150 NINTH ECHORE

Not that she's nervous. Perhaps excitement is supposed to feel like this.

She's excited, too. She worked so hard for this, spent hours training, days enduring her father's snide remarks and lazy attitude, and now it might finally come to an end.

Naya Illumina doesn't intend to die in these Games. She is confident that she'll win.

After her conversation with the President, she's even more sure of herself. At the time, she'd figured it would be uncouth to mention her ploys without holding a proper meeting, and she also just wanted to get a feel of who the President is.

He seems nice enough, though perhaps a bit inexperienced. Vulnerable.

Naya sighs, tearing her gaze from the crystal depths of the water. It's not the ocean, but it's still water, and Naya is sad to leave it.