I enter the Justice Building to meet with the other victors before the actual reaping takes place. Apparently, I'm the last one to arrive, because I see Cliona giving me a somewhat hateful look.
"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "My brother…came to visit…and-"
"Don't worry about it, Aury," Mags says. "Come and sit. We were just discussing some things."
"Like what?" I ask as I take a reluctant seat between Cliona and Caspian. "Like how the rest of you don't want to mentor this year, so you're going to make me do it?"
"Uh, yeah," Cliona says, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "You about got it, princess."
I scoff at her and shake my head. "I don't know why I have to, anyway," I continue. "I'm not even a legitimate victor."
"Got that right," Cliona comments again. "I don't even think you should be allowed to stay in the Victor's Village, seeing as you didn't really escape that arena. You were taken from it."
"Cliona, please, be nice." I hear the soft voice of Annie Cresta speak. Annie and I had actually known each other for quite some time before I competed in the 67th Games. We were more like acquaintances than friends, but now, we were actually very close. And for some reason, I felt a bit protective of the poor mad girl. I guess she felt the same way about me.
"Cliona," I hear Mags say assertively. For an old woman in her eighties, she sure has a voice. "If any one of us here is a victor, it's Aury. She's been in two arenas, almost killed on multiple occasions, actually been killed more than once, and she's only twenty one. So shut it."
"Mags is right," Caspian says steadily. "Aury is the bravest of us all." I turn my head to see him grinning at me, trying to be seductive. I roll my eyes- not out of amusement, but out of annoyance- and focus my attention back to Cliona.
"Alright, fine," she hisses.
"Now, back to business," Mags says. "Aury, sorry, but, you're mentoring this year."
"Joy," I exclaim sarcastically.
"Along with Finnick," she finishes.
"Makes it a whole lot better, right?" I glance across the table and see Finnick grinning at me. I can't help but grin back and nod.
"So, are you okay with that?" Mags asks.
"I guess," I shrug. "It could be worse." I look at Finnick and wink. He grins back seductively.
"Okay, then." Mags claps her wrinkly hands together. "Time to go."
I wait for the other victors to leave before approaching Finnick. "Hey," he greets.
"I don't want to mentor," I tell him straightforwardly. "And, no offense, just because you're mentoring with me, doesn't make it any better."
"Come on, Aury," he says easily. "You've done this before."
"Yeah, and I didn't enjoy it," I remind him. "Can't you just mentor alone?"
"Oh, what fun would that be?" he coos.
"Uh, it wasn't exactly fun before."
"You'll be fine. Just do what you always do. You have great mentoring skills."
"Might I remind you that none of my tributes have ever made it back?" I cross my arms.
"Neither did any of mine," he counters. I groan in frustration. "Come on." He takes my hand and we walk out of the Justice Building together.
As we step out into the light, he kisses my hand and takes his seat next to Mags. I smile and sit next to Annie.
"Hey, Annie," I say cautiously. "How are you?"
For some reason, she laughs. I laugh along, for her sake. "Fine," she replies absently. "Just fine. I'm not complaining."
"Good," I say. "Good."
Bella Blume mounts the stage, still looking as ridiculous as she ever has. She's sporting a bright yellow, puffy, frilly dress with a wig that's just as yellow. Her skin, however, looks as if she spent too much time in the sun and got horribly burned. I shake my head at her.
"Welcome, welcome," she says. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." A few people in the audience cheer.
The film from the Capitol comes on. I don't bother to watch. When it's over, Bella trills about how wonderful it was, then dunks her hand into the girls' reaping ball. "Naomi Irvin!"