Ella's POV:

"You can't!" I yell in furious outrage, hurling my words with as much hate as I can muster, directed at the disgusting form Setrákus Ra had adopted.

The Beloved Leader is reclined on a deckchair by the gigantic swimming pool in his palace courtyard, sipping a tall glass of martini.

He just smiles cruelly at me. "And what's stopping me? Little old you?" he taunts.

I am rigid with anger. Just a minute ago, Setrákus Ra had enlightened me to his new "brilliant" idea:

He would use the Eye of Thaloc (the golden cane he has) to transform himself into one of the tributes. He would then kill that tribute and participate in the Games, disguised as that poor tribute.

He'd then win the games, for sure. I mean, what untrained child has the power to defeat him? It would be a massacre.

Okay Ella, think rationally. I speak slowly, picking my words carefully, "The Starving Games is always filmed and shown to the public. If you impersonate one of the tributes, wouldn't their family and district know that something is off? I mean, you don't know that tribute's personality."

He nods slowly, musing. "Good point."

I feel my heart soar slightly, but what he says next sends it plummeting to the ground.

He's smiling, "But I have that covered. I've spent years monitoring and studying that child. I know exactly what that child is like."

I open my mouth in shock and disbelief. "You've planned this for years!"

Fury bubbles up my stomach and into my throat like acid. I am absolutely repulsed by him. But still force myself to calm down. Instead of losing my temper, I shall use him to find out information.

I try to sound as casual as possible, "So, who are you planning to impersonate?"

He curls his lip in amusement. "Nice try, granddaughter."

He then directs an order at my personal Mogadorian guard standing stiffly behind me. "Take her back to her room."

As I am steered back to my prison, I know what I must do. It's time to activate my most powerful legacy – telepathy.