Chapter 10: Jed

There are at least a dozen different dishes on the table, all piled high with food. Dad had always said that the Capital had eyes far bigger than their bellies and I see what he means, there's no way five people could eat all this, but Stella is certainly having a go. She's stacked something from every dish onto her plate, determined to try these strange new morsels. As a member of one of the richest families in District 7, my meal times have had a lot more variety than everyone else, but there are things here that not even I recognise.

"What is that?" I ask her as she shovels a small, round and orange thing into her mouth.

"Dunno but it tastes good", she muffles through a mouthful of food.

"It's mango; a kind of fruit", Cassia informs us, looking very displeased with the girl's lack of table manners.

As the plates are being cleared away Torey speaks up for the first time in hours.

"I think it's time we talked about tactics. Have either of you thought about what you're going to do in the Games or the stages leading up to it?" We shake our heads.

"That's OK; that's what me and Cole are here for: to help you come with tactics. But first you need to tell us what you can do. Are there any skills that might benefit you in the Games?"

"Have you ever used a weapon before, Stella?" Dad asks, seeming resentful that a first time mentor is taking the lead.

"Well...I use stuff like hammers and saws in Dad's shop. But you don't see them much in the arena; I don't see how that's of any use..."

"No, that's good. It means you've got enough strength to handle quite heavy tools and you know how to handle sharp blades. Anything else?" Torey asks.

"I'm part of the school's track team; I'm pretty fast. And Brendan said I could make my own weapons, since I have experience in that sort of stuff." She answers beginning to get into get into this.

"Sounds great. Resourcefulness is very important in the Games; as is speed" Torey comments again, sounding quite pleased that Stella isn't as much of an easy target as she appears to be.

"Shouldn't we ask them if they want to be mentored separately before we get into the details," Dad uncharacteristically snaps.

"They haven't requested to be mentored separately", she replied the slightest tone of steel in her voice. "From what I remember they have to ask to be separated."

"Whenever I've mentored I've asked..." I can see that Dad's prepared to argue and Torey doesn't seem like the type of person who lets you win arguments very easily, so I quickly butt in.

"Umm...I can handle an axe; I've used one a few times to help Dad chop firewood."

"He's pretty good at it too, he can lift it quit high and is very precise." He nods. "What about the sword?" He adds flashing a cheeky smile.

When Dad returned from a Capital visit when I was nine, he came home with a beautiful sword with an embodied leather handle. As he mounted it above the fireplace at home he explained it was given to him as gift and that I must never touch it. Of course when there no one else was around one day I took it down and started swishing it around, the way I'd seen a tribute do on TV the day before. I loved how powerful it made me feel and ever since that day I'd take in every move I saw involving this great weapon when the Games were on, then I'd sneak downstairs two hours before Mum and Dad woke up and practise what I'd seen in the woods at the back of our garden.

That is until one day three years later when Mum woke up to a loud smashing noise and came down to find me standing over the shattered remains of what was her favourite vase, sword in hand. After he yelled at me for what felt like an age about how dangerous and reckless it was to play with swords, Dad locked it away and I never saw it again.

"Well it's been a long time since I've been anywhere near one so my skills are probably a little rusty..."

"Oh, did Cole teach how to use swords?" Cassia chirps, intrigued. "Well I guess that's not surprising considering how much he used one in the arena. Oooh do you remember the time he was..."

"SHUT UP!" He suddenly shouts at her. Everyone snaps their necks round to face him. It looks like the memories of the Games have finally broken whatever was holding all his anger and frustration back these last few hours and now it's free to run wild. Cassia recoils in her seat as if he's just slapped her in the face.

"Cole, calm down, I know this is very hard for you but..." Torey begins, sounding a whole lot calmer than the rest of us.

"STOP IT! STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU'RE LITTLE MISS CALM AND COLLECTED WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING! BUT I'LL GIVE YOU ONE THING; YOU ACT LIKE A REAL SAINT FOR SOMEONE WHO KILLED THE ENTIRE CAREER PACK IN THEIR SLEEP!"

For a few seconds there's absolute silence as his words sink in. For a moment Torey looks shocked and a little hurt, but she soon patches up the hole in her invisible armour and her neutral expression is in place once again. She gets up without a word and heads for the door, not giving Dad a second glance until she reaches it.

"We've all had to do things we're not proud of, Cole. You of all people should know that."