Luka

I know who gave the best interview.

As a mentor, I can tell that Gus and Hephaestion are in the best position to get sponsors after the interviews. Everyone seems to be talking about them, treating the games as a two horse race between the most popular tribute and the highest scorer. Every day that Gus was in training, I've been meeting up with potential sponsors, trying to convince them to spend as much money as possible on Gus. I know he'll get sponsors. I know his interview will help. He did a good job. He came across like the hero that Snow expected him to be. The audience cheered louder for him than they did for any other tribute. He made me proud.

But in spite of myself, I don't think Gus gave the best interview of the night. That honour would go to Tornada Crossway, the girl I've been trying to ignore for the last six days because I know she has to die for my grandson to live.

The elevator opens and the tributes step out.

"Well done for your interviews," I say. "Both of you.l

"Thanks," Gus says, before rushing off to his room. I let him go. I can talk to him later.

I want to talk to Tornada and I might never get another chance. None of the other mentors are here. Sotope is with Caesar Flickerman. I have no idea where Beta and Tesoro are but, given that Tesoro had a cocktail in his hand as early as Valerie's interview, I imagine that Beta's trying to wrangle him back to the Training Centre.

"Where are my mentors?" Tornada asks.

"They'll be back soon," I say. "I want to talk to you."

Her expression darkens. I can tell Tornada dislikes me. It's understandable. There's no hiding the fact that I want Gus to live and her to die.

"You talked about your sister in your interview," I say. "Is she real?"

"What do you mean, is she real?" Tornada asks. "Do you think I just made up my blind little sister for sympathy sponsors?"

"I'm a mentor. I know what kids do when they're desperate."

I'm hoping she lied. I'm hoping she knew the exact angle to tug at my heartstrings and she decided to use it. My little brother was blind. The rest of District 5 gave up on him from the moment he was born. I was the only one who believed in Pann, who read to him and wrote down everything for him. I knew he was smart and he had a big imagination. I knew he could be a writer when he grew up. Once I'd won my games, I bought Pann a private tutor who knew Braille and a special computer with a Braille keyboard, and that was exactly what happened. My little brother grew up and wrote bestselling fantasy novels.

I have no idea what would've happened to him if I'd died in my games.

I've always tried to donate a portion of my victor wages to schools and community homes so they'd be able to support disabled kids. But I was also funding the peacekeepers to help lower Five's crime rate. And then I had kids, and Pann got cancer and needed treatment, and my father got cancer as well but the treatment wasn't enough, and I had grandkids, and Pann got cancer again, and the rebellion kicked off… Suddenly, I had a million important things to spend my money on.

Maybe I let a few kids slip through the cracks.

That's why I hope Tornada Crossway is lying to me. If she's telling the truth, I let her sister slip through the cracks.

Tornada scowls.

"My sister's real. Her name's Lithia Crossway, unless those bastards changed it. Look her up when you get back to Five. Her name's in the system. My mom's name is in the system as well, Hurricana Crossway. You might wanna know how she died."

She looks like she's about to storm off. I guess she was telling the truth. If she really had just invented her sister, she wouldn't be directing me towards the official records.

"Wait!" I say. "I know what it's like."

"What?" Tornada snaps.

"Being scared," I say. "You're scared if you die, there'll be nobody to look after her."

"No shit, Starkwain."

She glares at me with storm-grey eyes and I can see all the anger that lived within me when I was sixteen.

She grew up fighting, just like you.

I thought you were going to make sure no kid from Five would ever have to grow up fighting again.

"I'll find her," I blurt out. "I'll find your sister and I'll make sure she has a home and a future. Just…"

"Just what?" Tornada asks. "Should I make sure your precious rich-boy grandson doesn't die? Should I lay down my life for him? What have you done to deserve that? My family were torn apart! We were starving while you sat in your fancy house with your Capitol wife throwing dinner parties for the mayor and the head peacekeeper! Should I sacrifice myself because you're rich and you said so?"

"No…" I say. I know I've failed Tornada and her sister. I don't deserve to have her protecting my grandson with her life. Gus deserves to be protected. He's been nothing but kind to Tornada, vouching for her to join both his alliances. He's more likely to earn her loyalty than me.

I don't even know why I care about Tornada protecting Gus, since I've been reassured by President Snow that the gamemakers will protect Gus.

Maybe this worry I feel is my fault for not trusting Snow completely.

"I am going to try my hardest to win," Tornada says, tears in her eyes. "Because I have never met my little sister. I don't know what her favourite animal is or her biggest dream. I don't even know if she's still alive. All I know is that she was very sick when she was born and the doctors said she'd be blind if she survived. If I win, I'll finally be able to get to know her. And if I die, you are going to look after her. No matter what I end up doing in the arena. If you have any dignity left, Starkwain, any hope of earning your reputation as Five's hero, you'll take care of my sister. Do we have a deal?"

She spits on her palm and hold it out to me, eyes full of challenge. I bet she's expecting me to be disgusted. But I used to spit on my handshakes all the time. I only stopped because Callisto told me that it made Capitolites think I was weird.

I can't let go of my roots. The more I lose sight of who I used to be, the more kids will end up like Tornada, living a childhood like mine.

I spit on my palm and shake the girl's hand.

Gus

There was a lot of yelling from the room where I left Grandpa and Tornada. I'd assumed they'd just have a conversation about having blind younger siblings. I didn't think that kind of conversation could get heated but I guess Tornada is pretty short-tempered, especially when dealing with people she doesn't know. I didn't pay too much attention to what they were yelling about. I was lost in thought.

I couldn't stop thinking about Hephaestion. He'd looked so vulnerable before the interviews, dressed in a smart white shirt and a crown of white roses. I'd been early to the interviews - being early to things is a Starkwain family tradition - and the Ones and Twos had been there. The Nines hadn't. I'd tried not to pay too much attention to the Careers but there's something about Hephaestion that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up like lightning has just struck nearby. I can't quite shake the ghost of him, the warmth of his arms around me, the lightning that'd seared its way through my veins when I'd touched his hand at the spear station.

I'd overheard Hephaestion pointing out to his allies that the Nines were late and being cruelly shut down by Minaret. Sceptre nudged Tsarina and the Ones started laughing. Suddenly, I'd been plagued by thoughts of Hephaestion getting hurt. I'd found my eye catching on his throat, the elegant line of his jaw, the top of his chest, exposed by his shirt.

Sooner or later, one of the other Careers was going to drive their blade in there, to drench Hephaestion in his own blood. I can't stop wondering which one of the five it's going to be. Tsarina? Sceptre? One of the Nines? Minaret?

I want to kill them all, before they get the chance.

I could've sworn I saw Hephaestion looking back at me with brown eyes full of fear, begging me to rescue him from that alliance. He's so vulnerable in the Careers. I have to get him out.

Finally, I give in. I write the note.

Hephaestion,

Meet me on the roof tonight at 11:00. I'm worried about you. Your allies don't value you like I do. I'm scared they'll hurt you. I can protect you if you leave them and join my alliance. I want us to be the final two. I would take you to the very end. I don't think any of the other Careers would do that.

Yours faithfully,

Gus

Once the note is done, I start thinking about how I can get it to Hephaestion without anyone else finding out. He's on the second floor, where I imagine the Two mentors and Minaret will be prowling around, trying to keep me away.

I need help.

I hear the slamming of a door and I know that Tornada's in her bedroom. Suddenly, I have a plan.

I fold up the note so it can't be read and walk to Tornada's room. I knock on the door. Tornada opens it and glares at me. Her eyes are red and tear-stained.

"What do you want, Starkwain?" she asks.

"Can you do me a favour?" I ask.

"What?" the question is accompanied by a huff and and eye roll.

"I need someone stealthy to sneak down to the second floor and give this note to Hephaestion. I think we can get him on our side."

Tornada laughs.

"I can do that," she says. "I'll go during dinner. All the Twos will be so focused on eating, they won't notice when I sneak in there and leave your note in Hephaestion's room."

I hand her the note. She looks at the envelope with eager grey eyes. Suddenly, my stomach turns. I don't want Tornada to know I'm planning to take someone else to the final two.

I feel a little guilty as well. I tell myself that Hephaestion is in the same situation as Tornada. If he dies, Iolaus will be all alone. But Iolaus seemed like a strong and healthy boy based on what I saw at the reaping. He will probably be able to get a job somewhere in Two without any support. If he was educated in the academy like Hephaestion, it'll probably be a good job. I have no idea what kind of education was available for Lithia Crossway, or whether she'll be able to leave her community home and get a job when she's eighteen. I'm a little worried she'll be kicked out to starve on the streets, even though I'm not sure if things like that even happen in Five.

But when I ask myself who I'd save, Tornada or Hephaestion, the answer is always Hephaestion and I don't understand why.

"Promise me you won't read it," I say.

"Okay, deal," Tornada says. She spits on her hand and offers it to me to shake.

Ew. What is this girl's thing with saliva?

"We don't have to shake on it," I say. "It trust you."

Then I return to my room to get ready for the meeting.

It's the last night before the games and many deals are afoot. Firstly, Luka's deal with Tornada where he promises to protect her little sister. Over the years, Luka has begun to lose sight of how to protect the ordinary people of District 5 and has instead been using his money for his family and the peacekeepers. Tornada has made him realise that Luka might not have done enough and now he feels the need to protect Lithia, just like Sotope predicted.

Then there's Gus' deal with Tornada where she agrees to deliver his note to Hephaestion - not knowing that the note is proof that Gus doesn't want to take her to the final two. Did Gus make the right decision or is his fondness for Hephaestion and need to protect him from his allies distracting him from his duty, just like Luka starting a family distracted him? Time will tell.