¹ THRONE ─ the hunger games

[ 011 ] watch my back

WHEN THE ELEVATOR DOORS OPENED TO THEIR apartment on the second floor, Enobaria and Evander were seated on the couch with Alex's stylist, Rhea, their conversation halted as the two tributes stalked in. They hadn't spoken one word to each other since they left the training centre, and even then, Iko had been avoiding Alex as much as she could get away with. Since dinner wouldn't be for another hour or two, Iko beelined straight for her room as Evander asked them how training went. Alex gave him a quick answer she didn't catch as she stormed into her room, the electric buzz in her veins from finally grounding herself in the thrill of so many weapons at her disposal—the familiarity of a blade and the destruction it could wreak in her hands—fading in the lonely tomb of her room, the white walls erect and the marble floors chilly and the furniture sharp and cold and Capitol-expensive. It didn't matter what she thought of training. They'd ask her again during dinner.

Before the silence could get too comfortable, the sound of her door bursting open right behind her had her snapping round, muscles wired for a fight. Alex shut the door behind him. Internally, Iko cursed herself for not locking the door before he could get in. Resentment burned in her gut when she had to back up a couple steps as he advanced, already too close for comfort as he glowered down at her sternly. He had her cornered in her room, and she didn't like that. Didn't like feeling trapped.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes flashing with the sparks from something that was malfunctioning, dangerous, white hot, and raw with power. No matter how golden, the sun was still made of fire.

"What the hell was what?" Annoyed, Iko dug a finger into his chest and pushed until he let up a little distance between them.

"You couldn't even stand to pretend to be able to work with me for at least fifteen minutes before running off like you couldn't stand the sight of me?"

Iko let out a humourless laugh. "Just because we're friends doesn't mean I have to appeal to your ego all the time—"

"This isn't about my ego or our friendship!" Alex snapped. "I get it, y'know? I thought we were way past this, but apparently not. You're still angry with me. If we want this to work, we have to be a unified team. We can't afford to let anyone think otherwise. Have you forgotten what the Academy taught us? Plus, it would look better if I want to get full control of this alliance. I need my partner to actually have my back. Especially if Titus keeps questioning the functionality of our team. You've done nothing but jeopardise the plan."

Lips curling into a snarl, Iko met Alex's incendiary glare with a flinty stare. He was right. She was angry. Angry because it wasn't supposed to be like this. This was supposed to be easy. And now that he was here, it wasn't so straightforward anymore. Between them, their anger festered like the honey-thick heatwaves in the summer, grew limbs and claws and teeth sunk into their skin, a third occupant of the room they couldn't ignore anymore. But Alex was right about the other things too. So far, all she'd done—all she'd promised herself she wouldn't do—was take her anger out on the wrong person. It wasn't him she was angry with, per se. In truth, she didn't know who she was more angry at. All her life, just like all the other kids growing up in District 2, she'd been raised to believe the Capitol was her friend because they favoured her district the most. But the truth was, they weren't any less disposable. And now that Alex was here, she was beginning to see it. The reason she couldn't stand to look him in the face was because she knew he was going to die. How would she be able to face his family? His family, who have inducted her as an honorary member. Who gave her the affection she was missing from her mother.

Shame was a tiresome flame in the back of her throat. She hadn't been acting like the Career tribute she was raised to be because of one flaw in her plan—one flaw that couldn't be repaired. Somewhere along the way, she'd forgotten herself. She'd forgotten her place. This wasn't the behaviour of the girl she had perfectly carved out, the girl whose shadow had teeth, the girl who was the right kind of monster. This was the behaviour of a child who didn't understand what was at stake. She'd let emotion rule over rationale today, prioritised the wrong things, let her emotions run unchained, and she had to salvage what she could. If Alex was meant to take leadership of the Career pack, then she would have his back every step of the way until it was time to dissolve the alliance.