Lumina was on her second session of watching District 12's female tribute run through simulations. She had left to look over fashion designs and had come back in the evening. She was now sitting with Haymitch, the first time they'd been alone together that day. She had changed outfits and was wearing an electric blue floor length gown.

Haymitch was watching her, but uncharacteristically said nothing. She did not know what to tell him. Katniss had impressed her. Tributes tended to fall into one of two categories, ruthless, or scared to death. Predator or Prey.

Katniss seemed to be neither. The word warrior came to mind. She could see why Haymitch and Cinna were impressed. And yet it very easily may not be enough.

"She's intimidated," said Lumina steadily, at the same moment she was sure of it herself, "She can adapt, but the situation makes her unsure of herself. You've got to snap her out of it before she goes into the arena. Then she'll have a chance."

"She doesn't know how to play the Captiol," answered Haymitch, adding to her thoughts.

"Do any of us?" said Lumina sighing, the day finally taking its toll on her. More and more she had to wonder if they were making any difference.

"Eight years since I went into the arena. Another crop of tributes going to their deaths this year. There's blood on my hands. And it hasn't made any difference. The only thing that's changed is me."

"You've done better than anyone else in your situation would have," answered Haymitch, staying seated as she half rose, bowed with her hands flat on the table. His eyes were intense, "You're better than they are, don't forget that. The decadent, self satisfied Capitol dwellers, who look on as others die and laugh or cry. It doesn't make any difference what they do. No matter what mistakes you think you've made, you're better than them because you've fought. Don't ever, ever, think you're like them Lumina."

Haymitch moved to rise, but thought better of it, determined not to touch her when she loved someone else.

Lumina shook for a moment and then sunk back into her seat. She thought she would cry, but managed not to.

"I don't think I can help her, Haymitch. Everyone is alone in the arena. If she doesn't know that yet, she'll soon find out."

"You don't really need my help," said Lumina, rising again and turning her back, "She may come out of this fine on her own."

"Yes," said Haymitch with a lump in his throat, "She may."

It was a long restless night for Lumina. Leaving Haymitch and Cinna and the newly met Katniss to fend for themselves was not something that sat well with her. She hated that all she could do was turn her back, look the other way. She felt as useless as Haymitch said the people of the Capitol were.

Perhaps the oddest thing about Lumina was that deep down she did not feel the hatred for the people of the Captiol that Haymitch and most of the rest of the resistance did. Even Zeus, who was born to one of the most elite families on the Capitol felt condescension and disdain for the Capitol populace. They were glued to entertainment, living shallow and ridiculous lives while ignoring the needs of others. That was all true, and yet, Lumina felt if she could only burst the bubble they lived in, if she could only break the spell they seemed to be under, the glamour world they worshiped, underneath it all, surely they were normal people like Lumina herself.

But Lumina manipulated the glamour world for her own purposes, she did it all the time, it was how she survived and how she hoped to start the push that would end the Hunger Games and the Capitol's oppression of the other districts. She wondered if it was really possible to end something like this from the inside, by manipulating it. There were times she wondered if she was becoming only a glamour herself.

And then Zeus came and reminded her that she was very much a flesh and blood being that could hurt like hell.

Zeus had not been happy about her visit to District 12's quarters. He'd beated her with his fists and with a stun baton that he'd favored. At least she had avoided her least favorite punishment, the Venomous Eel. And at least he had otherwise left her alone.

It was morning, and her bruises had already healed, Zeus had access to the most elite Capitol medicine. He was gone and she was grateful.

Lumina was still not sure why Zeus had been so unhappy about her visit to District 12. She'd have to try to get it out of him, no doubt he'd try to make up for the beating that night.

Chapter 6

Lumina got ready for her last engagement of the day, a fashion parade put on in honor of the Hunger Games. The tributes would not be attending; this parade was about what the stars were wearing for the Games. She was wearing a huge parrot feather ball gown and letting one assistant work on her makeup and another on her hair. She had been through all these preparations so many times that it was not distracting and she let her mind drift to her upcoming evening with Zeus.

When Zeus had first punched Lumina in the face, about a year and half after she'd met him, and about 8 months into their marriage, she had not thought much about it. When he'd presented her with the gift of an incredibly expensive blue sapphire necklace, touched her face affectionately, and said he couldn't believe he'd hurt such a beautiful woman in his anger, she had practically sprouted wings and flown around the Capitol.

Ever since her mother had died, she'd had one purpose to her father, volunteer for the games and strike back against the Capitol in retaliation for her older brother's death. He'd hurt her much much worse than Zeus had that first time and he had never, ever apologized, or given her a gift, or called her beautiful.

Her father had practically served her up on a silver platter to the Capitol, practically branded Sacrifice on her forehead.

As long as Zeus showed her affection and protected her, she didn't remotely care if he hit her or beat her occasionally.

But it got worse.

The first time he'd let the Venomous Eee bite and shock her with its poison as a punishment she'd thought she was going to die. It was worse than anything in the arena, or anything her father had forced her through. She'd thought that was impossible.

By now the eel, though incredibly painful, was almost normal.

In truth, if the rest of Zeus' behavior hadn't changed, she could've lived with the eel.

But his affection was wearing thin, it felt more like control. He was not kind anymore, virtually ever. He insulted her much more often than he complimented her. The gifts continued, she had a whole room of necklaces. But what did that matter?

He protected her though. He would not give her up to a cause. If anyone was going to kill Lumina Morn, it was going to be Zeus.

It looked like her death at Zeus' hands might be coming faster than she'd ever thought.

She'd been able to get the truth out of Zeus that night. As expected, he'd been in a somewhat contrite mood after beating her for what previously would not have been considered a wrongdoing. It turned out that President Snow was very displeased with District 12's female tribute and believed her to be a potential problem. She was powerful enough to survive the arena and she had already defied the Captiol by sending an arrow towards the Captiol elite sent to assign her bidding odds. If she won, it might mean trouble. Even if she died, depending on how, it could mean trouble. What she did, what she said, could inspire rebellion or at least resistance. So the Captiol was going to make sure she never got the chance.

Zeus didn't like his wife anywhere near the girl who had already been branded an enemy by Snow. It was far too dangerous for Lumina who was not only actually part of the resistance but was also a Captiol outsider and therefore more open to suspicion. That was why she had been beaten the night before. Not that it seemed fair or even logical, but Lumina was quite used to this by now.

What she also found out, was that Zeus had been asked personally by President Snow (who apparently didn't trust his game master) to ensure the death of Katniss Everdeen. Z eus had helped create this year's arena and plans for the Hunger Games. However, the way the contracts worked, once the Hunger Games started only the government could control them. Zeus could only leave things in motion and in the chaos of the games there was really no way for him to tell if a danger would kill Katniss Everdeen or another tribute or even no one.

With one exception, the starting platforms.

He would know exactly where Katniss Everdeen was and what would kill her. And even better, her death would immediately bring not sympathy but shame to herself and District 12. There would be no way of showing that she hadn't moved before the games started and therefore killed herself.

The brave girl would be not a warrior, not a victim, but a fool.

It made Lumina sick.

The Games started tomorrow. Zeus had already left, Lumina stared out the window of her very expensive apartment in the early hours of the morning and wondered if she had the courage to interfere with the fate that awaited Katniss Everdeen.