Chapter Nine

1.4K 62 0
                                    

At night, Athena heard a light tapping outside her window

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

At night, Athena heard a light tapping outside her window. At first, she thought it was just her imagination, a branch hitting her window in the wind until the tapping continued. She cautiously slid out of bed and peered through her curtains.

Outside, the roads were soaking in a dim orange lighting from the old street lamps. One of the only things that survived the war on their street.

Athena glanced down towards the garden and saw Coriolanus. She felt her heart leap momentarily, more confused than anything. She did not even realize he knew where she lived.

Athena grabbed her robe and rushed out her door, down the hallway and towards the front of her house. She pulled the heavy door open with a harsh yank to greet the cold air. She still had her slippers on but didn't care about getting them dirty when she walked out onto her front step.

"Coriolanus?" she harshly whispered out into the darkness. To her right, she could hear the crunch of grass with every footstep. In a few seconds, Coriolanus's face came to light, his hand tightly gripping his bag with an anxious look. He was still in his Academy uniform, creating a pit in her stomach. What could've happened to the boy who hates her to seek her out?

"What are you doing here?" she angrily huffed, looking around in fear that her father may wake up and catch her out there with him.

"I need your help?" His eyes were wide, and his cheeks were flushed. Athena gripped her robe closer to her chest, feeling slightly underdressed under his icy eyes.

"With what? It's midnight." Coriolanus clenched his jaw, fingers nearly turning white from his grip. Athena never expected to hear the words from the blond boy's mouth.

"Sejanus is in the arena," Athena instantly felt the blood draining from her face, making her seem more pale than she already was, and her heart pounded rapidly. She felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs, leaving her at a loss for words.

"Did they put him in there?" she franticly asked, rubbing her collarbone in anxiety.

Coriolanus shook his head, swallowing harshly. "He went in there himself; Dr. Gaul asked us to get him out of there." Coriolanus lied. She had only asked him, but Athena didn't need to know that.

"Why us?" she asked in disbelief.

"Because we are the only ones that he would listen to." Athena swayed slightly, shifting her weight from one leg to another before nodding. She opened the door behind her and gestured for Coriolanus to come in.

"I need to change; be very quiet." The two made their way down the hallway and into her room. Her room was large, with her bed pushed against the right wall; she had a walk-in closet, a makeup table, and a large bookcase overflowing with books. Coriolanus couldn't help but stare at her luxury in jealousy. She had everything he deserved.

Athena undid her robe, leaving her in matching shorts and top set, and Coriolanus couldn't help but stare. He first tried to make it subtle but realized he had no shame. Her skin was pale, pale as snow; it seemed soft and fair. He watched her shoulder blades flex as she raised her arms to undo her silky hair; she had two strands wrapping around each other, creating soft curls when she pulled them apart.

When the Mockingjay Sings - Coriolanus Snow/TreechWhere stories live. Discover now