THE ACCURSED BLESSING

agers danced beneath the silver moon, he walked alone through the darkened wood

power? Why should she hold the key to prospe

dden Grove, a place where even the bravest hunters dared not tread. Leg

afraid. He was sear

had been sea

lithering, seeped

power, d

ely went to the knife at

ween stars. His face was obscured by a hood, but his eyes gleamed with unn

mured. "You envy the goddess's power. You believe that men

knife tightened, bu

you?" he

, his presence unnatural, as if

e for those who dare to seek more." He rais

his eyes. "What

ble." The stranger's voice was a whisper of rustling leaves. "Take her sacred breast,

eak such a thought aloud, yet this figure had lai

gain from this?" G

ough hollow bones. "I ask for nothing-only to see if

s was unthinkable... but so was remainin

, he n

what must

led into something that

are a feast and offer it to her as tribute. But mix within it the essence of

and produced a small vial

it without

the stranger whispered. "Cut away the so

e trees, and in the next in

e in the dark, cl

in his life, he f

d not waste

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