DOUBLE UPDATE!
Chapter One-Hundred-and-Thirty-Four; Electra
The first thing Stephanie managed to feel past her shock was annoyance, as she felt the presence of Frenkin loitering at her shoulder.
"Frenkin I told you to stay by the door!" Stephanie snapped sharply.
It was the first time she had ever spoken so harshly to Frenkin. But her sharp words were only born of the deepest concern and love she held for a boy she considered a brother.
It mattered little though, as Frenkin barely seemed to register Stephanie's tone of voice that she had never used before with him.
His small face was intensely focused as he edged forward, better to see the face of the stranger, recognition dawning in his blue eyes.
"Is that - ?" Frenkin began to ask when they jumped as the woman on the ground groaned.
Stephanie leapt back as she shoved Frenkin behind her, the knife held out menacingly in front of her. Stephanie wasn't sure how threatening she could seem with her hand shaking so badly though.
"What the hell? – Was I hit by a train?!" the woman whined as she struggled into a sitting position, raising a hand to gingerly prod the back of her head.
She yelped sharply, ripping her hand away to study her crimson-stained fingertips with a grim expression.
It was only then that she seemed to notice Stephanie and Frenkin standing in terrified silence about a metre away from her.
Her eyes travelled up them slowly, pausing for a moment at the knife clasped in Stephanie's hand.
"There's no need to be frightened," she said calmly, "I'm – "
"We know who you are," Stephanie interrupted, her eyes narrowing.
The woman looked back unflinchingly at Stephanie, deliberately ignoring the knife in Stephanie's hands as she got to her feet, using the back of the sofa for support.
Stephanie edged back some more, even though she was the one with the weapon, and her throat tightened as she saw the woman's face once again thrown in sharp relief by the light from outside.
"If you know who I am then why are you still pointing that knife at me?" the woman asked, taking a calculated step towards Stephanie.
Stephanie held her breath as her eyes widened in alarm.
"You broke into our penthouse, armed, in the middle of the night!" Stephanie accused.
The woman scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Broke in?" she echoed sneeringly. "How could I possibly break in? Have you seen the bloody security detail assigned to this building, especially with this farce of a trial going on tonight? And as for armed, if I remember correctly it was you who attacked me first!" The woman held up her bloodied fingertips emphatically as she winced again.
Stephanie frowned, her grip on Frenkin nor the knife ever lessening.
"Look can we just sit down before I bloody collapse and talk things out?"
Stephanie wavered uncertainly for a few moments but in the end she sighed wearily, lowering the knife.
The woman sighed exaggeratedly in relief, "that's better."
Stephanie frowned, "what are you doing here?"
"I thought it pretty obvious," the woman countered.
"Where's Haymitch?"
"Haymitch sent for me, told me to come directly here."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Alright Miss Bossy," the woman drawled sarcastically as she staggered towards the nearest chair and slumped into it. "Get me a first aid kit, some painkillers and a glass of water before I pass out and then we can explain things."
Stephanie pursed her lips in consideration, glancing down at Frenkin. Frenkin looked up at her shrugging slightly.
Stephanie moved then into the kitchen, Frenkin following her.
Frenkin watched silently as Stephanie fetched the first aid kit from the top cupboard along with the painkillers and filled a glass of water from the tap before marching determinedly back into the main room.
Stephanie arched a brow, as she set the items down on the table and the woman finished stuffing the rest of a cupcake into her mouth.
She frowned lightly when she caught Stephanie's expression.
"Don't give me that look; I'm starving. And what the hell were you two doing anyway; having a cupcake party?"
Stephanie scowled as the woman immediately knocked back two pills before finishing off the glass of water in one go.
"What the hell did you hit me with; a sledgehammer?" she grumbled as she popped open the first aid kit and sieved through it searchingly.
"I didn't hit you with anything," Stephanie corrected as she stood with her arms folded, watching the woman's every action shrewdly.
The woman glanced up and then for the first time her eyes landed on Frenkin.
"You hit me?" she directed her words towards Frenkin; her tone a mixture of accusation and surprise.
Frenkin turned a sickly colour as he nodded nervously.
But the woman only chuckled ruefully, returning her gaze to the first aid kit on her knees. "Who'd have thought I'd be knocked out by Tiny Tim?" She sniggered to herself and Stephanie frowned.
"Why are you here for?" Stephanie reiterated.
The woman gave a small "aha!" of triumph as she found the canister of spray that was used commonly to treat minor cuts and injuries. Stephanie had had the very same thing used on her when Ficen had cracked her one round the head at The Chandelier Rooms.
"Do you mind?" the woman said, looking to Stephanie expectantly as she held out the can.
Stephanie sighed as she accepted the canister and moved around the back of the sofa.
"Have the lights in here shorted out?" she asked, glancing between Stephanie and Frenkin.
"No," Stephanie answered.
"Well then would you mind turning them on. I'd rather you be able to see where you're spraying that stuff," the woman remarked sardonically.
Stephanie complied, moving to switch on the lights of the main room.
They all winced as immediately the room was flooded with harsh light that tore at their sensitive eyes that had become accustomed to the darkness.
Stephanie saw Frenkin hurriedly avert his gaze as the lights came on, not wanting to look at the woman's face. And really Stephanie couldn't blame him. She was only glad the injury was at the back of her head.
Stephanie moved forward again. Gingerly she brushed aside the electric blue strands of hair, wincing as little particles of glass became dislodged.
Miraculously the wound was not as deep as Stephanie feared it would be, as she popped off the cap of the aerosol can.
"How is it?" she asked.
"It won't need stitches," Stephanie replied, the surprise evident in her tone.
The woman snorted. "I have a thick skull and I'm thick-skinned," she remarked drolly, drawing a sharp breath over her teeth as Stephanie liberally sprayed the medicated ointment.
Stephanie replaced the cap once she had finished, using a tissue to wipe away the dribble of blood that had trickled down the woman's neck.
"This isn't exactly the greeting I had in mind," the woman said sarcastically as Stephanie moved around the sofa.
Frenkin was perched on the opposite chair silently, as he stole furtive glances at the woman before looking away hurriedly.
Stephanie herself took a rallying breath as she turned to face her.
The woman smirked seeing the horror reflected in Stephanie's golden eyes and knowing only too well what she was thinking.
"What greeting were you aiming for then?" Stephanie countered sarcastically, trying to keep her gaze steady.
The woman grinned.
"Well…nothing too fancy mind, something simple – to the point. Erm…let me see. How about this? – Hello. I'm Electra Hocol; District 3 86th Hunger Games Victor and your new mentor!"
Stephanie winced again as Electra tilted her head to the side slightly. Strands of her bright blue hair fell away from shielding her face.
Electra's skin was impossibly fair, eyes a sparkling shade of blue, she had rosebud lips and was quite frankly one of the most beautiful women one would ever see.
Or…at least half of her was.
For the other side of Electra's face was utterly ravaged. Livid red scars crossed the left side of Electra's face and neck, cutting deep, almost to the bone in some places, across the taunt skin. Her left eye was a foggy milky colour and drooped in its socket, staring out at the world unseeingly.
Stephanie swallowed; unable to help wincing in sympathetic pain but Electra merely smirked at the reaction she was causing in both Stephanie and Frenkin.
"When you two are quite finished cringing at my breath-taking visage…" Electra drawled sarcastically, a smirk lifting one corner of her lips.
Stephanie blushed as she lowered her gaze, wondering if she should apologise or not.
Deciding however, that Electra must be sick of people apologising and pitying her over the years Stephanie decided to hash on.
"Where's Haymitch and why has he sent you here?"
"I don't know where Haymitch is. He contacted me earlier on today, said he needed me to help mentor the tributes this year," Electra explained causally. "So…here I am."
"But you haven't mentored tributes in over…" Frenkin began to say before he trailed off, flushing embarrassedly.
Electra smirked in amusement. "in over five years, I know," she finished for him. "One year Haymitch just said to me that he would do it alone, said that he was responsible for these tributes and no one else. He took it real hard when they died and everything, but he was a stubborn mule; refused to let me help…until today."
Electra's gaze seemed to rest knowingly on Stephanie and Stephanie fidgeted uncomfortably in response. Because one thought burned hotly in Stephanie's mind at Electra's words.
Five years ago Seneca Crane had become Head Gamemaker.
And Stephanie comprehended perfectly why Haymitch wanted to mentor the tributes the past five years alone. Seneca had been killing the tributes to torture Haymitch and Haymitch wouldn't force anyone else to bear that terrible guilt but him.
Stephanie felt a sudden swell of love for Haymitch warm her heart as her throat tightened and she looked towards the window.
Please Haymitch just come back. I don't care if you don't want to speak to me…just come back, so I know you are safe. Stephanie blinked the film of tears away from her eyes as she concentrated on Electra again.
Electra was busily devouring another cupcake as she licked the icing from her fingers with relish.
"Damn, I love these things," Electra muttered gazing almost lovingly at the cupcake in her hands, "never used to eat the things. You know, keeping an eye on my figure and all that but now…what the hell, eh?"
Stephanie arched a brow just as she saw Frenkin try to conceal a yawn behind his hand in the corner.
Electra followed Stephanie's line of sight, "tired, huh?" she called to Frenkin.
Frenkin blushed as he nodded shyly.
Electra popped the rest of her cupcake in her mouth, chewing noisily before swallowing. "Better get some sleep then. Nothing more will happen tonight that it will make a big difference if you found out about it in the morning."
Stephanie smiled gently and encouragingly at Frenkin as she recalled just all Frenkin had done for her that night. Anchored her, risked his own life and saved hers.
"Do you want me to tuck you in?" Stephanie murmured quietly so Electra wouldn't hear, as Frenkin tripped past her sleepy-eyed.
He blushed, nodding minutely as he looked gratefully up at her.
Stephanie smiled softly before turning to Electra expectantly, "are you…?" Stephanie began questioningly.
"Oh, don't worry about me," Electra waved a hand dismissively, eyeing up another cupcake. "I'm going to stay up a while longer. You know…guard these cupcakes in case any more armed intruders break in," she finished with a wry smirk.
Stephanie rolled her eyes slightly, but Frenkin flushed scarlet as he determinedly and bravely approached Electra.
Electra looked a little surprised as Frenkin stood before her, staring resolutely at his shoes.
"I-I'm sorry I hit you," Frenkin apologised in a nervous voice.
Electra smirked slightly but for a moment while Frenkin was gazing at his shoes, Electra's gaze flitted to Stephanie.
Electra's shook her head in absolute incredulity even as Stephanie paled in comprehension of Electra's meaning.
Frenkin would be in the arena very soon, expecting to kill without mercy. But the boy before Electra now would be lucky to survive the first minutes of the bloodbath.
Stephanie gritted her teeth as Frenkin having given his apology scuttled back over to her. He looked up at her, grinning shyly, faintly proud of himself for having apologised as he pushed his oversized glasses up on his freckled nose.
Stephanie smiled faintly, feeling her heartstrings almost stretch to breaking point. How would she ever cope if Frenkin was gone?
Pushing back the thought though, Stephanie slung an affectionate arm around Frenkin's shoulders as she directed him towards the bedrooms. Trying desperately not to think that the number of times she would tuck Frenkin in at night were well and truly numbered.