17

"Why'd you do this?" Marvel's voice startled Prim. He'd been sleeping for a few hours and she didn't expect him to wake so soon. It was almost dark and she watched the sky, anticipating the anthem to see whether or not it was Rue who Cato killed earlier this morning.

Peeta jumped to his feet at Marvel's question. "No talking."

Marvel glared at him. "I'll do what I want. Your little friend won't let you kill me, so your threats mean nothing." He turned his gaze back to Prim. "So, why'd you do this?"

Why did he ask? Wasn't it obvious? "You were injured."

"Because of him." Marvel jerks his head toward Peeta. "Why'd you try to stop him? What am I to you?"

She straightened her spine. "A person."

He growled and then sucked in a breath, clutching his wrapped shoulder. When he caught his breath, he lay flat on his back, but his words were clear. "You're going to die then."

Did he mean she'd die in general? Or did he mean—gulp—that he'd kill her? "I know."

A humorous laugh bubbles from his pain-tensed lips. "Freak."

"Get some rest," Peeta snapped, stepping between Prim and Marvel. "We're moving on in the morning, whether you're feeling up to it or not."

"What makes you think I'll go with you?"

Peeta shrugged. "Fine. Don't."

Prim grabbed his sleeve. "He has to. That is a big wound and infection might set. I need to keep it clean."

"We can't stay here just for him," Peeta said under his breath. "Otherwise he'll start thinking he can control us."

"I'm going to kill both of you!" Marvel's shout echoed through the forest, startling some mockingjays.

"Shut up." Peeta kicked dirt his way, then rounded on Prim. "Can I gag him?"

She stared at Marvel. Would he really kill them the moment he could move? Maybe gagging him would be best. Maybe they should leave him behind.

"Don't you get it?" Marvel said. "If I'm loud enough, my team will come for me. And then they'll kill you."

When Peeta spoke next, it was with eerie calm. "Oh, really?" He took a step closer to Marvel. "It's hard for me to believe Cato would want to save a wounded tribute who's not even from his own district, who's weaponless."

"Cato has control of the cornucopia. He'll give me whatever weapons I want." Despite the bravado, Marvel's voice wavered.

"Or—" Peeta's speech was deadly soft and he stepped even closer, "Cato will just slit your helpless throat and get one tribute closer to the win."

Prim had never heard Peeta talk like this. Threatening. Creepy. Angry. Did she know him at all?

Abruptly, Peeta straightened and his voice returned to a normal, nonchalant, afternoon-tea tone. "But, whatever. If you have that much faith in the bloodthirsty Career tribute you met only a week ago, then by all means, call him. Then you'll be off our hands." Peeta looked around the forest as if curious. "Actually, I'll call him for you so you don't have to risk tearing open your wound. Cato! Cato! Oh, CATO!"

"STOP!" Prim shrieked, clamping palms over her ears, but not before she heard Marvel yell the same thing.

Hands gently pulled hers away and Peeta whispered so only she could hear. "I'm sorry. Trust me." Then he turned to Marvel. "You want me to stop? Did you change your mind?"

"Just shut up, pretty boy. Okay, so I'm at your mercy, but don't think I won't kill you the first chance I get."

"I'd never think that." Peeta walked to the river, filled the tiny eight-ounce water bottle, and held it up toward Marvel. "Thirsty?"

Just then, the anthem began. Prim pressed her hands together and held them up against her lips, watching the sky. A face showed up in the sky.

Not Rue.

It was some girl of whom Prim hardly took notice, whose district number she couldn't even remember. "It's not Rue."

"I'm glad, for your sake." Peeta tossed the water bottle to Marvel, then started scooping dirt out from under an over-hanging boulder. The gap beneath it was wide enough for two people. "We'll stay here one night and then find better shelter. For now, I'll take first watch. Make sure this idiot doesn't try something stupid."

Peeta didn't need to call Marvel names. It'd only make Marvel hate him more. But maybe it was an act. Prim knew Peeta—he wasn't a mean person. Maybe, because he knew Marvel was drawn to the leading type like Cato, maybe Peeta was trying to act tough. So Marvel would respect him. The more Prim thought about it, the more it made sense to her.

Prim scooted into the space under the boulder. "Keep an eye out for Rue, too, while you're awake."

"I will."

Prim let out a sigh. "I wonder where she is."

"Here I am!" Up popped Rue from behind a boulder at the river's edge, sporting a half-shy half-mischievous grin.

.

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To be continued...

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How would you live if you knew the day you'd die? Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government's crooked justice system. But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall - her people's death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out.