Farlon Harlon POV

"The dragon loomed over the princess and opened its mouth to unleash its flame. But the princess grabbed a shard of her broken sword and threw it into the dragon's eye. The dragon screeched and reared its head back, exposing its neck. The princess took the handle of her sword and drew the ragged edge across the neck. It cut through the flesh and the dragon's head tumbled to the ground. The land was free from the dragon's terror, and the princess ruled justly from that day on."

"Tell another! Another one about Princess Mallow!" Mallow begged as I stood up off the bench.

"It's bedtime for princesses," I said. "Your mom is probably worried already." I walked with her toward her house. A man brushed against me, and I stopped.

"Just a sec," I said to Mallow. I stepped aside with the man.

"We found Ox's men setting up another still in our territory," he said.

"Isn't that more my uncle's level?" I asked.

"He's out of town," the man said.

"All right. Send them a message, but not big enough for the Peacekeepers to get involved. Trash the still," I said. The man left, and I walked the rest of the way with Mallow.

When I got home, I halfheartedly swiped around with my wooden sword and did a few sets of abdominal exercises. As I lay in bed, I thought about the million and one things I had to do tomorrow.

Finish Nico's drawing. Tell my uncle about the still. Get those deliveries out. Pay off the Peacekeepers. Go to the Reaping. Get reaped. Tell Levi where I hid the money. Tell my uncle if he tries to involve Levi in the business while I am gone, I will cut out his lungs. Give Knuckles some last minute advice.

I knew I was getting Reaped. I had enemies and I had connections. They'd already taken my parents, and they were going to pay for that. They may have named me Farlon Harlon, but I still loved them. I'd been preparing for this for years. I would have volunteered anyway. That was the plan: train with my uncle's buddies, win the Games, become fabulously wealthy, split the money with my trainers, and get the vultures off me and Levi's backs.

When morning came, I got Levi ready for school and sent him off. He knew something was up, and he didn't want to go.

"Are you going to the Games?" he asked. He held my hand like he could keep me in the house.

"What gave you that idea?" I asked. If someone was scaring him, I was going to find out. "I guess I should tell you. I'm going to the Capitol for a while. Don't worry, I'll be back, and I left you some money in your teddy bear. Uncle Swin will take care of you."

Levi's innocent eyes were full of apprehension, but he trusted me. He hugged me and headed to school. I saw him off and continued to the Reaping Center. I calculated my plan while the speech droned on, and then Remus interrupted. I couldn't concentrate on tactics when he was wearing some sort of flaming red robe with a two foot tall headdress covered in rainbow feathers.

"Ladies first!" he crowed. He picked out the slip.

"Emmalie Bluebell!" he announced. I wasn't surprised. Emmalie was sort of a rogue in the underworld. She was fighting her way up, and she approached me once to join my uncle's family. I turned her down. She was too unpredictable. She didn't seem shaken by the announcement. She stepped firmly onto the stage and crossed her arms. Remus picked out the other slip.

"Farlon Harlon!"

There were a few snickers from kids who didn't know me. Hey, at least it's not Marion Harion, I thought. I stood next to Emmalie, who gave me a wicked side-eye when Remus' back was turned.

"Two-bit upstart," I whispered to her.

"Fatherless urchin," she shot back.

We clenched each other's hands like we were arm wrestling and glared at each other as Remus announced us.

"Let's have a big round of applause for Farlon Harlon and Emmalie Bluebell!" he said with an oblivious grin.

I'd already told my uncle not to come backstage. With me gone, there would be unrest in the underground he'd need to take care of. A Peacekeeper showed Levi in. He was sniffling and he ran right into me. I ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry. I'm going to the Capitol to get lots of treasure, just like a knight. I'll come back and we can have our own house. Be good while I'm gone, and don't let Uncle Swin rope you into any mischief," I said.

Levi reached into his pocket and took something out. "Here, use this," he said. He handed me a greyish pink plastic flower.

"Levi, I can't have a rose for my token! I'm a boy!" I protested.

"But this is the flower Hysbald the Unmovable used to unlock the Vespal Gate and find the cure for the Weeping Death!" Levi insisted.

"All right, all right," I said. I tucked the flower in my pocket and waved goodbye to Levi. When he was gone, I took my new token out and looked it over.

Oh well. Might as well let the entire Capitol know I'm a softy. What could possibly go wrong?

Emmalie Bluebell POV

"Make sure to eat a good breakfast," my mother said as I sat at the table. "You have a big day today."

"Yeah, suckers. You guys don't get to go to the Reaping," I said to my brothers Isaac and Carten. Gwenith was still getting her "beauty sleep". Usually they'd all be on edge on a Reaping Day, but nobody would vote for little old me, right?

Well, a few people might vote for little old me. My family didn't know it, but occasionally I had sticky fingers. I got around a bit in Nine's underworld, and I was starting to move up. It was much more lucrative than my parents' farm. When I reached the Reaping Center, I noticed a lot of familiar faces from Nine's less law-abiding areas. Looked like a turf war was in the works. I stood in the middle of a row, just in case.

Remus took the stage looking as ridiculous as ever. I'd seen footage of the other Reapings, and I knew they weren't all that goofy. Some mentors had style. Maybe someday…

"Ladies first!" he said. He dipped into the bowl.

"Emmalie Bluebell!" he read. I had hoped maybe one of the more notorious criminals had gotten picked, but I wasn't surprised. I stood defiantly on the stage and stared down anyone who looked at me funny. Remus picked out the male slip.

"Harlon Farlon!" he announced.

Ugh, Harlon, I thought. District schmistrict, I didn't like him. He was an uppity thief and con man working with his uncle. I tried to give my dues and hook up with his family, but he said I was immature! We'll see who lasts longer.

My little brothers barged in backstage ahead of the rest of my family.

"What'd you do, Emmalie? They picked you!" Carten said.

"Carten!" my mother chided.

"I dunno… maybe someone spread rumors about me," I said innocently. In reality, the one who spread the most rumors in Nine was me, but they didn't have to know that.

"What are you gonna do?" Isaac said.

"I guess I'll just have to win," I said. "Hey, did you bring me a token?"

My father gave me a little ceramic barn. "We know how much you love the farm," he said.

I gave him the smile he wanted.

"Yeah, this'll be great. It'll be just like home," I said. I gave them all hugs and we assured each other we loved each other.

After they left, thoughts and moments from Games I'd watched passed through my head. I was a thief, not a murderer. Twenty-three children was a lot to kill. But I had to get home. Hopefully they'd all kill each other and I could just walk away.