𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓵𝔂 - (𝓕.𝓞𝓭𝓪𝓲𝓻)

13.

vol i
☼ chapter thirteen ☼

The evening had been quiet. Theia had finished the soup she had been gifted, eating as the anthem played, with only the picture of the boy from District 10 to accompany it. She knows that perhaps she should feel a sense of remorse for her actions, but as guilt creeps in, it is overpowered by the anguish she feels over Milos death.

In order to win the games, she would have needed to encounter the boy eventually; she just made sure it was on her terms this time.

With the competitors reduced to a small number, the Gamemakers proceed with their usual agenda at this point in the games, attempting to draw the tributes together to incite bloodshed.

The sound of blaring trumpets wakes her. Theia is unsure of how much rest she has truly managed to get. Her body had been exhausted from the exertion of the day before, and her thoughts allowed her a sparing moment of peace, just enough to revive herself.

Claudius Templesmith's voice booms down from above, congratulating those that remain and inviting all to a great banquet at the Cornucopia. There was no way of knowing what truly waited for them—whether it was worth the risk at all. It was completely possible that there would be no feast, only small rations, which they were expected to fight over.

Perhaps her decision was an obvious one. That she should not take the chance of attending. After all, the current survivors included four careers: the two tributes from District 1, Jasper and Pearl, and the two from District 2, Cassian and Lucia.

Theia would be vastly outnumbered if they were all there waiting, eager for her to arrive so they could finally wipe her out.

They were unlikely to have broken off their alliance at this stage. It was something that she had never truly understood about the careers—how they could fight alongside each other for days, form a type of bond in the face of danger, only to have to kill each other in the end. Granted, it was advantageous at the start, and it certainly was to Theia; they had killed off the majority of the tributes. But surely, the longer the games go on, the harder it must be to accept that only one of them will emerge victorious.

The final place is made up by the male from District 7, whom she remembered vividly from training. He had been extremely gifted with an axe. She didn't particularly want to face him, regardless of her belief in her own abilities.

Theia's food supplies were running low, sure, but she knew she'd be able to survive off of other sources. Besides, she had taken the boy from District 10's pack after he had died, providing her with some more rope, a roll of thick aluminium wire, a first-aid kit, and a tin of crackers.

And yet, there was a part of her that felt she ought to go. If not for the provisions, then to scout the state of her competition. She knew she'd be able to conceal herself well, keeping a safe enough distance to not alert anyone of her presence.

Making up her mind, she gathers her belongings and begins the long walk towards the centre of the arena. The six of them had to be reasonably close to each other in order for the supposed feast to be held this afternoon.

~

Her guard is up throughout the journey, not knowing what she could come into contact with or who.

Spirits ought to be running high in District 3, with the end so near. Rarely is there anyone to root for at this phase.

With the Cornucopia in her sights, Theia camouflages herself carefully in the underbrush. There  is no sign of any of the others yet, though she's sure that they're all positioned close by.