Brea opened her mouth to argue, but Elvira cut her off, "You dont know what is going to happen in that arena. The fact alone that you are from District 2 means that you or Brannock have a very good chance of winning, not to mention your training and probable skill. That is statistics talking, dear."

Brea stared at her feet, her hands balled up into fists. Elvira wasn't saying anything she didn't already know.

Elvira leaned in. "And never, under any circumstance, do you say that you are going to die in that arena. Never."

Brea met her eyes, hoping all of the anger inside her would burn a hole into Elvira, perhaps even cause her golden hair to burst into flames. Elvira, however, calmly held her gaze. If Brea's malice was at all felt, she didn't notice it on Elvira's face.

Her mentor continued, "The quickest way to ensure you or your brother don't survive in that arena is to let everyone in Panem know you think you will die. I assure you, no sponsor is going to waste their money on someone who thinks they are as good as dead."

The room was silent, awaiting Brea's response. She didn't have to give one though, as she was interrupted by an announcer yelling, "Did you see that?"

Brea's eyes found the screen and saw she and Rena glaring at one another. The clip they were playing was of their conversation before the Reaping began. The screen was divided, one camera on her face and the other on Rena's. Though Brea knew they had to have been several yards away, they looked as if they were a couple of feet from their faces. The clip had been slowed down to show Brea's mouth saying, "Don't mess with me when it comes to my family". Though the words weren't audible, each one was distinctly seen and their collective message conveyed.

Corbinus placed a hand over his mouth to cover a smile as he turned towards Brea. Aureus turned towards her, a smile quirking in the corner of his mouth again. "That's more like it."

Brea stood, stunned. "I didn't know they were recording me. The Reaping hadn't even started yet."

"Being the top-ranked female in the district and the daughter of a victor earns you a camera as a shadow, Brea", Corbinus stated proudly.

"Lucky for us", mused Aureus.

Elvira smiled amusingly, still staring at the screen. "Whenever you open your mouth, it is going to be from that mindset right there. That you are going to live...for as long as it takes to keep your brother alive."

Brannock suddenly stood. "I'm going to bed." He marched out of the room, snatching up a bottle of white liquor on his way out.

Brea started to follow after him, but Elvira's hand shot out and grabbed onto Brea's wrist. Brea was shocked at how strong her grip was. When she met her eyes, Brea saw that the tattoos matched the bright gleam in Elvira's gaze. Her demeanor of a dainty, feminine woman made Brea forget that she was also a cunning, Games victor.

Elvira stated, "Let him go."

Brea managed to yank her hand out of Elvira's grip, but she stayed put. "Why'd you have to say that in front of him?"

"Isnt that why you're here?"

There was an accusation in her tone that made Brea wilt. It would seem her father's interference wasn't a mystery to everyone. In fact, he may have even orchestrated for the two favorites of District 2's victors to be her and Brannock's mentors. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility or his influence.

She replied stiffly, "He doesn't know that."

Elvira's brown eyes peered through her long lashes up at Brea, softening slightly. "I know. In fact, he's probably going to tell us to do all that we can to save you."

Her heart jumped. It was like standing in front of her father again, begging for her brother's life to be saved and hers sacrificed. Would her request be denied now like it was then?

Elvira's eyes remained steady on her as she continued, "We can't have it both ways, Brea. There can only be one victor."

"Choose him then."

The weight of her words jarred Brea and she fled from the room. She heard Aureus stand and call after her, but Brea just sprinted harder.

There was nothing that he could say that would ease the pain of knowing her days were numbered, that they would be spent acting like someone she wasn't, that the person she was trying to save might already be lost.

She felt trapped. There was nowhere she could go without a Captiol attendant being there, awaiting to do her bidding. It took bursting through three cars before realizing that that included telling them to leave. She did so in the next car and they quickly exited.

She paced the length of the car, sobbing and trying to catch her breath all at once. The walls were closing in, the air in the room was muggy, and no matter how much she flexed her hands, they wouldn't stop shaking.

She needed air, fresh air, that wasn't breathed by the same people who had entrapped and enslaved her to the Games. She pounded on a window with her fists, with a table leg she broke off, with a chair, but the glass fractures wouldn't release each other. They wouldn't release her.

She didn't hear the sound of the tranquilizer leaving the gun, but she felt it stick into her back. She screamed and yanked the dart out, but the medication was already taking its toll. Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees. She struggled to focus, her eyes trying to watch the blood seeping out of her busted knuckles. As she began to collapse onto her back, she felt someone catch her in their arms.

She looked up and saw three Peacekeepers looming over her, one holding a gun she vaguely connected as a tranquilizer gun. There was another face though, much closer than the Peacekeepers'. She had to squint to rid the fuzziness of the features, but after a moment, recognized Aureus' face a few inches from hers.

The Peacekeepers stepped back, but Aureus continued watching her with an expression she hadn't seen on him before. She didn't like looking at it because it made her feel sad, so she traced a small scar etched on the right side of his jaw. Her tongue felt heavy, and she tasted the salt in her tears, as she mumbled, "It isn't fair."

She was lifted up and was being carried away somewhere. She hoped she could stay in Aureus' arms, wherever they were taking her. They were strong and warm, surrounding her in what felt less like a cage and more like a safeguard. She nustled up to his chest and fell to the mercy of the medication before she heard him whisper into her hair, "I know."