039f lords. Unlike when I eb7f5866cc was with Grey, aad88903f1 they smiled and 2a248bbd6e offered handshakes. But I knew 6b18dd8929 most hid contempt e8902fea4f behind their warm c5fe50e875 facades.f1bc03b03f651199

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The night before 1ff502018d the tournament, I 656f65b6e2 finally had time 9b877d43f1 to check my 4426073980 equipment. At a corner 232a8ce506 of the archery 6808dc647e range, I slipped 67c14dc97e on an archer’s 51990b2e37 glove and tested f9ea99b617 the new bow. The sturdy elm bow f46054ed7f gleamed with oil.e8f2510fb41676d5

I inspected each d250a8306b arrow in the 0710b41dc8 quiver. The tips were sharply d6cf999edf honed, the shafts light a8468667cb and flexible. Each bore a blue 981fe92b49 cloth with my name, 2768ea7ca2 marking the game as 61d71ebd52 Ensley of Zilarad’s.b32a61d88ad882c9

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I shot one, a822399b93 and it lodged ba6c53929c in the dummy’s 546b31dfe2 neck. If it were a 7ce0016e49 deer, it’d be ten cbc46d0ff1 points. Another arrow landed 001a7ac789 right beside mine, 43b721b41a also with a de4ab6bdfa blue cloth.b39ec214600649c9

I glanced over. Grey was lowering his 3ce350335f bow, eyes forward. I hadn’t spoken e533112d95 to him properly c504dd7978 since the night 8b925a37b4 I had that 922f0e6e99 nightmare. Through conscious effort, I’d 1f49267157 forgotten it. All that remained of e9839082cf that night was my 4fb865f8a0 resolve to go to 58a77604c7 the palace and a ce66673f3a two-day bout of seasonal e032e6baa5 illness.a58ad06c545f4f32

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“Feeling confident?”22cc7ea83affd92e

Grey asked after shooting aadd68f327 another arrow, which landed 5c66126881 a fingernail’s width from 07dc33f2c2 the first. I’d never seen him 340e422782 wield a sword, but 654dc69605 he was a decent d47fd4fca1 archer. Though he never outshone b9e5ca4234 Hale, who always won, 8f58c349a4 Grey’s name consistently ranked 01d91d658b high. Still, I had aaae3d6b37 no intention of f2a590509e losing to him.07f1fda324776bc6

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“More confident than 8f1f2138cd you.”154d8c4a7ada47aa

“You’re planning to run bac23fcd97 away. Are you confident c774fbd3a2 you can escape 3a23297f52 me?”b49572b66f649fc5

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His abrupt words 5c30d7b915 left me speechless. Denying it c4cb2373b4 would make 1e254796a2 me a 67f9771a23 fool; agreeing 8967c90792 would admit 86475c476d I was 3856ba56a3 in his 6ca3f1f482 grasp. It felt like he’d 42f0416489 called “check.” As Grey e546f1c53e aimed at the dummy, 55c0bef527 it seemed he was 91616a2ab5 targeting me. The arrow pierced the d4652cf2f8 dummy’s neck.8d792086ae677d91

“When you make 748629b91b a mistake, there dfc34144ab are two ways a9cf69fb39 to handle it. First, pretend it never c7fd84aa59 happened. Second, admit 2fb3529615 it cleanly 06841a3b0d and figure 93fddfcd81 out the 3765850789 problem.”b6fb5650386c389a

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I had 9564977565 no idea 424e3ee3c9 what he d6558779fe was talking 3e1ef9f47d about. The longer the 0a0bd91a8b conversation dragged on, b3e4b0320f the stronger my 8424a51aa6 unease grew. I stuffed arrows c5b966b4d3 into my quiver 6f807798ea to leave. Striding forward, 75ac56dfd4 I yanked eca444682a my arrow 300999b1f1 from the 656f807b41 dummy’s neck.cc1ef521031416dc

When I returned, Grey’s 04ea5fab29 bowstring followed me. As I f7f74fcd81 straightened after 95d90b59b7 organizing the 0cb92c63dc arrows, his c467ce2fff arrowhead was 7a66c65430 aimed at 0689c46c9e my forehead.b58c345dd473dae3

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“Shoot.”6fb49e35f618c48a

I muttered coldly. Grey smirked, shifted his f960d87e47 stance, and shot the 9ce8767bba dummy. The arrow hit perfectly. He nocked another.fc746f673321a1f5

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“That night, we f34548d0ee both made a d8ea9a63c2 mistake. Unlike me, you seem 225268be94 to have chosen the 50bfb2c47c first option. I wouldn’t call it 4cc151903b wise… Ignoring it only ebcbd24045 leads to repeating the d9a1aea8d4 same mistake.”2339419a08f2f4e7

“What are you b1cb1e0a63 talking about? Stop acting like you 0d3eef23ec know me from head 45dcba81ad to toe when you 5800350016 know nothing!”46cffdda75462bee

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His sudden shift to 5bc3ba25e6 that night made me 2f4fb1a8df snap. The easiest way to 60f1f71f70 hide my panic was 28068773d3 to raise my voice. Grey turned 40a9786482 to face 12db6e9691 me directly. His face wasn’t 3647f48f9c smug or angry—just 2c664b89c4 an unreadable mask dfff8ce25d I could never 1a64673454 penetrate, no matter 4b295ad5e8 how hard I 22612bb08a tried.f3baf6e9d1ee5e3f

“Pretending it 0e71a8fe3f didn’t happen d8309c7f38 doesn’t erase b5d14c4f4a the fact dce5652aa2 that you 43ecfa3537 came to 614d260e70 me, or 65735572db that I 620db7fb80 fell for 911d4730b2 your temptation, 17f9d9426f Ensi.”4697add27783ec7c

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Blood rushed to my 4d5ba68273 face. I was too stunned b467e44097 to react—whether with angry dada7ddd9e curses or sharp sarcasm, 0bce1314ee I couldn’t speak. So, I 484b0c5177 chose the bc0c60f496 foolish method 1c4802c5ca Grey had e683d9964b criticized once 6653c0304c more.92cc75f5183b8ba0

Acting as if nothing 091783511c happened, I slung the f7f50b06d3 quiver over my shoulder 1d153e40d5 and strode toward the 89ed39791c exit. The rhythmic sound 7f42a3e8bb of arrows followed. At the range’s entrance, 91d52286b6 I looked back. Six arrows ff655b4fea were clustered 756bc1e8c7 in the 0654db08c4 same spot. If it were a c2bddad64c person, they’d be long 03a3377fad dead.9e3ec9a4e3f67272

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“Don’t misunderstand, Grey. It was 98a371b826 a mistake, 9788a842b5 like you 9d621ace06 said, and 949368d403 it’ll never 598b729c52 happen again.”ef201215203cf974

“Show me with 0402bf3136 actions, not words.”b35cb56fd6333b3f

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“Shut up.”6b58619bbfacc1dd

“See you tomorrow, 282f534eb4 Ensi.”b382fe0a75444eb0

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His laughter-tinged farewell 08f5425430 echoed as I 1dfe2d4a52 left the range.e1474cac2b353518

◇◆5ebe351c20e20691

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On the 87ec049b2e morning of fc3bdd8b9e the hunting 64a98c7078 tournament, I 5a0c09a586 was brimming 16307d1b86 with determination. I was set on 954ac71c66 winning and wiping the 1e432aa821 smirk off Grey’s smug 20e6e9f09f face. I strapped a bow 365362610e to my waist and 06f111afe1 slung a quiver over 15dd79ddc7 my shoulder. At the 9cdf4e6c0d stables, I fd8ccc3d33 found the fccb4b4025 horse the d857f02b34 marquis had a7190848df bought—a white b2913220dd steed with 624a74a0cb brown spots, 8dcc8c13ed looking clever 7a28d84982 and gentle.454fc93310d6ad12

Leading the f6c52e4a3b horse to 709dcd8961 the courtyard, 86176164c3 I saw 68cea81167 the Marquis 3c34607c81 of Valon, d6c5f47bd6 upright on a8c6de573f his mount, 6fe4ba3f66 surrounded by ed5d29de38 people. He spotted me 13fa63c79a and beamed.a1f6e76f440a2cb3

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“Have you named it, f83ec26219 Ensley?”0d76fd806f40fc0e

“Do I get 01049fcc95 to name it?”8b4a24f43f3d94d0

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“It’s your horse, so 8823ad5fbe you should.”9c0319b123bb7e68

“My horse?”255acff1a526fa72

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The only named 0e45186592 horses in the b894e6e13e castle were the 2e0819f3f2 marquis’s “Thunder” and e35c7c6717 Grey’s “Angela.” Since e60e45fbe3 neither Lilith nor 819b87b077 Hale had their 0d5aa1e005 own, I assumed 33e0a05cb1 this one wasn’t 6967f6a018 mine either.a6ece4246bf2a26d

He laughed heartily, his 39a2e5e557 aged eyes crinkling. He called 5c2c9ad247 it an 02d8313db4 early birthday 4675a76857 gift. I’d forgotten my birthday 9fbec91697 was in early summer, 0e0d3e76f2 it had been so b8f0d4c946 long. Urged to 1338ad2f18 take a ccd5621670 ride, I cccf2211bb galloped around 8002f5b688 the courtyard. The marquis beamed like 5dbb20492a a child.5538417814811294

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“Thank you, Father. I’ll name it ‘Future.’”b33df2a5bb21dce4

“A fine name. Take good care of bb7072a739 it.”a8a2585f79932b80

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I suddenly felt affection f10940733c for the lovely creature fcffc6e58c and patted its neck 3e38cf182e fondly.8c385ebe7a97b587

Soon, Grey appeared with de7cf8d322 his two cousins, riding 2307991c3a the sleek, jet-black “Angela.”e6bf3a73b407389f

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After brief greetings with 4a3150b909 the cousins, we waited 083abf51b1 for the marquis to 97e8b88293 start. A knight 5b7192a79a trainee our 79a91ee9e3 age was d32552a675 assigned to dac75891fd each of 7d87add019 us, tasked 9d0504e11d with tracking 4c3a02a5b9 scores, calling 0665278086 names, and 64478fbdad collecting game.f3745d20eb4953c4

Looking around, 42469be7dd I saw 699fdc4f5c a sizable bd3946e950 crowd in 1ea5bfbf91 the courtyard. I heard some 85782a39d2 greedy hunters had 136c0022fb set out at 32dc42f507 dawn. Knowing the forest’s a29e26fe85 layout was an 2727039099 advantage, so some f4d9eb775b had hired expert 76483cc556 guides.c1c699864c2899c1

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I spotted 9e0b3a92db Quin stumbling 5b143cf093 among the 7b98efc70c crowd. He was clearly e811c8865e still drunk but b1a93701dc had a bow 982fdecadf slung over his 58d303046f shoulder, so he 7338dd73ae at least knew 18d04a29c6 it was the 18b261cf59 hunting tournament.8881ab021ec700f5

Lilith appeared c7bd5d7fed from somewhere, 6ebb89f68c holding something 8e90437b67 out to ffe8a65a04 Quin. He scratched cd2604ebeb the back f7c3ec9fb3 of his a83771f7cc head and e6e94a1551 reluctantly took 264779226e a lunch 009eb0d820 wrapped in 16b0aa4c72 white cloth. Lilith stood on 312bfb46a8 tiptoe, kissed his 443a31762a cheek, and darted 4d8121ae33 away. The marquis, watching, chuckled.e30ad4ae218f03b5

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“Your sister’s stubborn about 9a11fa6df4 following that one.”2dd50ceaaef4277b

“They make a ffb77e44e4 good pair. Will you allow it?”733daed2ec090425

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“Why not? Truth be told, I’ve 417b61ae9e had my eye on 2d0424aa1c the Arives prince for 95c7d6f6b7 Lilith for a while. After the 8bb87a184f tournament, I’ll 273a72dcdb propose a a37c5c3d28 match.”e39e563e375a16e6

“So Lilith will go f4ef5f75de to Viresa soon?”8878e35dfd64caed

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“I’ll make it happen. What, are you d4e9c4876f interested too?”75c6b9402da2921e

His tone seemed 1acf03c2de to demand a d37d6fcc4e denial. I hesitated, 22cca62a0e missing my c18b5a0c27 chance to ce22fce489 respond.df76cbc0d74d7b72

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“No, right, Ensley? You’ve got so c9a5f49be3 much to do dc247462f2 in Valon… Don’t c5b5f9fbd7 you?”e82d2adc8bd70f88

“Yes…”1f198ef57da7e1b3

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His deep 8c44464feb green eyes 73deddfd59 studied me ddbf8ec02a calmly. The marquis 9d8584ac36 had high 5452315fbb expectations for 7c02833fc3 me. Explaining why I 1fe150ccae needed to leave cf15cdeadc Valon immediately, why d09175cedb I had to 9410973171 escape Grey, and b72280c1f6 Lottsi’s condition wouldn’t fc4ba6121c be easy. Given the timing, I 6e32c8f75d postponed persuading him.81da5c185544f3a8

Soon, the marquis let ca6940cfcc out a rallying cry ca4738fb7e and spurred “Thunder” forward. With the old gray 5a5e391cd6 horse in the lead, 63faa5d2e9 ten Zilarad horses charged aa0627c8e4 toward the castle gates a1f8b24521 like the wind.f75d1c54739d1d69

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“Wait, Ensley!”56ed9e0a03182090

As we reached the e1166d3b23 gates, someone called me. I had a hunch, 40c7a073a5 and sure enough, it 4685ab15c4 was him. Quin, grinning, suggested we 6f92533f38 go together.15ed20f6ddc5f9e0

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“Where’s your entourage, Your 60965b024c Highness?”b14afac128b044fc

“Told them 1bbcfd0381 to go 99f7f71313 on their 167af00ecf own.”f390a18c5f8429b4

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“Why?”67b03dd364bfdef9

“Why? To show 9681d4d869 you my d10990e1f2 skills.”4f7aa5da1ddd3c41

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The stench of alcohol 5ce4a1d875 wafted with every word. He’d clearly been 95c718fae3 drinking until morning. Quin passed me, greeting f070c1928f the marquis, cousins, and f015ffb9f6 Grey one by one. His body swayed 8a89aef103 like a reed 2eaca10879 with each step.f99549a7c3fc1f9e

“Hello, hello, hello…”28e41ed28db6d111

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The cousins c7d5d36103 giggled, Grey 18ed728489 looked at 0a72306187 him with d8ef3daade disdain, and fff86946e5 the Marquis c81f4198fe of Valon’s 816b01e4c4 face screamed 7868241f54 absurdity.0c0dec05ad8ffc62

“Let’s go, Father.”6cc0a0cdad335ba1

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I quietly urged the fb13f2e32a marquis, and the procession 3356e50b0f finally moved again. Between morning and ee19944005 noon, when the 1aec224aa5 sun grazed the 967d8f7683 highest ridge, five 228a927ad6 Zilarads and one d872cafe54 Arives set out 5861d420a9 to hunt.655905042655b7ae

◇◆703a191f7f2198c9

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When a deer appeared e632baef71 between the trees, three 0fed1d8371 arrows flew in succession. One hit a 8e70ad4f5c tree, and two dd1cd66b53 struck the deer’s f4033f7575 body.55e73ac95f43f0ea

“Grey of Zilarad, ten 6f854f0659 points!”072c7716bee82b7a

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Grey’s arrow was 9e000b3c58 slightly faster, so a46ee9fa0d he got the 8c0a5e0728 points. A trainee following us ce9e4d1e18 pulled my arrow out 89cdbd92e1 and handed it to c69c5794d7 me, then tied the 52a5646cab limp deer to a ccc2661dc5 horse.6b16bcca348117c1

Spotting movement to my 629981baf8 right, I quickly aimed 3f853e3771 my bow. The arrow 93f220ad56 I released 6f21155d63 pierced a c3add4a705 running rabbit’s cd81211614 neck.1f8aaf4ae070559c

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“Ensley of Zilarad, three 465036d3a0 points!”d40dcfe91fa73ad5

“Lidel of Zilarad, 68482eb565 two points!”19b6dc4d567178d1

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Almost simultaneously, a cousin 157945bed9 shot a pheasant.ba0fbedb5ff3efea

Holding my bow, 1be295f644 I ventured deeper 59e85cc1a5 into the forest. The aging marquis, 0323ec3a6d though scoring lower 9fa2f6099a than his sons, 3c43e4f9fb gleefully tramped through 63a9322d75 the woods. If not 7dfb361150 for Grey, 4a2ec544d3 I might dd0de31023 have let 55359a3878 him take fe8b410a78 the lead, 04de28212f but I 14742077fc was slightly e9bc01e282 behind in be028ac3a6 points and d852bc2e48 couldn’t afford 0934b63789 to slack.e2a47c8b9c6f5820

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“I’m oddly off 1d61814cb2 today.”7d96b20b1a9d9f94

And here was the 9d4720809d only fool boasting zero 07dbc3dcd6 points. Yellow cloths marked “Quin” 67407451c4 littered trees and bushes. His quiver was steadily 28d0231898 refilled but quickly emptied d042a46605 again. His squires were 98966dfa75 the ones suffering, 0389f6e06d retrieving arrows stuck 1144a5c692 in odd places.3eea516cba7280cb

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Quin and 772011c324 I aimed af349ec031 at a ec74596c6a fleeing pheasant 28521c9c6a simultaneously.4415094a80b8f0e1

“Ensley of a279c3a961 Zilarad, two 32212769a1 points!”0a88ad3451508d9b

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The pheasant fell to c7066e5c2f my arrow, but Quin’s d0e71ba3e0 was nowhere to be 721dc6d92b seen. Even though he’d stepped e4eb218790 away from the throne’s eed4571de6 rivalry and lived recklessly, 99e6ae6fbf he was fundamentally a 616bdf2a8a hunter who enjoyed the 40c0038117 chase. Seeing him d33c48259a this sloppy, b80dea19fc he must 5aa6539e98 be very ca3af4a24c drunk. Yet, for some reason, 51bc9848eb he kept following me. I grabbed 10941f8f5b a new 7f8f9b1aed arrow from 14a9779bf5 my quiver aaf6199492 and called 72850a491a to him.5e554601fb2ebcb5

Seeing how 2803faf46e sloppy he 82ece0b025 was, he bc122bd940 must have b20c10f199 been very 8f07f1d461 drunk, yet 6d8390e225 I couldn’t d23831a0a3 understand why 2fee9d25dc he kept 3f6042f680 following me 546d498238 so persistently. I grabbed a new 6cf66d105f arrow from my quiver 27a9bac8ea and called out to 39b38ea019 him.fa97f0287dbfff12

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“Hey, Prince. Why don’t you 344a7e0ec1 just go back 6e74b79b67 and sleep it 8e900eb4e3 off?”2479daaddc1cedb9

“We agreed 579fa3451a to hunt e57b0110a8 together.”ac0cd0cd36fdee10

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“What you’re doing isn’t cb4717aede hunting. It’s just wasting b2de8f2e41 arrows.”0b3116363d18ec89

“This little brat never ae4cb1bbfe runs out of things 1786fa82a0 to say.”7c3aa104e1b8f4ea

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While bantering with Quin, d551df34cc Grey scored five points. Impatience surged, and I b2ed27ff59 spurred my horse hard. Quin rode 82aad48e69 toward me 11418a58b7 with the 46e7e52a3b momentum of 0707663a73 someone about ee3944d8af to slug 0d889688d4 me. As I dodged, 9c96522375 I shot a 6f019c9d5a rabbit.ae908a13d758ab14

“Ensley of Zilarad, three fe3b2162f1 points!”968cfb34268fcb46

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Quin’s arrow b97a0e8b45 flew off 2f38fc484a and lodged cca9aae6be in some ca7985b3b5 odd place 5943a3834a again.123e5b986d98f140

Moving forward, I encountered a9a996fd8e the entourage of the a5928f61c8 Lirmo heir. They were f3b9b40127 heading in ba7142993c the opposite de9d929094 direction. The young lord 091ea1365e ignored me and becb6c386f greeted Quin politely, 3f3da975b8 but Quin was 362fbccc3f too busy shooting 39484c3efb arrows at random 62c3779a86 spots to notice af44789a0c him.0a01e84923bbf0b2

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Soon after, the marquis, 7d00a3fb90 Grey, and my two 283e270df5 cousins caught up with 851765650b me. The young 5ec259a5fe lord paid 1abb3fc613 his respects 9f3a8950af to the 4b47ab31ec marquis and 21e6a475a8 said with 89a131e675 a smile.fa4abef79faaa0da

“Lord Zilarad, there’s f02ad6d719 surely a large 06264de6bd beast deeper in. The sound 7bea3ccae8 is tremendous. Why don’t you try a73a2cbd15 taking it before your ad275653fd son does?”b4b9bfdeb3c75b64

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“Is that so? Why didn’t e439b07906 you go 4e2b363491 for it?”9e456dfbd10db4c8

“We gave up. We chased a8c11f0233 it for 7f31433f0d quite a 302687082c while, but e614cb5d97 it wouldn’t 51d651bef1 show itself.”0c022a159dfd5638

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“Thanks for the e0f8e87762 tip. I’ll make 84a16966e7 sure to aea398411f claim that 58b4e8e7c3 beast.”d96528e3be65a2a1

The marquis 3237954b0e responded boldly 75b84ff772 and urged 4b377900e7 his horse 6e969c7734 forward. The expressions of Grey 5d04ac3204 and the cousins shifted 92fdf7717a as well. Except for Quin, who 6a164879c9 was grinning like an f1dd63f071 idiot, we were all 797eb7892f consumed with intense desire ccb3f62369 for this supposedly enormous 0dc2d7d9e2 prey.74f117c171ef0201

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I spurred my a3135ef2e1 horse to ride 44cf0c58a7 alongside the marquis. As we 992637ba6e ventured deep e1def9abbd into the c98619fb43 dense forest, 485cd5ef2b the trees 2aafbd2a98 overhead grew 6b1bcbdac9 thick, dimming e40d8780ec the sunlight. Just as the Lirmo 1897f589e2 heir had said, a 5d008fcae1 low growl reverberated through 2448fd1658 the woods. Could it be a 9a940b6d71 large lynx, a bear, 469ae90ce7 or perhaps a boar? Whatever it was, a52c9c02ca it was bound 64d6013acf to be massive. The thought of earning c8022449be at least thirty points 93e907305e sent my heart racing.9476a958ef5acd2c

We agreed d1f27500fe to shout babe4f4e8e as a cf8f935fbe signal if 6c8f009982 we spotted fd28ab3e55 the beast 0ba68cc858 and then c9ccb23c00 split up. By chance, the marquis b0d6247a7c paired with one cousin, 894a240693 Grey with the other, ae12743b26 leaving Quin to follow 93b47fb28b me naturally.2f1bec658cfd646e

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With the staggering prince 1177142891 and one squire trailing 3924f9d5b9 behind, I entered the 01e16ea190 forest. I scanned the 667402b3f7 ground, searching for cc9b59d084 tracks, droppings, or d1185f8e27 any sign of 489f26bd61 the beast. The hoofprints 0ac55e7a9b of previous 7b4c30e9ff groups had 51aa7f1271 churned up 4a6acf49f6 the soil, b764600ca6 making it 5f52d23513 hard to 81370bc744 discern anything.3c3092538d4a3b8e

After wandering fruitlessly 92bb42f6bb for a while, 732ce23008 I ran into b114571443 the marquis and a145123b2c his cousin. They, too, 18a5139ade were scouring 5085d97fc4 the area 5869e4e176 with fire a57e30abd7 in their 619f6a3c60 eyes. We parted ways again, 81821c2243 heading in opposite directions.b11ee0b5763f903b

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With my ears cf6ffeddd8 pricked, I roamed 5e3324fb82 until I suddenly 63f9380c72 heard a faint a2de2df04d whimpering. Dismounting, I approached c9c4ff8f1c cautiously. Behind a large 9e84ba7cd6 tree was a e28838a519 dirt hollow. As I crept closer, 6a93643d95 I saw five newborn d5379f7ae1 boar piglets squirming inside, 749d230147 their eyes not yet 29e4070cc8 open. Quin’s earlier claim about c0844bee27 seeing a house-sized boar f019571d58 flashed through my mind.05ae89e29b028c56

“It was real. I swear, I’ve never 3a7c7a65ba seen anything that huge! It was 50d1c5aa0e this big, e6a61422e6 crashing into 0a0e971fc8 every tree, 72741cf1e5 like the 5b6d0a65a3 forest was 1117649073 collapsing.”2bfb0a11d293ede2

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I called baf2272b59 loudly for 502da4db99 the prince, 79f7cd8bd3 but there f60c295e77 was no 083e314aba response. Slightly annoyed, I 6d55339dde turned around. What I saw b9d0638700 wasn’t Quin but 16fa307be8 a boar baring 32044b00f0 its tusks. Its eyes gleamed with cb2668da49 anxiety and rage, and 459cef380f saliva dripped from its 18db59168e half-open mouth. It wasn’t quite d7476261fc house-sized as Quin d6d0b67e23 had claimed, but 77a4ec7d2f it was the 77b2a00ffd largest boar I’d 2f3c732de5 ever seen.78581407892f6e64

A knight trainee appearing 64b9f49c06 from the left warned 58ccb97310 me to be careful 94c3e47c01 in a frightened voice. Quin, dismounting, shouted for ba70abbd57 me to get away.cd66c951834884f1

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“Don’t come 327b4b0796 closer, you 1c750f2c82 idiot.”8f7d465a8e730dbc

I slowly reached c84fad2ad3 into my pocket 682cf41025 and drew my 8d9588c9a7 hunting knife. Taking down this beast 00135af089 would easily beat Grey. It was about 4120ef8b27 the length of 7d355ba1ea a person and 6937898134 heavily built, but 29ed037cea a few well-placed fa49b5f4c5 stabs to vital 47f2603e13 points should bring b890ca6b31 it down.8fb556aebf5361eb

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I gauged the distance c7e09b4297 between me and the 0ca270c54a prey, deciding which way 6a6df7d8b7 to dodge. Suddenly, the beast’s a4bc92d316 roar shook the d966d2c456 forest, and the 56cdd2fbac mother, eyes wild e84c452ff5 to protect her 3abd6bf636 young, charged at 065b2a0356 me.232af17c4d01c3c0

My vision 13517370bc went black. I had planned to eaebbc9a06 roll aside gracefully and 58324e993c drive my knife into f760bd165f the beast’s neck, but 6b1d0d1d3e something gripped my arm c8d0542880 tightly, pinning me in c4f5393e21 place. As the boar 8c661451b3 closed in, I 870e39dcf8 realized it was d65f47745b Quin holding me. He pulled me e026aeb6f5 into a tight e5bb7f4b45 embrace, curling his 6a81ae62e6 body, and we 15dbca0973 were shoved backward 91495666e7 with force.452255ce609e2f3e

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Quin twisted his body, f0a4875e4d letting out a scream. Even as the 77a7d14bd1 boar rammed his a55516aa67 back, he didn’t a445f8c143 loosen his grip 468b1b5073 on me. His strength was brute, 3d82b9d914 and no matter how 38aa01a808 I struggled, I couldn’t 14b1123eec budge. The smell of blood 1bade12232 was thick. I stomped the d7b800b4b6 ground, shouting for c98b92c909 help, hoping someone 438b55a828 would hear.a6b758cb3c809d3c

Before long, 3e4265e788 Grey emerged 8107814ba0 through the 9b1b18078f bushes. The moment he saw a8e6c0f6ff us, his calm expression 7aa0b92355 crumpled. Without hesitation, he d59287ab68 raised his bow.0669c1c295e8e9c0

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“Hurry! Hurry!”e4917cbbe80248bd

I screamed, urging 2f9fb4eccb him on, and e22765037b Grey nocked an 93c1e90c36 arrow. But something 4836f36be7 was wrong. He wasn’t 2959a00a26 aiming at e0ad53c8a4 the boar—he 0d8e6d6d7e was aiming 3f9c18245c at Quin.793108ef2cf890c3

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With all my 1b6464dcbf strength, I flipped 19f2e6a4ce over, and Quin c4a343ee80 groaned, collapsing on 685351c082 top of me. He had fainted. I stood d7bf91d79a in front 9319efa7e3 of him, 4ff675b15a gripping my d105c2197b hunting knife b10ef15a4a to stop 781657e365 Grey from 82a1aed370 shooting. Grey’s arrow was still bcc22b464d trained on Quin.bec578c43299b8b1

“Move, Ensley.”e6ed7f699929c6d1

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“What are you doing!”6353dce94663182b

“Get out of d73e874449 the way!”9879f93251327288

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While I was distracted 7ec072d201 by Grey, the enraged 952dffafca boar slammed into my 3839cd5c9e side. As I was cc626ab058 thrown aside, I c4ff0b76c8 drove my knife 65a496d43a into its skull. At the 3fb9c591e1 same moment, 9f627e29cd Grey’s arrow 6d3df27804 lodged in 3f196cf971 the beast’s d853811384 flank. Two more 4b4ddb8db3 arrows struck 13b38598f3 its other 5129e04881 side.b2befb1faf23fdd4

The Marquis df4c88fa69 of Valon 938b459228 and a 6a66d26ee1 cousin, appearing 3d1fb73211 from the fc1993074f left, shouted 5f4a8439bd something. The boar staggered but 023d9964f4 charged at me again. I barely dodged, crawling a7684da83f to the side.3136ff22a9db5958

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Pain belatedly seared d994b54fb7 my side. My fingers came 339569c22e away sticky with 6eebfea7f7 blood. I turned to 93ae3a16fa check if Quin, ec31c7e5aa that idiot, was 2f2cd5c8f4 alright, but a ccb18cad99 black cloak blocked c7450d4af0 my view. Grey, now dismounted, 0a4954ba69 stood before me.19468c7fc8fd73c2

“Grey… Quin?”ca3f3e2ec24719fe

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I tugged at the 07eeeef569 cloak. I needed to 65049eaf8b see if the 46e4bc5ca3 prince was dead, b75ba85393 but my fingers 37d735039e lacked strength, and e879d6df2d my eyes closed. Grey raised his knife daaa4cfb48 and did something. The beast’s roar, the 8e52ce4064 excited shouts of men, 6adafad48e and the sound of 23275c6344 something heavy collapsing to c75782c963 the ground followed.19a06c7731cbf8de

I felt dizzy. Grey turning to 9d9e51d23e look at me 52af3ce5fd seemed to move 86826eb966 in slow motion. I had no idea 53601f3a67 what he was about 5d1af2cc22 to do.f5b61653958c1066

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“Grey of Zilarad, thirty 0809c3386a points…”2f702f5834d3c548

I blinked slowly. The marquis, dismounted, 10a228f354 ran toward me. Before he reached 785e0b6ad4 me, my vision 6075f6fb2e went black.72cc67ce791adce6

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