A/N: Before I start this, I'd like to let you know that this is a very weird chapter. In the first place, the plot follows a structure I've never tried before, which was an interesting experience. I wrote it in lots of little pieces and then strung it all together, so if you think it feels kind of clunky I can't say I disagree. But it's been a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy!
Ajax Mathers from District 2
Victor of the Fifteenth Annual Hunger Games
Charmian Brood, a young man from District 1, watched nervously as the gloved hand entered the glass ball. The room drew in a collective breath as the name was read aloud. But this was not the reaping. This was a different ceremony entirely…
Head Gamemaker Marcellus Chamberlain passed away a month before the start of the fifteenth annual Hunger Games. The Capitol declared a period of national mourning for a week while they paraded his corpse around Panem, forcing the civilians of the districts to celebrate the man who had devised the deaths of their children for fourteen years.
Immediately, eyebrows were raised as to who would receive his inheritance. Marcellus died with no children. Most of his other family members were shocked to learn that he had not bequeathed a single dollar to any of them. No, Marcellus Chamberlain had not left his inheritance to the family. He was a man of the Hunger Games, and he'd worked up an elaborate plan to make the games even more thrilling.
Marcellus ordered that twelve young people (called "Patrons") be selected: four from the Capitol, four from District 1, and four from District 2. Charmian Brood was one of the people from District 1 tasked with being a Patron. Now, the escort was randomly selecting which of the Patrons would be assigned to which district during the games. Once the games were over, the Patron over the winning district would win Marcellus' money.
"The Patron for District 1 this year will be…" The escort paused for a moment, just to draw out the tension. "Atticus Gath, from the Capitol!"
The young man named Atticus roared with delight, sharing a high-five with his friends. Atticus was a brash young man who was nonetheless fiercely loyal to the people he cared about. Charmian never bothered to talk to him; he wasn't terrible approachable.
No wonder Atticus was so glad he'd been assigned District 1. Their chance of winning the games – and, therefore, Atticus' chance of winning the inheritance – was superb.
The other three Patrons from the Capitol: Cassius Luther, the man with the beefiest chin Charmian had ever seen; Bacchus Paxton, a sweet boy who seemed a little too nice to be true; and Rio Frost, the child of some wealthy business conglomerate who had no-doubt bought his son's way into the Patron team.
District 1's four Patrons were a pretty varied team. Other than Charmian himself, there was: Fragrance Mulligan, a girl who smelled like an entire flower garden on fire; Perfect Parsons, the young man who thought he was the center of the universe; and Sephora Grant, Charmian's girlfriend. Sephora, the girl who was kind and caring and hot to the touch. In Charmian's opinion, she was better than all of the other Patrons combined.
Finally, there were the District 2 Patrons. There was Quarry Danforth, the rather unattractive kid with a squeaky voice. Orson Brutus, the quietest of the bunch. Charmian had no idea why the mayor of District 2 had selected Orson to be a Patron. Maybe he had some hidden secret that made him an attractive candidate. Or maybe just a rich daddy. Also from District 2: Antonia Sanchez, the edgy teen who was nonetheless a pretty fun person once you got to know her; and Cato Harriot, the guy everyone hated.
The escort grabbed another piece of paper from the reaping ball. The air was even tenser this time. Which of the Patrons would be assigned District 2, the strongest district of them all?
"The Patron for District 2 will be… Charmian Brood!"
Charmian's heart leaped into his throat. His girlfriend Sephora let out a scream and pulled him toward her, planting a kiss on his cheek. His face grew hot as he slowly pulled away, savoring the resentful looks of the other Patrons. District 2! His chances of winning the inheritance looked better than ever.
After all twelve Patrons had been assigned a district, it was time for dinner. The Patrons shuffled out of the room, walking excitedly (or hopelessly) through the halls of the mansion in which they were all being housed/imprisoned. In the dining hall, Charmian sat with the other Patrons from District 1: Fragrance, Perfect, and, of course, Sephora.
"So, what districts did you all get?" Charmian asked. "I sort of forgot."
"I got District 7," Fragrance said. She looked pretty hopeful; District 7 had more victors than any other district in Panem.
"District 8," Perfect lamented. Charmian thought of the pictures of Districts 8 he'd seen; rows and rows of factories, smoke-filled skies, smoggy streets. It seemed like a terrible place to live. No wonder their tributes so rarely made it far in the games.
But Sephora had gotten the raw end of the deal. She'd gotten District 11! What rotten luck! The district of scrawny, underfed kids who always died in the first ten minutes.
A bolt of sympathy suddenly seized Charmian, and he wished he could trade places with Sephora. Take rotten old District 11 in exchange for brightening her day.
"Try to keep your hopes up," Charmian said, sweating a little. "Every tribute has a chance."
It was a pathetic thing to say, but Charmian was not exactly a boy who spoke eloquently.
"That's easy for you to say," Perfect said spitefully, savagely taking a bite out of his dinner. "You got District 2!"
Sephora laughed a little. "At least we're not Bacchus Paxton. He got District 12."
Everyone turned toward Bacchus, the Patron from the Capitol who'd been assigned the poorest district in the entire country. Charmian couldn't blame him for looking dreary. His chances at winning the inheritance seemed slim to none. That was a shame, because he really was a good kid.
After they were finished eating dinner, they watched the reapings on the massive television screen at the head of the cafeteria. Dead silence fell over the room as the Patrons leaned forward, getting their first look at the tributes who determined whether they won Marcellus' fortune.
District 1 provided their classically beautiful pair. Atticus, their Patron, leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. It suddenly occurred to Charmian that Atticus had one of the most punchable faces he'd ever seen.
District 2, the district Charmian was in charge of, provided two strong careers. The girl, Tindra Logan, was big and stocky and rather masculine, which was definitely promising. The boy, Ajax Mathers, was even more intimidating. Standing at least six feet tall and rippling with muscle, he would undoubtedly be the strongest tribute this year.
A grin crossed Charmian's face. He'd never thought of himself as a lucky person, but this was undeniable: he was fortune's favorite.
After that, he didn't pay much attention to the reapings. The only other impressive tribute was Mako from 4, a muscular kid with bronze skin and sea-green eyes. District 4's patron, Rio from the Capitol, accepted his friends' congratulations with a smug look on his face.
Things weren't looking very good for Sephora. Her district, District 11, provided a starved-looking girl named Bloom and a boy named Liose who was literally missing an arm.
"That's all for tonight, Patrons," said the nameless peacekeeper who was in charge of maintaining order in their mansion/prison. "You may go your separate ways now. In due time, you'll be given more details as to attracting sponsors and managing your tributes' sponsor funds."
Charmian thought of Ajax and Tindra, his sturdy career tributes. He'd have no problem gathering sponsors for them. Once again, he remembered Sephora and crappy District 11. Maybe, if he won, he'd give her some of the money. That would be fair, right?
But the Hunger Games were not meant to be fair. And the entire Patron system (with Patrons only coming from the Capitol and the first two districts) was the last thing from fair.
The peacekeeper let out a cough and then continued his spiel. "Breakfast will be held tomorrow at nine o'clock as usual. Tonight, you'll find full details of the tributes and Patrons on the bulletin board. Sleep well."
True to his word, there was a sheet of cardstock mounted on the bulletin board. The Patrons were crowded around it. Charmian forced his way through the crowd and eyed the list, trying to memorize which district each Patron had been given.
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES
District 1 (Onyx and Esme)
Patron: Atticus Gath (From the Capitol)
District 2 (Ajax and Tindra)
Patron: Charmian Brood (From District 1)
District 3 (Gord and Celly)
Patron: Antonia Sanchez (From District 2)
District 4 (Mako and Tidessa)
Patron: Rio Frost (From the Capitol)
District 5 (Drill and Lexie)
Patron: Orson Brutus (From District 2)
District 6 (Ahenobarbus and Mara)
Patron: Quarry Danforth (From District 2)
District 7 (Barker and Folia)
Patron: Fragrance Mulligan (From District 1)
District 8 (Weaver and Dolly)
Patron: Perfect Parsons (From District 1)
District 9 (Ezra and Esther)
Patron: Cassius Luther (From the Capitol)
District 10 (Kine and Sylvia)
Patron: Cato Harriot (From District 2)
District 11 (Liose and Bloom)
Patron: Sephora Grant (From District 1)
District 12 (Del and Sia)
Patron: Bacchus Paxton (From the Capitol)
Charmian gripped the wine glass so tightly that his knuckles were white. Outside the window, the mountainous terrain of District 2 rolled past.
The entire District 2 team was lounging in the roomy train car. Tindra looked somewhat less intimidating than she'd looked at the reaping. Maybe the light was hitting her differently. Or maybe her attitude had changed in the past few hours.
Ajax hadn't changed a bit since he first took the stage. Through casual conversation, Charmian learned that he'd been living at the academy ever since he was twelve. A steadfast classic career. Charmian found it rather fascinating to learn about District 2's academy. From what Ajax told him, it was generally more brute-strength-focused than the academy in District 1.
Other than Charmian and the two tributes, there were two other people in the train car: Tisiphone, an older lady who served as the escort for District 2; and Tyrell Crowley, the only living victor from District 2. Charmian suddenly thought of Lancaster, the District 2 victor who was assassinated less than a year after his victory. It was an unpleasant thought: going through hell and back to win the games only to meet your end eleven months later.
"How much have you heard?" Charmian asked, trying to keep the stale conversation going.
"About what?" Tindra asked.
"About the Patron system."
Ajax shrugged. "We've just heard the basics. Apparently… if one of us wins, you get something?"
"Pretty much," Charmian said. "Before Marcellus died, he ordered the leaders of the Capitol and the first two districts to pick twelve people. We've each been assigned a district. And if one of our tributes wins, we win the fortune."
"Why didn't they give us a Patron from District 2?" Tindra asked, accusingly. "You're from… what, District 1?"
"It doesn't make any difference. We're all in this together."
On the edge of the sofa, Tyrell Crowley let out a groan. He was drunk. As far as Charmian could see, he wasn't one of the flat-out alcoholic victors, but that didn't mean he stayed sober 24/7.
Tisiphone sighed. "Wake up, Tyrell."
The man stirred somewhat, blinking hard to clear away the sleep in his eyes. "What?" he muttered.
"We'll get to the Capitol in less than an hour. Make yourself presentable, please."
Tisiphone's tone was urgent, but it didn't sound rude. She was too classy to ever sound rude. Charmian couldn't say the same about some of the other escorts he'd seen.
As Tyrell stumbled into the bathroom and Tisiphone ran to fix her makeup, Charmian carefully looked over his two tributes. Tindra clearly had quite a temper – and, by the looks of things, Ajax was quieter and more solitary. He could work with this.
"What weapons can you use?" Charmian asked. He figured it was worth getting to know this information right away.
"Sword better than anything," Ajax said. Oddly, the tone of his voice said so much about his personality. Confident but friendly. He was sure to go far.
"And you, Tindra?"
She just crossed her arms. "Why should I listen to you?"
"Because I'll have full control over your sponsor money once you're in the arena."
That made her stop and think. "Alright," she conceded. "I really like throwing knives."
In the bathroom, Tyrell made a noise that sounded suspiciously like vomiting.
"Good thing Tyrell isn't our mentor this year," Tindra said, wiping a sweat from her brow.
"You'll make a great mentor," Ajax agreed.
"Not mentor. Patron," Charmian reminded him.
"Oh, of course," Ajax said, his lips curling into a slight smile. "Patron."
Charmian wasn't enjoying this train ride very much. He'd already been driven from the Capitol to District 2 in order to meet the tributes. Now, they were just carrying him back. District 2 wasn't a very pretty district to look at. What a District 1 thing for him to say.
He slid into his room and started to change into his Capitol clothes. His mind churned wildly as he thought about Ajax and Tindra. Should he try to help both of them, or focus on one tribute to guide toward victory? Secretly, he liked Ajax a lot more than Tindra. Probably because he wasn't so sassy. But Tindra was the last thing from a weak tribute; something told him that ruling her out would be a big mistake.
Then there was District 1 to think about, and their Patron, Atticus. They would be fierce rivals, no doubt.
But for now, it was best to focus on District 2, on his own tributes. He remembered Bacchus, the Patron for District 12, and he suddenly felt a lot better about his chances. And what about Sephora? His best friend in the world, given two misshapen little kids to work with?
The glittering Capitol lights came into view, and he took a moment to relax, thinking dreamily about Sephora and candy and sponsors.
The next week was a blur. As soon as the train arrived in the Capitol, Ajax and Tindra were carried off to their hotel suite in the training center. Tyrell and Tisiphone followed after them, but when Charmian tried to follow, he was blocked by a peacekeeper.
"They're my tributes," Charmian retorted.
"Sorry, sir. Just following orders. All Patrons must report to Lounge B immediately."
Lounge B, it turned out, was a semicircle-shaped room where meetings were held. Throughout the rows of elevated seats, there were little nametags instructing the Patrons where to sit.
Charmian skirted quietly into the room. He was one of the last Patrons to arrive. He slipped in between the Patrons for Districts 1 and 3, Atticus and Antonia, and stared nervously at the old man seated on the elevated stage. Could that be…
"President Cornelius," said the peacekeeper who'd detained Charmian back at the entrance. "All are in attendance."
The doors were pulled closed and the lights began to dim. As the president began to speak, Charmian thought of Ajax and Tindra and his chances of winning Marcellus Chamberlain's fortune.
"Good afternoon, Patrons. My peacekepers have promised you further details concerning the sponsor system this year, and I intend to deliver."
He spoke just like Ajax. Confident but polite. Maybe even a little condescending.
"When the games arrive – not yet, mind you, but when they do arrive – you'll each be entrusted with a tablet. You'll use this to distribute sponsor money to your tributes."
"This year, sponsors will use real-world money to pay for 'points' that you can use to help your tributes however you deem fit. The number of points needed to buy various objects will increase drastically as the games progress, so don't get too confident."
A total silence fell over the room. Perhaps, Charmian thought, each of the Patrons was trying to decide which of their tributes they prized more. That was to say, which would be the first to receive food and other support once the games began.
"Until then," continued the president, "we encourage that you interact with your tributes as much as possible. You'll be able to visit their suite in the upper floors of the training center twice a day. Also, if you choose, you'll be allowed to speak on stage with them during their interviews."
That was the end of the president's speech. He dismissed them with a cry of "may the odds be ever in your favor" and then they were free to do whatever they wanted until the chariot rides.
As the Patrons paraded out of the room, Charmian wondered for the first time exactly what the mayors were looking for when they chose the Patrons. To his knowledge, he had been handpicked, not chosen by lottery. They were all on the wealthier side, by the looks of things. But that didn't say much. Most people in Districts 1 and 2, and of course in the Capitol, were financially stable.
"Charmian!" a sweet female voice shouted.
It was Sephora. She leaned in for a kiss, but Charmian pulled away. It felt so wrong to kiss her in front of the president. Sephora's face wrinkled a little, floored, but she made a quick recovery.
"I saw your tributes. Liose and Bloom. I'm…" He trailed off, unsure whether it was appropriate to apologize for the awful hand she'd been dealt.
"Sorry?" she suggested, completing his sentence. "Don't be. At least it isn't District 12."
Charmian strained his memory, trying to remember the District 12 tributes. Del and Sia. Two kids so skinny it seemed like a heavy wind might blow them off their feet. Their Patron, Bacchus, must have already lost all hope of inheriting Marcellus' wealth.
That night, Charmian thought of home. As far as he'd ever been concerned, he was a normal guy. Any day now, he was planning to sign up for a laid-back factory job making gold items. But then he'd been chosen to be a Patron and his life spiraled off the rails.
Ajax and Tindra did nothing but please him for the next week. They made a splash during the chariot rides, wherein they were dressed in tasteful suits of armor spray-painted to look like worn stone. Their swords and boots added a nice touch, Charmian thought. In training, they both earned tens. That was Charmian's final warning he shouldn't only focus on Ajax. Sure, Tindra could be bothersome, but she'd still be a strong competitor in the arena. And if Ajax died, she'd become his lifeline to the grand prize.
On interview night, Caius Flickerman wore a bright orange suit that reflected the mood of the audience. Charmian made an effort to play to both of their strengths, emphasizing Ajax's ability to play a crowd and letting Tindra make a few ominous statements that helped cast a fascinating atmosphere over her interview.
When the interviews were over, the Patrons piled into the corner of the green room, trying to stay out of the way as avoxes and stylists rushed to and fro.
"It's Charmian, right?" someone said.
It was one of the Patrons from the Capitol. He must have been around eighteen, with dark brown hair and the kinds of eyes that make women go crazy.
"Yeah," he said. "Charmian. And you're Rio, right?"
Rio nodded. "You're the talk of the town, did you know that?"
Now that he mentioned it, Charmian had been the subject of a lot of stolen glances the last few days.
"They're jealous of you," Rio said. "Charmian Brood, Patron over District 2."
Charmian instantly got the impression he was being manipulated. Flattered. And it was working extremely well, because Rio had a fantastic way with words.
His face got a little hot. "That's enough about me. How have your tributes been holding up?"
He shrugged. "Mako's fantastic. They love him and I know he'll do great. Tidessa is… not so promising."
"Tidessa," Charmian murmured the name quietly. "I wonder what district she's from."
Rio chuckled. "That's District 4 for ya. They give their kids crazy names."
Fragrance and Perfect passed by, chatting up a storm. Charmian took the opportunity to break away from the group, wanting to get a good night's sleep before the games. He left the conversation unsure what to think about Rio. He was a great guy, handsome and likeable and smart. But his gut instinct told him that Rio was not to be trusted.
His mind raced ferociously that night. He fell asleep thinking about Sephora and the other Patrons from District 1, Fragrance and Perfect. His dreams were short and scattered; fractured memories of the life back home he'd temporarily left behind. Finally, he dreamed that Ajax turned into a bridge, spanning the distance to a huge pile of gold.
Charmian had never heard silence quite this loud. The twelve Patrons were crowded in the basement of the presidential mansion, anxiously watching the enormous television screen where the games were being displayed. The Patrons were arranged in three rows: Capitol in front, District 1 in the middle, and District 2 in the back.
Sephora gave Charmian's hand a quick squeeze. The tension in his chest lightened a little, but the nervous energy still buzzed around the room like a deafening humming noise.
The most dreary Patrons were Cato and Bacchus; Districts 10 and 12. Sephora was being surprisingly optimistic despite her bad deal, which helped cheer Charmian up. If Sephora could toughen up through this, then so could he.
"Weeeelcome to the moment we've all been waiting for!" Caius Flickerman roared. "The fifteenth annual Hunger Games!"
Caius took a quick drink of water, seemingly not wanting to lose his voice given all the yelling he'd been doing.
"Before we begin, let's recap the special twist happening this year. Our late head gamemaker, Marcellus Chamberlain, has outlined a spectacular change-of-rules this year. Instead of being mentored by the past victors, this year's tributes were mentored by a select group of young men and women from all across Panem!"
That line, all across Panem, wasn't true at all. But, Charmian thought, showing blatant favoritism on public television probably wasn't a good look.
"You've heard enough of me talking. Let the games begin!"
The next instant, the cameras showed a sweeping aeriel shot of the arena. At first, all Charmian could make out was a swath of brown and orange. It was an autumnal forest, he soon realized, with towering trees covering the hilly landscape. The cameras showed juicy apples hanging from some of the trees. The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves. Deep enough for plenty of mutts to be hiding out of sight.
The countdown started, and the editors showed rapid shots of the tributes. Charmian caught a few glimpses of Ajax and Tindra, standing strong and steadfast on their pedestals. Good. He was so preoccupied with looking for Ajax and Tindra that he didn't even bother to look for Sephora's tributes before the horn sounded.
The Patrons all held their breaths as the tributes surged forward. Ajax and Tindra quickly armed themselves; Ajax grabbed a sword while Tindra clipped a belt of throwing knives around her waist. Tindra threw her first knife, and Mara from 6 was dead before she even knew what had hit her. Mara's Patron, Quarry, stirred uneasily in his seat.
By that point, the careers from 1 had assembled. Onyx and Esme both favored spears, by the looks of things. Onyx attacked Gord from 3, skewering him through the neck like a shish-kebab. Gord's district partner, Celly, stopped dead in her tracks, horrified at the sight of Gord's thrashing body. Esme threw a spear into her chest, ending her life.
The District 3 Patron, Antonia, gasped with horror. Her friend Orson tried to console her, but it was no use; less than twenty seconds in and she'd already lost her chance at winning the inheritance.
Sure enough, Ajax proved to be a steady killer. He knocked down Barker from 7 and Dolly from 8, much to the chagrin of Fragrance and Perfect. Barker was dead almost instantly, with Ajax cutting him to ribbons with his deadly blade. Dolly was finished off by Tindra, who landed a throwing knife expertly in her neck.
Five tributes down. For the next minute or so, the kills stopped coming in as quickly. Drill and Lexie from 5 both died; Drill speared to death by the pair from 1 and Lexie killed by Mako from 4.
"This is some bullshit!" Orson Brutus shouted, storming out of the room. He was the Patron for District 5, Charmian remembered.
By the time Orson was forced back into his seat, three more deaths had occurred: Sylvia from 10, killed by Ajax; Ezra from 9, killed by Esme; and Bloom from 11, killed by Mako (who was armed with a spear and fighting ferociously).
At Charmian's side, Sephora's hand shivered with fear. A gasp escaped her lips as she watched her girl bleed out on the screen, blubbering like a dying fish under Mako's watchful eye. Surprisingly enough, Liose had escaped the bloodbath by this point, slipping quietly into the forest after scooping up an orange pack with his single hand.
When he saw Tindra lying lifeless on the forest floor, Charmian jumped so hard that he nearly broke the chair. The cameras showed that she'd been killed by a gang of tributes from the higher districts: Kine from 10, Liose from 11, and Del and Sia from 12. They'd teamed up to take Tindra down and eliminate competition early, and they probably would have killed Ajax if Onyx from 1 had not sent them scattering.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Well, well, well!" Caius Flickerman cheered. "Eleven tributes dead!"
The cameras showed the corpses of each of the fallen tributes. Stabbed, bloodied, torn. Even though he was from District 1, Charmian had to admit it was a revolting sight.
"But that's enough of them," Caius continued. "Thirteen tributes are still alive: Onyx and Esme from 1, Ajax from 2, Mako and Tidessa from 4, Ahenobarbus from 6, Folia from 7, Weaver from 8, Esther from 9, Kine from 10, Liose from 11, and Del and Sia from 12!"
Antonia and Orson, the two Patrons who were now out of the competition, were pulled out of the room. It was an ominous spectacle.
"I'm sorry, Sephora," Charmian whispered, remembering Bloom's screams as she died on the leaf-strewn forest floor.
Sephora said nothing, just squeezed his hand tightly.
Onyx, Esme, and Ajax paraded around the cornucopia, putting things in order. Onyx and Ajax sorted the supplies while Esme organized the food. She started organizing the rations, which Charmian had to admit was a smart idea. There was enough food in the horn to feed three tributes for five days. That exact knowledge had to be worth something.
The outliers mostly ran for their lives, scattering aimlessly across the arena. The cameras mostly followed Mako from 4 as he made his way through the foliage, staying in the densest areas of the forest for shade and shelter. Folia from 7 was another character of interest. She scurried up the trees like a squirrel, collecting the apples with no trouble at all. She spent the entire day feasting on the sweet-looking fruit and then came to a stop at the bottom of a steep slope.
The tributes that had ganged up to kill Tindra had split into groups as they left the bloodbath. Kine from 10 and Liose from 11 walked together, wordlessly wandering through the woods. Del and Sia, the pair from 12, proceeded similarly.
"I can't believe it," Bacchus Paxton celebrated in the front row. "They both survived!"
But his celebration was short-lived. Half an hour later, Del and Sia tumbled into a hidden pit full of snakes. The speakers came alive with the noise of hissing as the bright-green serpents injected the coal miners with their deadly poison. Bacchus buried his head in his hands, mourning the loss of the grand prize.
The process was the same every day. The Patrons were forced to sit in the stuffy room for hours on end, given only short breaks for snacks and lunch. They were dismissed at nine at night and expected back at six in the morning. On the second day, they were given tablets with which to manage the flow of sponsor presents to their tributes. Of course, Charmian had the most points. Countless Capitolites were willing to open their wallets to sponsor Ajax: the charming, classy kid who killed like it was second nature.
On Day 3, dehydration deaths started raking in. Esther from 9 was so thirsty that she was literally crawling through the forest, her eyes spinning wildly as she gasped for help. Her Patron, Cassius Luther, didn't have nearly enough points to send her water. He was helpless as he watched her gradually stop moving entirely.
Mako made the next kill. Rio had used his sponsor points to send him a pair of wicked-looking hunting daggers. Minutes later, he saw Liose and Kine moving quietly through the trees.
Sephora seized up, leaning her head on Charmian's shoulder. He was too terrified to feel affectionate as he watched Mako pounce out of the evening shadows, tackling Kine like a wrestler. Kine fell under Mako's daggers while Liose ran for his life, moving as quickly as he possibly could with only one arm. By some miracle, he managed to escape.
"Do you think he's safe now?" Sephora warbled when the cameras showed Liose traipsing clumsily eastward.
Charmian didn't know how to answer that question. No one was ever safe in the arena. She had to know that.
Through it all, the careers continued to be the most threatening tributes. Folia was resting quietly in the bough of a sturdy apple tree when she saw the careers moving underneath her. She let out a gasp of horror, and the careers looked upward, grinning with glee.
"What do we have here?" Onyx mused, passing ominously back and forth under the branch where Folia was roosting.
Ajax couldn't be bothered to play with his food before he ate it. He targeted Folia with a few throwing knives (taken from Tindra's dead body all the way back at the start of the games) and then finished her off using his sword.
"Eight tributes left!" Caius sang. Each of the remaining tributes flashed on the screen: Onyx and Esme, Ajax, Mako and Tidessa, Ahenobarbus, Weaver, and Liose.
There was a fire two days later. It was far too wild and uniform to be natural; this was clearly a trick of the gamemakers. Weaver was its first victim. He was snoozing contentedly on the forest floor when the smoke washed over him. It was a quick and painless death.
"I hate this!" Perfect screamed, thundering out of the room.
Ten minutes later, Onyx was dead. The careers found their path blocked by a fallen tree trunk. Esme and Ajax crossed it before it could catch fire, but Onyx was trapped as the flames covered the suspiciously flammable wood. He was literally roasted to death, and Charmian squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch as the boy from 1 slowly died.
Esme and Ajax were the first tributes to reach the cornucopia. They were soon joined by Ahenobarbus, who was an easy victim for the career tributes. BOOM! Five tributes left.
"Yeah!" Ajax celebrated, turning toward Esme for a high-five. But Esme just opened her eyes wide and fell to the ground, a dagger lodged into her back. Standing behind her were Mako and Tidessa, who must have allied earlier that day.
Ajax leapt into action immediately, slashing open Mako's torso with his sword. Just like that, Mako was dead. Tidessa quickly followed suit, screaming with pain and fear when she felt the bite of Ajax's deadly weapon in her gut.
In the front row, Rio deadpanned, "I am quite shocked," which Charmian thought as an understatement.
The eliminated Patrons were led out of the room – now, only Charmian and Sephora were left.
"I love you, Sephora," he said, leaning over to kiss her on the lips. The thought suddenly crossed his mind that they might be on camera. In fact, they probably were.
The back of his neck burned with embarrassment, but he couldn't resist as Sephora kept honeying his face with her lips. It was almost enough to distract them from the games. There was no way Liose could defeat Ajax. She had to know that.
And, sure enough, Ajax was declared Victor the next morning. A group of snake mutts drove Liose to the cornucopia, where Ajax was waiting for him. He was utterly helpless as Ajax killed him in full sight of every person in Panem.
Was that it, then? Ajax was the victor, and Charmian the winner of Marcellus' fortune? That rose so many questions. Was this a one-off thing, or would the Patron system continue every year?
For now, Charmian decided, he couldn't let himself worry. He would allow himself to celebrate Ajax's victory. He would allow himself to revel in the sweet, sweet victory.
Almost immediately, the microphones were shoved in his face. He had plenty of nice things to say about Ajax, but they all sounded so fake coming out of his mouth. Was that really all this was? A competition for money?
He suddenly wondered about all the secret politics that went on with the gamemakers and the stylists and the careers. Could you pay for the academy to select your student as the Hunger Games volunteer? Did the gamemakers really believe in killing children, or were they just in it for the cash?
Charmian never got to speak to Ajax again. As far as the Capitol was concerned, his job was finished. They gave him the money and then sent him on a train bound for District 1. The train station in the capital city was so much colder than he remembered. So much less welcoming, with its steel rails and cement platforms and shadows that loomed over the tracks like ghosts of the fallen.
The President of Panem, Marcus Cornelius, was a disturbingly congenial man. You'd expect the man who overlooked all Panem to be some withered, snake-like man with glowing yellow eyes. But all Ajax Mathers saw when he entered the president's study was a friendly-looking old man with a twinkle in his eye.
"Sit down, Ajax," Cornelius said. "Make yourself comfortable."
For the past week, Ajax had spoken with his fair share of government officials, but nothing could compare to a personal conversation with the president of Panem.
"President Cornelius," he stammered. "It's an honor."
The old man smiled. "The honor is entirely mine. Congratulations on your victory, Ajax. I admired your resilience."
"Thank you. In District 2, we all admire you too." Ajax figured it couldn't hurt to lay the flattery thick.
"I'm glad to hear that," Cornelius said, without the twinkle of enthusiasm he normally spoke with. His mind was clearly on other things. "I've summoned you because there's an important conversation I'd like to have. Can you keep a secret, young man?"
"Anything, Mr. President."
"The Hunger Games don't work without the victor." That was all he said at first.
"Sir?"
"I'd like to ask you a question, Ajax. What is the purpose of the games?"
Ajax blinked hard, taken aback by the president's query. "To punish the districts for the rebellion."
"That's only part of it," the president said, "and this is where the secret comes in. The Hunger Games are meant to intimidate the districts."
"They're very intimidating, Mr. President."
"I'm glad you think so." Cornelius paused for a moment, thinking. "But I'd still like to explain what I said earlier. The games don't work without the victor. What do you think that means?"
Ajax bit his lip. "I'm not sure what it means."
"It means that the victor and the other tributes maintain a delicate balance with one another. The victor – you – triumphs, and in exchange, all the others fall subservient. The same way the Capitol triumphed over the rebels fifteen years ago."
Ajax gave voice to a sudden, whimsical thought. "Is this where the Patron system comes in?"
"You are clever, Ajax. The Patrons, those who have only recently escaped the claws of the reaping, directly contrast those who were unlucky enough to be chosen. Or, in your case, lucky enough to be the chosen volunteer. Not that you succeeded only by chance. I'm sure the academy was impressed by your strength. The Patrons give help to the tributes. The Capitol gives help to the districts…"
"I'm still not sure what you mean, Mr. President," Ajax interjected, a little too suddenly.
"…and the perfection of the system must be maintained," Cornelius finished. "A perfect balance. An eye for an eye – or, rather, a monetary prize in exchange for a victory. It is a crucial law of nature."
"This country isn't nature."
"It is glorified nature. All human civilization is glorified nature."
If he hadn't seen Cornelius' lips move, he would not have believed that he'd spoken those two sentences. Perhaps, Ajax thought, even more went on behind the scenes of the government than he could ever comprehend. That was how the Hunger Games were meant to make him feel. That was their purpose.
"I see you get my meaning," said Cornelius. "You are dismissed."
Ajax got to the door, but turned suddenly around. "Mr. President?"
"Yes, Ajax?"
"What happened to Charmian? And the other Patrons?"
"Oh. How silly of me to forget," Cornelius said. "Charmian is relaxing comfortably in District 1 with his vast wealth. The other Patrons have all been executed. After all, there can be only be one winner."
Ajax's heart stopped beating.
"I'm… I'm shocked, Mr. President," he stammered.
"You are not the first. You are dismissed, Ajax."
Ajax thought of Charmian's girlfriend, Sephora, and all the other Patrons. All dead. Suddenly, it didn't seem like the winning the games was such an honor after all.
"You are dismissed, Ajax!" Cornelius barked.
The peacekepers found Ajax in his hotel suite a week later. His feet swung left, then right, his body spinning in circles as his tongue lolled uselessly out of his mouth.
List of Victors
District 1 (2 Victors): Luxor Dodge (1st), Citrine Whitacre (9th)
District 2 (3 Victors): Tyrell Crowley (3rd), Lancaster Percy (6th), Ajax Mathers (15th)
District 3 (1 Victor): Lumen Orlaith (12th)
District 4 (1 Victor): Mags Flanagan (11th)
District 5 (1 Victor): Electra Wilty (4th)
District 6 (1 Victor): Jaguar Stratton (7th)
District 7 (3 Victors): Rowan Dobson (2nd), Willow Merrick (13th), Ebony Merrick (14th)
District 8 (1 Victor): Georgio Bronte (8th)
District 9 (0 Victors):
District 10 (0 Victors):
District 11 (1 Victor): Bluebell Singer (5th)
District 12 (1 Victor): Canary Roselock (10th)