Chapter 48: Pieces in Place


Thin white streaks of light permeated into Sera's room like spider webs casting its net over her. The scent of jui, sorrels and freesias filled the room. She felt hot, her skin was on fire despite Capitol hardly ever becoming that hot.

She felt a gentle touch tracing delicate lines on her scarred arm, tickling her senses. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but before she could open her eyes, a voice interrupted her peaceful awakening.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Finnick's voice whispered, his breath warm against her ear. "It's still dark outside. The sun's not fully up yet."

Sera's brows furrowed slightly, confused as to why she was hearing Finnick's voice but she didn't question it. She sleepily nodded, nestling closer to the sound of his voice. She felt his body shake with silent laughter before his fingers stopped tracing lines around her wounds and instead started combing through her hair.

He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her head before sitting up. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself facing his handsome face, his ocean-blue eyes glimmering mischievously.

"What time is it?" Her face flushed and hot as she looked wildly around the room before looking at herself.

Finnick was shirtless, his shirt around her and her dress on the floor. Her half-ripped dress lay at the foot of the bed, she winced—Eos was going to be furious.

"It's early and you don't look happy to wake up next to me."

"No. No. I have ripped a dress that my stylist worked hard on." She said, shaking her head before leaning forward and placing a quick kiss on his lips. He pulled her in deeper but she pulled back and placed a single finger on his lips as he grinned. "...Also I'm late. I have two appointments today and if I'm not there, I'm screwed."

"The sun's barely up." He groaned, pulling her back into her bed and into his embrace. "You know I'm skipping my…appointments. We…can go back to bed and…carry on where we left off last night. I'm sure you can make up a better excuse than I did."

Biting her lips, she threw her head back. The urge to stay in bed all day was strong. "...I could." She could pretend her sickness had gotten worse but Emilia would have her head since she would be taking her place. "But those two appointments are charity events—one is a food distribution event in Alea and the other is an auction—I kinda have to hand over a painting that's gonna be put for sale."

Finnick stared at Sera. He didn't really expect her to actually work, he expected that her charity work only extended to private dinners, galas and hospital visits where she'd pick up potential targets for Snow. "You're actually involved in genuine charity work? Huh. Who would've thought?"

She scoffed and playfully hit his chest. He pretended he was hurt before looking up. "I know what it looks like but I've got good things going on and if…if…it all doesn't work out, who knows—I can try to extend my charity work to the districts. I can help in my own way. I know it's me being overly optimistic but—"

"I don't think you're being overly optimistic. I think it could happen." He smiled and sat up. "I'm sure you know a lot of these rich people love playing saints. I'm sure they get a kick out of watching poor folks look up to them like some benevolent God."

She nodded in agreement. The wealthier Capitolites favorite pass-time was to pretend they were superior to those less fortunate—that was why the sponsor system for the Hunger Games was always thriving even if the ratings took a hit. But those sponsorships came with a huge price.

"The more you have, the more you want." She murmured and Finnick smiled wistfully before standing up and pecking her lips. She lifted her head, trying to get away from him but he wrapped his arms around her. "Finn…I'm gonna be late." She moaned and bit his lips.

He laughed. "The day hasn't even started."

"Says the night owl." She grabbed her dress off the floor, visibly flinching at the back buttons being ripped and the scuffed beading. Eos was going to kill her. "The tributes also have their Training Scores today. I have to be at the Training Center later this evening so I have a lot to do."

"Tomorrow's the interview."

"Tomorrow's the interview."

"And your birthday." She let out a soft gasp. She'd forgotten all about her birthday, she didn't really look forward to it anymore. "You forgot about it." He guessed and she shut her eyes, sighing. "So you did."

"I don't exactly celebrate my birthday…anymore."

"Neither do I but I want to celebrate yours."

She really didn't want to celebrate her birthday. It was just another day for her but one look at Finnick, she couldn't help but say. "...I have the day off tomorrow. Maybe we could do something."

He grinned and was about to get up when Sera tossed him a robe. "You know most people would love to see me like this."

"Narcissist." He grinned up at her. "I'm gonna be late." She grabbed her towel and left to take a shower, hoping that she made the right choice. A slight feeling of guilt gnawing away at her; maybe she made the wrong choice but she was too happy to care.

Her vision darkened for a second and she swallowed, clutching Finnick's shirt around her tighter. Eugene's gaunt ghost stood in the corner of her vision, she blinked and he was gone. She sucked in a breath while digging her nails into her palms.

She was going to be late.

The scent of salt mixed with spices wafted through the air as Sera stepped out of the shower and into her bedroom. She clutched the towel that was wrapped around her body and walked out. Finnick was nowhere to be seen.

She changed quickly and left her room. The smell of the food was even more overwhelming now. She could even hear sounds of pots and pans clanging in the combined kitchen-living room. Finnick had his back turned to her and lightly hummed an unfamiliar tune that seemed to mix in with the sounds of chopping and sizzling.

"Finnick…" She called out to him. "What are you doing?" She questioned. Her eyes trained on him as she leaned her head against the divider separating the living room from the kitchen.

Finnick turned around and smiled brightly as if he was caught in the middle of a surprise. "You took a while in the shower." He waved at Sera with his free hand. The other hand gripped a sharp knife—one of Sera's kitchen knives. The older victor continued to smile, only turning away to check on the contents of a nearby pot.

"Hmm. Breakfast's gonna take a while." He added, putting the lid back on the pan and ignoring what Sera had asked. He looked too at home at her place and if anyone else was there would think it was his place.

"You know you could've waited." She said, almost pouting. It was her place. She felt a little sad that he was making her breakfast after everything. "I could've made it."

"You're the birthday girl."

"My birthday is tomorrow."

"We're celebrating it early." He said while grinning. He was enjoying it a little too much. She rolled her eyes and he laughed. He turned away from Sera's playful glare and turned to glance at the pot. It was starting to bubble. Sera could hear it. He moved quickly and started looking around for a utensil to stir the pan with.

"Wooden spoons, second drawer to the left. Your left." Sera said, brushing her wet hair out of her face.

"You should dry your hair, you're gonna catch a cold." Finnick moved to remove the apron and grab Sera's towel.

"The pan! The pan!" She softly yelled out, moving away from his reach. "I swear if you make a mess of my kitchen…" He giggled in response and she rolled her eyes. "Finnick!"

He moved to pull the suggested drawer. Like Sera said, there were rows of wooden spoons in different sizes, all neatly arranged. He smiled, scanning the organized state of the drawer. It wasn't the first time he noticed this. Even when he was looking for knives, they were all organized in neat ways.

A sharp contrast to his own apartment. He was a little ashamed to admit that his apartment was a mess. Despite it having the exact same layout as Sera's, it was nowhere as nice. He never attempted to make the place his home. He didn't want to. He knew Sera or any victor didn't want to make the Capitol their home; only District 1 and 2 victors did so.

Sera was different but he knew it was all a facade for her. The perfectly arranged flowers in every corner of the living room, the neatly organized cutlery and the personalized furniture with matching bright pastel colors in every corner. It was like a set of a movie or a painting. So much had changed but so much had remained the same.

The apartment didn't really feel like her but someone everyone thought her to be. It was too perfect. He knew she liked a little mess. The apartment around him didn't match her at all. A lot of things had changed since the last time he'd been here but a lot had stayed the same.

It was a set for Sera to act out her part or prepare for whatever part the President would make her play. Finnick didn't say that outloud, he didn't want to start an argument or put Sera in harm's way even though he was unsure of her loyalties. That wasn't his intention. He brushed off those thoughts while stirring the pot.

"You should sit down." Finnick gestured to the light bluish-gray couch over the counter. "It's gonna take a while."

"Is that salmon?" He nodded. "What are you making?"

"Smoked salmon and goat cheese frittata with freshly made bread from the bakery around the corner."

"Sounds impressive." Sera moved to set the table plus more descriptors. "I don't really eat seafood."

"You're vegetarian." He clicked his tongue and looked down at the lidded pan.

"Not really. I just avoid red meat—food, occasionally chicken and tomatoes, sometimes beets and cherries."

"Oh." He stared at her and nodded. It made sense. He wasn't as sensitive to the color red as she was but it made sense. "So you're okay with salmon?"

She nodded. "I just don't eat fish as much."

"I thought District 5 had a number of rivers, small lakes and a huge lake bordering District 4."

Pausing, she let out a laugh of disbelief. He surely did not just include Lake Leuce, the lake that was appropriately nicknamed 'Lake of death' by people of District 5. Finnick seemed to have paused what he was doing as well at the sound of her sudden laughter which was nice to hear.

"You mean Lake Leuce?" Sera asked.

"I guess." He quietly answered with a small curious smile.

"The Lake of Death?" Sera added, leaning forward over the table. "No one fishes or swims in there unless they are feeling suicidal." She pursed her lips and carried on setting the table.

He flinched. He didn't really expect her to say that. "Well, I guess I'm suicidal." He joked and Sera gave him a look while shaking her head in disappointment.

"It's not funny." After everything with Leora, Sera didn't find those jokes funny—she never really did and Leora's constant attempts after the 70th Games left a scar on her memories that she'd never get rid off.

But that wasn't the only reason.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Sera jolted awake from her nightmare and forced herself to smile and say that it was all fine, cutting him off but he didn't really believe her.

He wanted to prod her for more answers. Knowing her, she'd shut him down and distance herself again so he changed the topic. "What about fishing? Surely, you guys fish in your rivers." She pursed her lips and he already had a feeling what the answer would be.

"We haven't been allowed to fish in the rivers since Clemensia 1 and 2 water plants were built and that was before I was even born. Water pollution in our rivers pretty much killed all wildlife—it's decent enough to swim and maybe drinkable if a family has access to water purifiers."

"That sucks. I can't imagine how hard it must've been when the rivers became that bad."

"I don't really remember. It must've been hard." Sera admitted to herself. Maybe it was hard, aunt Dahlia would often talk about a harsh drought that never seemed like it would end, man-made disasters one after another—she didn't really remember any of it. "A lot of things happened before I was born and the things that happened after—I was bed-ridden for the most part so I don't know."

Finnick scrunched up his brows and smiled sadly at her. Her heart clenched, she looked away. A look of pity, she was used to those and she knew his came from a place of concern but she hated being pitied. She knew she was a sick girl with a time limit on her life

A slight heaviness settling in her chest, Sera retreated to her room to stop herself from starting another argument. It wasn't his fault—that fleeting look of pity or was it concern? She had a hard time differentiating between the two. It wasn't his fault.

She stood by her bedroom door before leaving and going over to the storage closet in the hallways. The door of the closest opened with a quiet muffled clink. Pushing the door open, she was greeted to a dark organized mess of a mess. Her eyes scanned the dark room before they landed on a large covered frame.

Not seeing the need to turn on the lights, she grabbed the covered frame and hulled it back to the kitchen to pack. "Need some help with that?" She heard Finnick ask.

"I got it." She said but he'd appeared out of nowhere and had taken the large frame out of her hands. "Wait. Be careful with that."

"What is this? A painting? I didn't know you painted."

"I don't." She retorted with a slight grimace as he placed the frame on the floor against the kitchen counters. "It was…a gift from a painter—he's pretty famous."

"He?" Finnick looked over his shoulder. "Oh. You have…a lot of admirers."

"Look who's talking. You have everyone lining up for you from here to the outer districts."

"Everyone but you and here you are with your own line of admirers."

She let out a soft laugh and rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

"Like you weren't jealous when you saw me with Jo?"

"Jo?" She repeated with a stiff smile. Finnick grinned. "Jo? Oh cute. You have a nickname for her."

"She's a friend."

"Uh-huh." She wasn't listening anymore, sitting down on the floor to lift the covers off the frame to expose the painting underneath. "I'm not jealous. You're allowed to have friends and I'm allowed to accept…useful gifts from people."

"Oh 'useful' gifts. Oh so he's that kind of person." The slight burn in his chest dissipated and he joined her on the floor. A feeling of pity replacing that jealous feeling. He didn't even know the painter and he felt sorry for him. "I feel sorry for him." He muttered, leaning in to take a close look at the painting.

"Why?" She said, removing another layer of the cloth covers to reveal a glassy elaborate carved wooden frame. Inside the frame was a painting that caught Finnick's eye. "It's not like he's in love with me or anything."

"You don't know that." His gaze being fixed on the haunting painting of a winged scarred man being trapped in the bloody thorny embrace of rose vines, being pulled down underneath a ruined marble city.

"Oh I do…"

"The Last Embrace by Ores." Finnick read out the small caption carved in metal attached to the frame. "For Seraphine." He glanced at her. "How cute. It's…creative and thoughtful."

"It's dark, I know. The rest of his works are much lighter but this particular piece is the darkest of his works. This one was a gift after I helped him out a few years back by displaying his paintings at an event I hosted."

"You displayed these paintings at the Orphanage?" Finnick turned his head to the side and looked at her incredulously. The painting in front of him was almost nightmarish but hauntingly beautiful.

The detailed paint strokes of the winged man, the subtle gold in his wings and eyes caught Finnick's attention.

Finnick tilted his head to the side again and the painted skies on the canvas seemed to be in motion like they were on fire with hints of pale violets and vivid reds, oranges and yellows. The red roses were delicate but fierce, coated in dark droplets of blood along with the dark green and brown vines that were also stained with red where they pierced the wings and flesh of the man. The same red that tinted the winged man's hair but in a darker shade.

There was a strange sense of familiarity yet he couldn't exactly say what it was.

"Were you trying to scare those poor kids with things like this?" He gestured to the uncovered painting.

She playfully punched his arm and shook her head. "I told you, his other works are much lighter. This one's never been shown in public."

"So he gave you the ugly one. I take back what I almost said. I'm not jealous of him at all."

"You were jealous?"

"Not anymore."

"You didn't have to be. Ores is just an artist, a very popular one."

"Think I've heard of him." Finnick could vaguely recall the dull chatter of some faceless women as they bored his nights. "I've heard people say that he might end up like Cressida—that young Director who disappeared." Sera smiled in response, pursing her lips.

"She's not missing, she's working on her next work." Was all Sera could offer him as a response and he had no choice but to accept that.

Despite most of the cracks being mended overnight, there were a few things Finnick learned Sera wouldn't tell him—things that mostly concerned the rebellion was one of them. He was part of the same cause but it was clear to him that she knew much more and perhaps had more say than he would ever have so all he could do was wait patiently for her.

Finnick didn't question her about the young Director anymore and quickly dropped the matter—something she was grateful for. He helped her up to the dining room. He pulled out her chair and helped her in before taking a seat opposite her.

"The food's getting cold. We can talk and eat." He smiled and cut into his breakfast, taking the first bite. Sera watched him with a fond smile, her cheeks pink and her eyes shining brightly as she did the same. "So why are you selling it off? I mean I get it—it's haunting but I don't know if anyone would want it."

"It's a never seen before work, Finn. People will want it." Sera gently reminded him. "Besides, I'm selling it, that news should've gone far and it's not the first time I've held an auction—I mean I've held Charity Galas where I've sold flowers and bouquets for a good cause. This isn't any different."

"I know but I'm sure the Orphanage has enough donations."

The corners of her lips turned up. Finnick paused and stared at her, waiting for her to speak but she didn't say a word. She let his words hang in the air for a few minutes, letting the ticks of clock on the wall fill the silence as she ate her breakfast before she stopped and looked up at him with that knowing look he knew too well.

She cleared her throat and took a sip of tea he'd made for her and he did the same, drinking his coffee. "...It's not for the orphanage." She slowly said, tapping her nails against the cup. "It's for a good cause." She repeated, almost as if she had rehearsed her words many times before.

Finnick's eyes darkened and he dropped his knife and fork, leaning closer to her. She noticed his silence and looked up at him; he wasn't happy with her response. "I thought we agreed to have some level of trust between us."

"We did." She said softly, nodding her head. "But I didn't lie when I said, it's for a good cause."

He could only nod in response. Sera wasn't going to offer him any answers at all no matter how much he prodded her. She had a guess that he had a slight hint to what she was trying to tell him but he didn't say his thoughts out loud.

"I guess I'll find out later." She could only offer him a weak smile as she got up to collect their empty plates. The ticks of the clock on the wall grew louder as a sudden tension filled the room. "Do you want some coffee?" He asked in a desperate attempt to ease the tension and go back to where they left off.

His words were drowned out by the sound of the tap flowing. She was focused on washing the plates. She turned the tap off and dried their plates before putting them away on the drying rack.

"...So coffee?"

She looked over her shoulder and at him. "I can't have coffee, doctor's orders."

"Tea, it is." He said with a sigh of relief that she hadn't shut herself out again.

"You don't have to." She dried her hands and spared a quick glance at the clock. "I'm running late and I hardly drink tea in the morning."

Finnick nodded and watched her disappear back into her room before she came out with her hair tied up with a simple silk ribbon. She dragged a box into the kitchen, stopping near the counter where the painting was.

He sprung into action and loaded the painting into the box. Sera flashed him a grateful smile as she sealed the box and stood up to look up at him. There was so much she wanted to say, she wanted to tell him everything but she couldn't. It wasn't up to her.

Without a word, she stood on her toes and pecked his lips. His eyes widened in surprise before he grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I'm sorry for not telling you what's going on," Her fingers lightly caressed his cheeks. "I really want to tell you everything I do. I mean it but I can't—at least not yet…just give me more time."

His eyes trembled, his grip on her waist slackened a little before he pulled her in closer. "...Another year or two?" He joked but his reddened gaze didn't match his tone.

Gnawing at her lips, she looked away. She didn't know the answer to his question. Finnick placed his thumb on her lips and she looked up to say a single word. "Soon."

"Soon?"

"That's all I can say." She really didn't have a time frame. "If things play out as planned, it'll be a year or two and that's what we tell everyone."

He let out a deep breath and placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head before releasing her. The conversation was over and no matter what he said, the answers would remain the same but at least he got some answers. "I'll see you tonight then."

"Tonight." She quickly grabbed his arms before he slipped away from her. "What do you mean by that?"

"Your birthday?"

"Is tomorrow."

"Exactly. I'll see you at midnight on the roof of the Training Center." He grinned brightly and she only opened her mouth to argue back but he quickly kissed her to silence her before he was out the door. She could only watch him leave and hope that her lipstick wasn't a mess.

The wall between the two that she'd built had all but crumbled. Though she wondered if she'd made the right choice, sitting there in the aftermath, she didn't feel so bad. His light scent of sea and salt hung in the air and she already missed him.

Throwing her head back, she let out a sigh as the quiet bells of the front door echoed through the now empty apartment. She didn't waste time, quickly getting up to go and greet Emilia to start her day.

Emilia came bustling in, surprised to find Sera already dressed for the day—hair, makeup and all. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, realizing that Sera must have had a busy morning so far.

"Good morning, Emilia," Sera greeted with a hint of exhaustion in her voice.

"Good morning, Sera," Emilia greeted back, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "You're up early today." Her lips curled into a sly grin. "Couldn't sleep?"

The victor let out a coy laugh, her cheeks slightly turning pink before she looked away. "Something like that, I almost stayed in bed." She said, trying to keep her voice level. "So what's on the agenda today?"

Emilia nodded and took out her tablet, turning it on. "Morning, you have a food distribution event at…Alea. President Snow…" Her voice slightly shook as she spoke. "Was kind enough to increase the amount of Peacekeepers that will be escorting you and Eos has prepared a more…subdued dress for you, it's a dress coat so you won't have to worry too much."

Sera bobbed her head and motioned her to carry on as she led her former escort turned assistant into the kitchen where the box was. She dragged the painting to the living room with Emilia following her every move; her tablet clutched close to her as she scrolled through Sera's schedule for the day.

"And then in the afternoon, there's the auction at the Capitol Museum of Fine Arts hosted by the curator…Cassandra Redcliff."

"Evening?" She found herself asking. If she had time, she could meet Finnick earlier than midnight and come back to her apartment.

"That's it." Said Emilia and she turned off her tablet, slipping it into her bag. "We just go back to the Training Center, rest up and get ready for the Training Score reveal for the tributes."

Sera nodded, her attention slowly shifting back to the present. "Right, the score reveal. I almost forgot," She replied, her voice tinged with a hint of distraction. Emilia's reminder brought her back to her duties as a tribute, but her mind was still preoccupied with her plans with Finnick.

"Something on your mind?"

Sera stared at the spot where Finnick had sat and shook her head. Emilia couldn't know and she wouldn't tell her even if Sera trusted her, she knew it was best not to place all her trust into one person no matter how loyal they were.

Slipping her hair behind her shoulder, she quickly changed the topic and led the former escort out of the apartment before she noticed the extra plate on the drying rack or the unused coffee cup on the counter. Emilia was sharp, much sharper than what people gave her credit for.

Emilia scrunched up her brows and threw a quick unmissed glance behind her shoulder at Sera's apartment. Sera was quicker, shutting the door after escorting Emilia out.

"Any word from…our friends beyond the borders?" Sera quickly shifted Emilia's attention.

"Well…" Emilia looked down at the elevator floor and let out a deep sigh. "We—well, Fulvia made contact recently. They've received Cressida and her crew. They weren't exactly happy with the package." Her voice gradually got quieter and quieter as the elevator descended.

Sera nodded. She had a feeling they would be unhappy. Her first impression of those people were that they were practical; she liked practicality and she found herself agreeing with them more often than she'd ever liked but something about them she didn't fully trust—they couldn't see the full picture. "Of course, they weren't. They want supplies or…soldiers not a Director and a film crew."

"They were happy with the grains and supplies." Sera nodded once again, resting her head against the walls of the elevator.

She jolted awake from her little rest when the elevator stopped with a quiet sound at the ground floor. Emilia took the lead, dragging the painting in front of her to the car. "I noticed you stopped trying with the…Senate and the lower houses." She all but whispered into Sera's ears as they got into the car.

Emilia's words hung in the air as Sera gnawed at the bottom of her lips, considering her words carefully. She didn't exactly care about the state of the Capitol even if she did pity the ones at the bottom; they looked up to her and she cared enough to play along. The Senate and the rest were all just pieces on the board she was placed on.

"They don't need politicians," Sera answered after half an hour when they'd finally got to her first schedule of the day. "And neither do we." She looked over at the entrance of the impoverished Capitol neighborhood with some pity that had seeped through the cracks. The border between Alea and the wealthy part of Capitol was clear as day.

A tall ivy-covered carved grayish-cream wall towered the neighborhood. On one side of the wall, the ivy was trimmed neatly, almost artfully displaying a rustic sort of charm that seemed right out a painting. The other side, the side that faced Alea however was a different story, underneath the ivy were barbed wire that was camouflaged and an ugly wrought metal gate guarded the entrance.

Beyond the gate, dilapidated buildings and crumbling roads greeted her. Gleaming luxury hovercrafts with advertisements for upcoming Hunger Games and Capitol Couture's newest designer collections zipped through the air, leaving behind a cloud of dust that mingled with the grit of poverty.

Men, women and children dressed in ragged clothing that almost seemed to mimic the gaudy clothing of their wealthier counterparts across the wall. Some wore powdered wigs and some she noted looked quite ordinary—almost reminding her of people back home, those from lower Lux or upper Hollow.

It was all a stark contrast to the extravagant structures adorned with glistening glass and marble, glimmering lights that blinded anyone.

"Let's get this over with." Sera said, fixing the dull pale blue floral dress coat Eos had prepared for her—it was something that almost reminded her of home and something she'd actually wear. She plastered a soft smile on her face and approached the tent where boxes of food and other supplies were already stacked high. Her eyes scanned the darkened alleys for a familiar face before she began her day.

"Looking for someone?" Emilia quietly remarked.

"Just surveying the place." She answered and focused on her task. He wasn't there and she hoped he wouldn't show up. Peacekeepers paced around her, keeping an eye on each of the alleys nearby and each passing Capitol citizen.

Sera almost passed her day in a haze. Her trip to Alea drew to a quick and organized end. She gave a little rehearsed speech at the end and watched as they all nodded and applauded her with painted smiles and vacant stares; they didn't care about her. She wasn't upset about it, she preferred their thinly veiled falseness and desperation for normalcy, it almost felt like home.

Her heels clicked quietly as she walked through the halls of the Capitol Museum, Emilia leading the way with her tablet out.

"Oh, by the way," Emilia interjected, a hint of pride evident in her voice. "The Capitol News got hold of some footage from your charity event at Alea. They seemed quite pleased with it."

Sera's lips curled into a small smile. "Well, you did tip them off," She murmured. "Good. He can't question me about it later." She shared a look with Emilia and her assistant nodded.

She couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between her opulent surroundings in the museum and compare it to the broken down and abandoned buildings and houses she passed by in Alea. It was only a small part of the Capitol but it had left an unforgettable mark on her so much so, she pitied them.

Five had the Slog but at least there wasn't a huge gap between the Hollow and Slog. There were lines between each part of Five where one part blended into the other but in the Capitol, the lines were harsh borders that were guarded by Peacekeepers and separated by walls.

She was surprised that Snow let her go into that part of the Capitol. She thought he'd only let her and the other victors see the envious parts. It wasn't her first visit to Alea but she still couldn't help thinking that Snow allowing her constant supervised visits meant more to than she realized.

Maybe the President wanted her to pity those poor Capitolites—well in that case, he'd won.

"That's over and done with." Emilia scrolled through her tablet and nodded at the screen. "Hopefully we won't be returning to Alea anytime soon. I'm not too keen on being followed by ten-twenty Peacekeepers and besides, it's not a neighborhood anyone wants to go into looking like this—" She motioned to Sera's flowy silk dress she'd gotten changed into after her trip to Alea, before gesturing to her own pale violet silk dress. "We'd get attacked and I would not blame those folks."

Sera resisted the urge to laugh and shook her head. Her former escort meant well but she knew the Capitol better than she did. "What else do I have after this exhibition and auction?"

"Nothing. That's it. We just go back to the Training Center." Emilia turned off her tablet and slipped it into her bag. "The auction should begin soon—we don't really have to see it through."

"In that case, send my regards to Mrs Redcliff and we'll make our way back."

The moment she finished, Emilia had disappeared. She didn't even wait to say another word or let Sera speak and she was already gone, chatting away in the distance in a bright falsely animated jovial tone that Sera could hear where she stood.

Mrs Redcliff or Lady Sayre as she preferred to be called stood off near the wall of paintings by Ores. She looked happier than Sera had ever seen her, of course she would, her son was the star of the show but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Seraphine." Sera stiffened when she heard that voice.

Her lips drew into a thin line and she swallowed a sigh that almost escaped her lips before she turned around with a plastic smile. "Consul Redcliff." She greeted, clasping her hands together and taking a step back. "Come to visit your mother's auction."

Scarus grinned at the sight of her and she bit back her disgust. He took a step forward, his chest puffed up and his eyes drawn low, staring at her exposed neck. "And support Ores—whoever he is. My mother is one of his many patrons."

"You almost sound jealous." She quipped with a false laugh, covering her neck and chest with her hand.

"Oh I am." He admitted, his gaze darkening at her action. "It's not everyday that my mother takes interest in anyone other than herself, her father, her brother or Eros—my brother. She doesn't really have many interests."

"I wouldn't know." She drawled out, trying to end the conversation and catch Emilia's eye. She almost breathed out a sigh of relief when her assistant hurried over to her. "Well, I have to go. I have a lot of work to do."

She tried to slip past him but Scarus roughly grabbed her arm, his hands tightening around her, bruising her. His lips quivered as she met his cold gold eyes that were training on the back of her neck. "Don't overwork yourself. It would be a shame if anything would happen to you."

"Thank you for your concern, Consul." Sera gently took back her arm and took several steps back and did a little mocking low bow.

Scarus bit his twitching lips in silent rage. "I did tell you to call me Icarus."

She pretended she didn't hear him and followed Emilia out of the museum. She didn't speak a word on the ride to the Training Center and Emilia let the silence grow before passing a small slip of paper to her when she stepped into the Training Center.

Her assistant sat down in front of the screen and waited. Sera joined her before Zephyr walked in, his face dark and anger in his eyes.

"Rough day?" Sera questioned, throwing her head back to look at Zephyr behind her.

"You have no idea." He spat out, cracking his knuckles and taking a seat next to her. He was about to speak when the doors to the living room opened and Creon along with the tributes and their stylists walked in. "Later." Was all he managed to get out.

"Big day for you two!" Creon tried to drum up some excitement, only for Celsi to look up at him with a bleak look. His face flushed and he turned away. It wasn't like him to be so boisterous.

Zephyr snorted, taking her attention away from the paper. He sat on her right and she slipped him the slip of paper for him to discard. He pretended to stretch and threw the paper into the lit fire next to him before anyone noticed.

The paper was devoured by the flames before he started to speak. "Can't wait to see who scored the lowest this year."

Sera smiled stiffly and shook her head but made no move to shut him up.

"My money's on Three, he's a baby. I mean I feel bad for him but we all know the rules." He carried on.

"It's a harsh game." Sera remarked sadly. "But with the lowest, there's always the highest. Advice for you two—" Celsi and Faline looked at their mentors. Faline seemed too exhausted but the girl was eagerly waiting with her hands clasped. Unfortunately, her partner was a stupid boy too full of himself.

"Last minute advice? A little late for that." Celsi puffed up his cheeks and blew out some air while glaring at his mentors. He still hadn't lost that attitude of his that he had suddenly gained.

Sera turned to them and narrowed her eyes at Celsi. She'd been so calm and patient with him but he just kept on pushing her and Zephyr.

"If you don't want any advice then leave." She snapped, taking everyone in the room by surprise. It was the first time in a long time she'd lost her temper in public. She didn't even need him alive or dead but she and Zephyr were already going out of their way to do the least they could. "And lose that attitude."

"What attitude?"

"That stupid one that you picked up after hanging around those careers for a single day." Zephyr cooly replied, his voice measured and face blank. He didn't need to raise his voice to be heard, the room had gone quiet, so quiet that anyone would mistake the people around them as avoxes.

"If you think for a second those kids want you around then you're mistaken." Sera added, looking at Celsi with disinterest. "If your score is lower than seven you're an easy kill for them or better yet the perfect bait for traps and mutts so do yourself and everyone in this room a huge favor and lose that damn attitude."

Zephyr made a sound and held back a laugh. "Well damn." He said, leaving behind all formalities and slipping back into his casual self that he reserved for his time in Five. "You really went and did it, Cel."

"Celsi." The boy corrected, resisting the urge to stutter. "I'm…s-sorry."

Sera nodded and leaned back. The scores of the Career districts appeared and she wasn't even surprised that Two had both tributes with tens, it wasn't unusual.

"Onto District 5." Creon's gratingly nervous voice rang in her ear. "I'm hoping for sevens like Estelle, Leora and Uriel or maybe an eight like Sera and Julian and if either of you are really lucky, a nine like Huxley! Of course, a six isn't too bad. Zephyr got a six but we should aim high."

Zephyr stared blankly at the escort. "Did you drink a whole jar of coffee or what? Just shush!" He put a finger to his lips, his eyes wild. "And watch. You're stressing them out."

"He's just trying to be encouraging." Ovid tried to ease the tension.

"He's doing a poor job." Eos retorted and Sera sighed audibly.

The day was already taking a toll on her and she still had to muster up some energy to meet Finnick later. "Let's just watch." She said as Faline's face flashed onto the screen. "A five."

Faline looked at Sera, showing neither joy or disappointment. The two turned to each other, an unspoken conversation passing by between the two. Sera ended it with a light nod and focused on the screen.

"It's okay. Five's not bad." Celsi tried, barely hiding his glee as he put a hand on her shoulder. Faline shrugged his hand away and leaned closer to Sera. "My turn." Celsi let out a deep audible breath and scooted closer to the screen, his fingers digging into the couch.

Sera watched in silence as the light of anticipation vanished from his face when the number four flashed onto the screen. His face crumbled in an instant and his eyes welled up. The prospects of good alliances and sponsorships all vanished in front of his eyes before he threw his head between his hands.

Tears started to fall from his eyes and sobs wracked his body. The room fell silent and Sera's heart throbbed in pain before she forced herself to look away. Her lips quivered; she bit them to stop herself from looking as she stood up and crouched on the floor in front of the boy.

"A four's not bad, Celsi." She softly said, her anger from earlier disappearing.

Hesitantly, Zephyr followed her and sat down next to her. He reached out for his tribute carefully and in awkward motions, patted his back. "You know there's been tons of victors with fours—"

"But none from our district." Celsi's muffled ugly cries caused Sera to flinch and nod. He was right. "Those fours were from District 3! Not Five! I'm not making it! I'm not e-even gonna get any c-c-consolation prizes." He sobbed. "A-a-re there cons-olation prize?"

"Yes." Zephyr plainly answered. "It's just a small—" Emilia poked his side and he quickly shut up. "What I mean to say was that—"

"Oh my!" Creon's surprised voice cut Zephyr off as the escort stood up.

"What on—oh. Oh!" Emilia's voice grew louder as she and almost everyone in the room let out loud gasps.

"An Eleven?!" Creon whisper-yelled, gone his nervous and shy demeanor as he looked around the room with his widened gaze. "Are you all seeing this?"

Her eyes rooted on the screen in disbelief, Sera nodded. Celsi lifted his head to look at the screen for a second before he sobbed even louder.

On the screen, Katniss Everdeen of District 12; her score was an eleven.

She covered her mouth and turned to share a look with Zephyr. The two knew what that meant. She wasn't really a threat, no, she was not or at least nobody really knew for sure but what Sera and Zephyr knew; Katniss Everdeen had a target on her back—she'd gotten on the wrong side of someone she shouldn't have.


Plant Dictionary:

Jui (Indian Jasmine) - Attachment

Sorrel - Affection

Freesia - Trust and Friendship


A/n: So I ended up using the Bengali name for Indian Jasmine considering that I don't think Panem citizens will know or remember the Pre-Panem world. India along with US and other countries aren't mentioned in the Hunger Games universe and any other flower/plant didn't really make sense here meaning and scent-wise. I tried being realistic and applying languages that might've been carried over before everything flooded. I assume descendants from those countries will still hold onto their languages and parts of their culture.

Anyways enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading. There might be some errors. I just wanted to put this out since I've been pretty ill lately, I know a lot happened in this chapter.