Chapter 73: Stay and Decay
The dinner with the President was a farce and Sera should've known better.
She should've known when Eos was allowed to dress her. She should've known when Eos kept glancing at her with wide blinking eyes, warning her of the oncoming storm. She should've known when Harp slipped Eos and Emilia's last birthday gift to her, a sharp hairpin into her silky locks as if handing her a weapon.
She should've known that the private dinner was anything but private as the flashes went off like gunshots the minute the dinner started. She should've expected the camera circling around the table, snapping pictures with each movement made.
False smiles spread across the table, showing that there was nothing to worry about. Those pictures weren't for the districts. They were for the Capitol.
Sera, Augustus and Enobaria were well-known, more so than the ones down in the cells. Annie was an addition, a hostage to flush out any rebels in the Capitol that might've known or worked with Finnick.
President Snow put down his napkin and turned his gaze to Sera. "Take a walk with me." He said, signalling the end of the dinner. Scarus rose and was at Sera's side instantly. "Miss Reza only. You can accompany your father, Consul."
A storm crackled over Scarus' face as his outstretched arm withered and fell to his side. Reluctantly, he moved aside and marched over to his father's side. His father didn't acknowledge him but bowed his head to the President as he rose from his seat.
The other guests rose too and started to scatter as Peacekeepers streamed onto the roof. Augustus and Enobaria were flanked by four Peacekeepers like prisoners being escorted out while President Snow's assistant grabbed Annie and dragged her out of her seat. Scarus and his father left on their own. Only Sera stayed where she was, waiting for President Snow.
Sera followed as he rose, stepping away from the rooftop garden and leading her in the opposite direction of Enobaria, Annie, and Augustus. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder for a minute.
Annie met her gaze. Concern flickered in her eyes and for a moment, she hesitated before moving to follow. A hand shot out, gripping Annie's arm roughly—Snow's assistant. Without a word, they steered her away, leading her back toward her room.
"Annie Cresta seems rather attached to you." President Snow mused, a ghost of a smile on his face but his eyes were hollow. "I wonder, is it because you share the same lover?"
Sera met his gaze tiredly, keeping her voice even, she said. "Her sister was an ally during my games. In some ways, we were…alike. Maybe Annie sees her in me."
She paused and sucked in a breath, folding her hands to stop herself from checking over her shoulder again to look at Annie again. Annie was gone already and Sera had already gone down a different set of stairs, following the President.
She had no idea where they would take Annie and she couldn't help but worry. She wasn't worried about either Augustus and Enobaria, neither of them were there because of her—Annie was only alive because of Sera.
She was responsible for Annie and her condition.
"Maybe that's why she's calm around me." Sera added off-handedly after a moment as they passed a hall with the portraits of past ministers.
President Snow slowed down his steps, the Peacekeepers escorting them mimicked him. They didn't turn their heads to look at him or Sera, they kept their heads fixed straight ahead as if looking at them meant death. President Snow paid them no mind and waited for Sera to catch up before he spoke.
The light in the corridor flickered ever so slightly and he sighed in displeasure. He had noticed the flickering lights too.
"You have something to say but I'll let it pass since you're not wrong." He turned a corner and Sera started walking faster, her heels almost scraping against the marble carpeted floors. "Annie Cresta is much more…manageable when you're there."
"I can keep an eye on her then and I wouldn't mind the company since I don't have my assistant and Zephyr with me."
President Snow chuckled and shook his head slowly. "Ah, you're not in a place to make requests. You do remember that, don't you?" Sera nodded. "But it wouldn't be an awful idea for you to keep her. If she gets too much do feel free to give her one of your flowers."
"You want me to…poison her?" She kept her voice level and kept up her pace as she spoke. President Snow said nothing at first. She let out a laugh in disbelief and the light seemed to dim. "Annie Cresta isn't a threat."
"No, she's hostage." President Snow said frankly, a hint of tiredness seeping into his voice as if Sera's sudden concern was a burden on him. "One we don't really need now that I think about it." He eyed her with a knowing half-smile and nodded to himself.
Of course, if Sera was here, Annie wasn't needed. Those useless to him were discarded and to be discarded meant…death. Annie was less 'useful' than Sera. She was only a hostage while Sera was his pawn, an unfortunately useful pawn.
They walked in silence until they reached the Victors' Hall. President Snow stopped in the center, his eyes scanning the walls. The Peacekeepers in their entourage stopped, shuffled back out the door as they closed the perpetually opened double doors of the hall shut.
"How are you settling back in?" He asked.
"It doesn't matter. I have mistakes to make up for."
His lips quaked and he nodded. He spared her a glance, pleased at her answer. Somehow he seemed to enjoy her company or maybe she was mistaken. Her mind was still addled with whatever venom they had injected her.
Though, one thing she was certain—it was suffocating to be confined in that hall of portraits with him only for company.
Gesturing faintly, President Snow glanced around the hall as the lights dimmed ominously low before jolting brighter. "Do you know where we are?"
"The Victors' Hall." Sera answered blankly. "This is where the portraits of past victors are displayed."
Or were displayed.
Her eyes flickered to the empty spaces on the walls where ghostly outlines had formed. Those were where portraits of 'disgraced' victors once hung. There used to be only a few missing portraits from the early games but the number had risen since then. Dust had begun to gather in their absence, as if even memory itself was being erased.
The idea of it felt familiar to Sera like she'd seen it before.
Damnatio memoriae.
Minister Thislewood's execution and erasure.
President Snow followed her gaze. "Those are the ones who've unfortunately been lost to time," He said plainly. "Or just lost." No flicker of emotion, no lament. Just a simple fact. "So there's no point in remembering them." He finished, turning his sharp gaze back to her.
Sera's fingers curled slightly at her sides, nails pressing into the soft flesh of her palms. She forced herself to nod, avoiding her own portrait. She looked too young and too hollow in that picture. Next to it was Zephyr's portrait.
Her eyes scanned over his face and she had to look twice. She couldn't recognize him in that framed painting. She knew her memories were good. She'd been haunted by them for years but when she looked at Zephyr's face from then, she couldn't recognize the bone-thin boy with shaggy hair and oddly tired eyes.
This was Zephyr. She didn't remember him being so…tired and weak.
She turned away from him and scanned the room again. She'd only passed by the hall a few times after her first tour when she'd finally been crowned as a victor and chosen to work with President Snow. Most victors had never walked around the hall once. This was just a record for him—for the President.
Annie was still on the wall. Augustus too. Enobaria's portrait was the only one that had been changed. She was the only one who looked noticeably older in the sea of childish portraits. Huxley was there too and Sera let out a breath of relief, ignoring the fact that President Snow was still there.
It didn't matter to her that her mask fell for a moment. What mattered was that Huxley was safe. Her family was fine. But even if she didn't know if they were alive, she knew at least that they weren't erased by the Capitol.
She turned away to look at President Snow but couldn't help let her eyes linger for a quick second. Finnick's spot was empty. Of course, it was. Finnick Odair was a traitor to the Capitol. He'd done the unthinkable. She knew that but the strange empty spot on the wall made her heart ache.
"I wouldn't waste my time looking at the empty spot, Miss Reza." President Snow drew out from the opposite end of the hall.
Yet he stood in front of an empty spot. There was no dust or ghostly outline of a frame there but a simple plaque that commemorated the nameless victors of one of the early games.
Sera couldn't remember which game it was, it didn't really matter to her. They were lost in time. Irrelevant to her.
"It's not a good idea to lose ourselves like they did and that is why," He turned away from the empty spot and walked back to the center of the room. "We erase them and cease to remember them."
"Damnatio memoriae." Sera repeated under her breath.
President Snow's lips stretched wider into a grin. He clicked his tongue and shook his head, muttering. "How unfortunate that you're from the districts."
Sera had to strain her ears to even catch a hint of what he'd said. She wished she didn't. It was a waste of effort.
"Caesar's show will be returning soon." He said lightly, carrying on as if he didn't just insult her origins. "I've scheduled you, Enobaria, and Augustus for an appearance."
"Annie won't be joining us?"
"She's too unstable. The image of a victor having a breakdown on air isn't exactly what Panem needs." He replied bluntly. "Morale around Panem is low enough as it is."
Sera nodded, suppressing any reaction. "Then maybe Zephyr could go in Annie's place."
He let out a quiet chuckle and turned to face her fully. "You're not in any position to negotiate, Seraphine."
Before Sera could respond, the lights flickered once, twice and then went out completely. President Snow's composure broke—a rare occurrence and he cursed under his breath.
For a moment, the world was bathed in darkness but her vision quickly adjusted to it and she could make out President Snow's silhouette in the center of the hall. A dangerous thought slithered into her mind. Her fingers twitched toward the hairpin in her hair.
She could do it. A quick move and she could slit his throat before anyone could stop her. The Peacekeepers were outside, fumbling around with the door. They'd locked them in instead of opening the door. The darkness was a perfect cover.
She could do it. Slit his throat. End his life. End the rebellion before it took full effect. She could do it. Her hands trembled at her sides in anticipation as she stared at her prey.
"Then do it." Eugene's raspy voice beckoned her forward. His cold dying breaths in her ear, whispering her on. "Why are you hesitating, Sera? Why? You killed me."
'Because I had to.'
A distorted laughter echoed in her ears and she flinched as the doors burst open, and Peacekeepers stormed in with their weapons drawn. Sera inhaled sharply and instinctively stepped back, pressing herself against the wall, her hands splayed out to show she was unarmed.
Eugene's shadow faded with a dying laugh and she was back in the Victors' Hall. The lights suddenly flickered back on and President Snow turned, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves as if nothing had happened.
Without wasting a second, President Snow ordered the nearest Peacekeeper. "Summon the Minister of Energy at once."
Sera lingered on the outskirts of the small circle of the Peacekeepers around the President. She stayed quiet, listening to the quiet chatter and hum of electricity buzzing in the air. There was one thing clear: there was something wrong with the power.
Power failures weren't common in the Capitol. Something was wrong with the grid. And if something was wrong with the grid, she could use it to her advantage.
This was her chance to get Zephyr out—if he was still alive.
"Is there something wrong with the power?" She asked innocently.
President Snow shot her a withering look before straightening his posture. "This matter doesn't concern you. You're dismissed."
Sera didn't move. "Zephyr Nikolas." She said quickly. "He's trained to deal with the power grid. Most of District 5's brightest are. If he didn't get reaped, he would be working in one of the plants instead," She took a break to breathe. "He was assigned to…help Plutarch Heavensbee for some reason."
Hearing her, President Snow paused. His eyes flickered with something unreadable before he waved the Peacekeepers away. As the doors shut behind them, he stepped closer, studying her from head to toe.
"How strange you're so attached to this boy." He mused with a dry chuckle. "Is he one of your lovers—I know dear Icarus is very fond of you…"
Sera made a face. If Clarisse had heard this she'd laugh before her mood would sour and she picked a fight with Sera. "I mentored him. My first ever tribute that I took under my wing and I know he trained under Miel–my brother too at his plant back in Five. He's…the only one I have in the Capitol and I think he can help. He's helped me–Panem before."
"And we're seeing the result of it." He said dryly.
"He did what the Head Gamemaker told him to do."
"You're trying to negotiate with me again."
Sera met his gaze without flinching. "I just think Zephyr can help. If you allow him to help—"
A slow, mirthless laugh escaped him. "You have some nerve making requests considering the mistakes you made."
She didn't let him continue. "Zephyr worked under Plutarch for years leading up to the Games. If anyone can help undo whatever damage he left behind, it's him." She said. "I can tell the power grid is in a dire situation. The games couldn't have been easy on it—the amount of power used just to hold up the arena's barriers is a lot more than what Panem uses on a regular."
"Are you trying to say that the failure of the last games led to these shortages?"
The 75th Hunger Games was the most expensive and energy consuming games in the history of Panem. The barrier alone drew in enough energy to power the entirety of Panem for at least three years.
"Yes." She answered without hesitation. She knew little about Panem inner working when it came to technology but most in Five knew how the grid worked.
And Sera knew enough about the power lines running through Panem to know that the damage was severe. The Capitol's damage was the least of Panem's problems.
If the Capitol had flickers then districts beyond Two had blackouts—hours of them while Districts 1 and 2 were not that different from the Capitol. She knew exactly how the veins of Panem worked.
But her brother, Huxley, Oran, Clarisse and Zephyr would know more. The only one who was in the Capitol was Zephyr. He knew the power grid from both ends. He had been working with Plutarch. Even before that he'd studied to work at those plants before he was reaped. Those who studied and trained to work in those plants dedicated their youth and thereafter to the plants.
Zephyr could help.
"My head's not full of flowers." She stated without masking the bitterness she felt, biting the insides of her cheek to stop the smile from blooming on her face. "I know enough to tell you that when Katniss Everdeen broke the barrier, there was a lot of damage done, not just to the arena but also to Panem. The power grid naturally took the brunt of the damage since most of the energy circulating the nation was being concentrated towards the arena management. Plutarch Heavensbee knew that and he plotted to have Beetee and Katniss destroy the arena and to target Panem."
She paused to take a few breaths to calm herself before continuing. "If Zephyr worked with him then I'm sure he can help fix this."
Silence stretched between them before he sighed, displeased. "I'll allow him to fix the damage Plutarch incurred on Panem but any mistakes he makes will be on you."
Sera didn't let her relief show. She merely bowed her head in gratitude. "Understood."
"We'll continue the discussion about Caesar's interview later. I'll summon you in due time" President Snow studied her for a second longer before adding. "And Seraphine."
"Yes, Mr President."
"Maybe you can take time off to send a letter to your family."
She nodded, unfazed by the threat and thanked him quietly for his 'generosity' before he dismissed her. A single Peacekeeper escorted her back to her designated suite. Nothing more was said, that single threat was the end of her night.
She wasn't that bothered by his threat. Her family's lives was already hanging over her head like a noose and it wasn't the first time he'd said something like that.
Regardless of his threat, she got what she wanted and she caught up to everything. Annie was in the Capitol along with other victors, most of whom were dead. Enobaria and Augustus were alive for their image while there was still no signs of Johanna and Peeta.
Then there was the fact that there was something wrong with the power grid. If there were issues with the power grid, then communication could also be compromised.
Beetee had once mentioned that the two were intertwined—without a stable power supply, the Capitol's ability to monitor and control information could weaken. It was something she kept in the back of her mind, tucked away for later.
She just didn't think that breaking the arena was a part of weakening the communications between the Capitol and the districts. She'd thought the arena's destruction was just an escape plan, a spark to light the fire of rebellion—that was a mistake on her part. She'd missed a few things, far too busy being cautious of Snow and Coin.
"Zephyr."
Straggly brown hair shook violently at the mention of the name. The face underneath stayed curtained as his body crawled towards Sera slowly and painfully.
"Zephyr." Sera whispered again and swallowed her drying throat. "...It's me..Sera."
Her voice broke when she said her name and she flinched at the ugly sound that came out of her lips, too distorted for her own ears, let alone Zephyr's.
But it didn't seem to matter when an equally broken voice greeted her. "S…era."
She pushed herself closer and reached for his hand but it was cold like a corpse and she flinched from the cold burn.
Glassy void looked up at her with a mix of strange fascination and horror. "N-no." Zephyr spat out. "No. You're…"
His breathing grew laboured and he started coughing, covering his mouth as he pushed himself back. He shook violently while his head moved side to side, looking at each corner of the cell.
Out of everyone affected by the venom, Sera expected Zephyr to know the difference between real and nightmares. She trusted his abilities but looking at the shell of the boy she mentored, she wasn't so sure if she was still awake.
"Zeph, it's me…Sera." She reached for him again but he pulled back quicker than she would have reacted. Desperate, she moved closer to him
"...Not here. You're not really here." He mumbled, gnawing at his bloodied and bruised lips. "...Clarisse, like Miel…like Ira. No one's here…"
His memory had never failed him. He knew and remembered everything he saw. He knew Sera was not there. She couldn't be. The cell was too cramped for another and she…was weak. Her lungs would fail her in that cell if the two were in there.
He was alone.
Sera blinked and clasped her hands together tight, refusing to move from where she was on the floor. His cell was much more cramped than hers, barely enough space to move around ten steps. Certainly not enough space for both her and Zephyr.
He didn't care and he kept moving corner to corner muttering the same words over and over again. To him Sera was a ghost.
There but not really there, just a figment of his imagination.
"Zephyr." She called out again as she bit her trembling lips and he ran straight for her.
She didn't shrink or move, pushing a panicked Scarus back to the darkened hall as Zephyr's body collided with hers. Pain blinded her momentarily and she saw white then twinkling lights hovering over her as she gasped for air.
Faint coppery stench filled the air as she and Zephyr panted heavily laying next to each other. She lay there for a moment before Zephyr burst into breathless laughter, wheezing and coughing the next minute as he sat up and looked at her like she was a stranger.
His laughter died and he scrunched up his face, closing in on her. "You…should've moved." He gasped out.
"You'd still be daydreaming if I did."
He dragged himself off the floor just as Sera was lifted up to her feet by Scarus' rough hands. Scarus tried to pull her away and convince her to leave him but Sera wouldn't.
She made a deal with Snow when everyone had left. She'd play her part and in turn, Zephyr would restore power and communications, partly undo what Plutarch did in exchange for his freedom from his cell.
"Go easy on him!" Sera hissed out and wrapped her hands around Scarus' wrist as he lifted Zephyr by his collar. Her painted nails dug into Scarus' gloved wrist and he let out a pained hiss, letting Zephyr fall into his bed.
Zephyr crashed into the hard bed and glared up at her guard. Without a warning, he grabbed the yellow-stained pillow and threw it in Scarus' face. Distracted, Scarus reacted too slowly to catch the pillow in mid-air as it collided against his stiff face and threw him off balance.
In rage, Scarus grabbed the pillow and tried to peel it off his face but he was too slow. Zephyr kicked his knee, pushed him down to the floor before shoving the pillow to his face. He pressed it down hard, trying to suffocate the thrashing man below him.
Almost wrapping the yellow-stained pillow around his face, Zephyr snatched the knife from Scarus' belt and pressed it down on his neck. He looked over his shoulder at Sera and waited. For a moment, Sera just stared blankly at her thrashing guard with pursed lips, ignoring the euphoric grin on Zephyr's face.
She had no intention to move. She tilted her head to the side and watched the scene as Scarus' movements slowed down.
The air was being sucked out of his lungs the more he struggled. It would be funny if he died like that but it would be a pathetic death—fitting for someone as pathetic as him. He deserved to die forgotten in a cell.
But Sera couldn't let Scarus die. Not yet anyway. She made a deal with President Snow for Zephyr's life. Scarus dying would be an inconvenience to her.
"That's enough!" Sera snapped and pulled Zephyr away. "Stop!" She yelled but again, she didn't move or put enough force to peel Zephyr away, just enough for him to get the message.
With a quiet 'oh', Zephyr let go as if he'd snapped out of a haze. He crawled away from Scarus and hid his knife behind his back while trying his best to look apologetic but the spark of joy in his eyes easily gave him away to Sera.
Scarus, on the other hand, lay there gasping for breath. He barely managed to lift his head to check on Sera before his head grew heavy and fell back onto the hard mattress. Sera turned away and went back to the hallway. She called over a few guards and stood aside, silently begging Zephyr not to move.
"Consul Redcliff, are you okay?" Sera asked softly. "Can you breathe?" Scarus shook violently and nodded. His attention was on her, not Zephyr, checking if her skin was still flawless and not a hair had moved from her head. "I called over some Peacekeepers…I'm so sorry, I didn't think he'd lose control of himself like that."
"–fine." Came out from Scarus' broken out voice. "I should've been…bet-better…prepared."
"I think Zephyr is fine now. He just…lost control. I'll take full blame for it."
"No…need." Scarus glared at Zephyr. "He looks docile now." He let out a choked bitter laugh and sighed.
Zephyr wouldn't be sedated. She knew Scarus couldn't do it, he wouldn't. Not if she didn't want it.
She didn't need Zephyr to be sedated. She wanted him awake to talk to him and most importantly, she wanted to help flush out the venom in his system and she knew he was already injected with something.
It didn't help that whatever venom they'd given her and the rest of the victors affected them worse when they were asleep.
Two Peacekeepers rushed into Zephyr's cell but by then, Scarus had managed to sit himself up. There was a dark red ring around his collar where Zephyr had forcefully tied his pillow and a small cut in the center of his neck.
Zephyr had actually drawn blood.
Sera bit her lips and glanced over at Zephyr. He wasn't ashamed at all. No signs of regret on his face. She would've mimicked him if she wasn't so worried about him.
A sigh escaped her lips and she masked it as a groan of pain, clutching her chest. She turned away from the cell and Scarus shot out of the bed to grab her before she'd fall. She wasn't going to fall. She wasn't even in pain, she just needed a distraction to stop any questions before they began.
Unfortunately, her play worked a little too well and the next thing she remembered was being confined to her assigned suite in the Presidential Palace—for her own 'safety'. At least, she wasn't alone anymore, Annie sat in front of the fireplace with a book covering her face. She hadn't moved a page in hours.
While Zephyr was stealing her bed, staring up at the gilded painted ceiling with a blank look on his face. Every now and then, he'd roll over to his side and look at Scarus before rolling back onto his back.
He sighed. "Do you not…have anything else to do? Anyone else to…shoot or I don't know, terrorize?"
"Zephyr." Sera quietly warned as she snipped off the leaves of the white roses in her hand. She twirled the stem between her fingers before snipping off a few inches off the bottom of the stems and burning them over a candle next to her.
Every time Sera brought the stems over to the candle, Scarus would stiffen. His hand moved straight to his dagger.
"Do you…have to burn the roses?" He ignored Zephyr and eyed her hands warily.
Sera shrugged. "I don't have to—if I want the roses to die quickly but if I need them to last, I need to burn them."
"You'll burn yourself."
"She's not a child." Zephyr blew out a puff of air. "She's not going to burn this room or you. Not yet, anyway. It's not like her to be so…spontaneous. She's more careful than you give her credit for."
"Zephyr." Sera glared at him but he didn't look at her. "Ignore him. He's not himself. I don't know what's wrong with him either." Scarus pulled at his collar and nodded. "It's the same thing with Augustus. They both just stare off into the distance."
Scarus pulled out a chair and sat down, Sera's shoulder's tensed. Her hands tightened around her shears. "Nothing's wrong with them." Laughter spilled out of Zephyr's lips and Scarus' jaws tightened. "He's fine. Augustus is fine. They're all fine. There's nothing wrong with you either."
She poked the insides of her cheek and snipped off another flower, accidentally decapitating it's head. "I wasn't talking about me, was I, Icarus?" She paused. "Is there anything wrong with me?"
Despite the fire burning in the fireplace in the center of the room, the room seemed colder. "Does it really matter? Everything that we do, we do for Panem."
"Panem." Zephyr giggled and Scarus stood up.
"I wasn't talking to you." Zephyr nodded and Annie finally flipped over a page. "Miss Cresta, maybe it's time we move you to the clinic."
"I-I didn't do anything." Annie clutched the book tight until her knuckles turned white. "I want to stay here."
"We need to get your treatment started."
Annie's eyes grew and Zephyr sat up. "Treatment?" They both echoed. "I…don't need treatment." Annie breathed out. "I'm fine."
Scarus nodded. "I'm sure you are but—"
"There's no need to move her." Sera threw the decapitated rose into the fire and picked up another. "I asked President Snow for Annie to accompany me. I don't know where my assistant is and Zephyr's not himself so Annie's going to keep me company and I could use a…friend."
"Her?" Scarus scoffed incredulously before bursting out into a fit of laughter. "You know she's insane."
Sera's smile faded. Her eyes darted to Annie and Zephyr who'd grabbed the pillow. Annie was ashen and her eyes bloodshot, a mixture of anger and fear crossed her face.
"She's right there and she's perfectly fine!" Sera hissed out, snipping off another rose. She reached out for another. "She'll stay."
"Then she can do part as a victor and maybe get a job—maybe take over Cashmere and Fin—"
The shears cut into Sera's finger, she threw it away before it pierced her flesh and held her bleeding finger close to her chest. Scarus was next to her in a flash. He'd caught the shears before they fell, closing the distance between the two.
She ignored the shears and him, walking past the bench to reach for her handkerchief. She wiped the blood, wrapping her finger around the silk.
"President Snow," She began. "Asked me to accompany him for lunch. It's almost time, isn't it?"
Scarus backed off. He lifted his head and looked at the gilded clock on the wall before he sighed. It was almost time for lunch and Sera needed at least an hour to look presentable.
He took one step back, glaring at the ground as he did so. His fingers curled up into a fist as he crossed his arms behind his shoulders and gave a cursory look around the room.
"I'll summon your stylists to get you ready and," He paused. "I should remind you I'm not your errand boy so next time—"
"Emilia is still missing." Sera cut him off and untied the handkerchief, holding up her hand to the light.
His gaze moved to her fingers, following her movement and ignoring everything else in the room. "...She's not missing. She's—"
"Emilia usually handled my schedules and even kept track of my medications. I need her."
"I'm sure you'll live, you did fine back in District 5 but—"
"My brother and sister used to take turns to look after me. My aunt too…when she was still here."
"I'll get someone else other than…" Scarus' jaws tightened and his shoulders tensed. "Emilia Merchant—"
"I need her back. It's not like she did anything…rebellious."
"Not that we know of."
"Then why–"
Scarus exhaled sharply through his nose, pressing his fingers to his temple as though Sera's insistence physically pained him. "Fine," He muttered. "I'll see what I can do."
She didn't miss the sharp, clipped tone or the sharp glare pointed at her. He wasn't agreeing because he saw reason—he was agreeing because he wanted her to shut up. A first for him.
Still, she counted it as a small victory. She had no illusions about Emilia's fate being entirely in his hands, but Scarus had influence. More than she did, at least.
She bit the insides of her cheek and swallowed up the words on the tip of her tongue. Annie was still in the room. She didn't want the girl to know too much about her and Scarus' annoying obsession with her.
It was unfortunate that Annie was more sane than she let on. She didn't trust her or Zephyr to not intervene during Scarus' outbursts.
He lingered for a moment longer than she expected, his jaw still tight. For all his annoyance, there was something else lurking beneath his expression, something bordering unease with that strange attentive look.
Before she could press him further, Annie's voice, soft but strained, cut through the tension.
"Sera," Annie murmured, still seated but turned slightly toward her. "Are you taking those flowers with you later or…" She trailed off and quickly glanced at Scarus.
Helplessly, Sera blinked, taken aback by Annie calling her 'Sera' not 'Seraphine'. Even Scarus flinched. Neither of them expected Annie to address her by her nickname. The two were not close. Sera hardly knew her but somehow she'd made it a habit to call her 'Sera'.
"...The flowers." She echoed back to Annie.
Annie pursed her lips and inched away from the florist bench. "The roses."
She covered the lower half of her face, shielding her nose and mouth from the overwhelming scent of roses that filled the room. Zephyr didn't bother to do any of that and Sera had become too accustomed with the stench of the bloody roses to even notice them.
"The roses. Yes. The roses."
"Can you take them with you?" Annie asked.
"Those roses," Scarus snapped, turning around to face Annie, "are from the President's private garden. You should show them the same respect as the President himself." His voice was sharp, the reprimand laced with warning. "Better yet stop your complaining and make yourself useful."
Sera's head turned sharply, her gaze cold as ice. "She's already useful to me." She cut him off, her voice slicing through the air like a blade.
Scarus went rigid, nostrils flaring, but he said nothing. Instead, he stormed off, his boots hitting the polished floor with heavy, angry steps.
A slow, amused chuckle came from Zephyr, who leaned lazily against the edge of Sera's bed. "You should've let me finish the job."
"And then you'd be joining Scarus soon after."
Zephyr smirked. "That would be a good death."
Sera shook her head, but a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. "I don't have the time to prepare for a funeral. I have more important things to do."
"I hope it's not anything dangerous." Annie said something so Talissa-like that took Sera aback. Annie tilted her head slightly, studying Sera with quiet concern. Her fingers curled against the fabric of her coat.
Sera hesitated, her lips pressing together before she let out a slow breath. A sad smile bloomed on her lips, not the perfect, plastic one she reserved for the Capitolites, but something real. Something tired. Her fingers drifted to her temple, then to her eyes, rubbing at them in frustration.
The dark fog at the edges of her vision pulsed. Maybe her eyesight was getting worse. There were still some traces of poison in her blood.
Dark spots danced on the edges as shapes and colors pulled and shifted in front of her. She could see pale faces of the dead and most importantly, when she looked at Annie—she couldn't see her.
She blinked hard and for a brief second, she saw Jenny in Annie. Her breath caught in her throat. She blinked again and Jenny disappeared like frost under sunlight, giving away to her younger sister's face.
"Sera?" Annie's voice was quiet but insistent. "Are you okay?"
Sera straightened, exhaling through her nose. "I'm fine."
Annie didn't look convinced. She frowned, her fingers curling against her lap. "You shouldn't lie to people who care about you." She said. "It's not right."
Sera didn't respond right away. She just smiled and let the moment pass, hoping that Annie would move on but she didn't.
"It's the roses, isn't it? They're making you sick. They're making me sick."
Annie tried to touch them but recoiled at the air around them. She couldn't even allow them to get close to her.
"Finn…"
The bitter, sour and sweetness of the rose stench made her retch. She covered her lower half of the face and moved to the window.
"...Finn…would tell me about those roses…" She tried to get out. "I never thought—I'm sorry, I can't–"
"You get used to those things." Zephyr said with a sigh and cracked open a window but still, it wasn't enough.
Cold air blew in yet the stench wouldn't leave. It had permeated into the wood and every crevice of the room much to Zephyr and Annie's dismay. Sera was the only one in the room who seemed unbothered. She was too used to the roses to care. They were as common to her as mold.
With a sigh, Sera grabbed a bottle of liquor from the fridge and uncorked it unnaturally. It was a foreign motion for someone like her who hardly ever drank, if ever. She poured the pungent liquor on the leftover roses and covered them in some old newspapers, letting the liquor soak the flowers.
The stench of the strange white roses was strong but the liquor was stronger, somehow it was enough to neutralize the roses. It was also strong enough to give her a headache. Though, it was nothing she couldn't power through unlike Annie who seemed like she'd fall over any time soon.
"Finn used to complain about the roses. I didn't think—I didn't think they were this bad." Annie glared at the mess on Sera's florist bench and shook her head. "I thought he used to exaggerate but those roses stink. How are you so–so…"
Sera's heart quaked at the second mention of Finnick and she nodded, pretending to be unfazed. She didn't like thinking about him, not knowing if she'd lose her composure if she did. Her mind was more blank than before.
She didn't even think about her family. Her mind was heavy and she was focused on other things. She needed to get Zephyr to fix the power grid, restore communications and plan out an escape but not before finding Peeta and Johanna—if they were even alive.
Most of her time was spent playing a waiting game.
"You get used to it." Sera simply said to Annie.
Annie shook her head. "I don't know how you do it. Finn told me you like flowers but I'm sure even you don't—"
"I don't." Sera admitted. "This is my job." She pointed to the mess of roses and the place where the arrangement was—Scarus had taken it with him. "A part of it anyway."
"Doesn't sound like it's something of a good time."
"It's…a job. Just one of the many I have."
"One of many—what—" Annie cut herself off and forced a smile on her face.
Though she enjoyed Sera's company, there was something odd about her. Sera was like the winter sun—both warm and cold. Her gaze was far too sharp, too threatening for Annie to feel comfortable enough to probe her for answers. Annie didn't know how Finnick managed to befriend her.
Annie frowned at her thoughts. "T-that sounds exhausting." She said carefully after a pause to think. Her fingers tightened slightly in her lap before she exhaled, her gaze lowering. "...Are you okay?"
Sera blinked, momentarily caught off guard. It wasn't the question she expected—not from Annie, not from anyone, really. Only one other person had ever asked her that before. Finnick.
"I'm fine as I can be."
"Are you?"
"Annie, I don't need you to worry about me."
"And you don't need to shield me from that guard–Icarus either. I can handle myself." Annie added. "I'm not your responsibility just because Finn's not here."
"You are." Sera said.
She was the reason why Annie only had her father as her family. The reason why Jenny died. She was the reason why Annie was even standing in front of her. Without her intervention, Annie would've died outside the arena.
"I'm not."
The guilt in Annie's voice was obvious. Sera didn't want Annie's guilt. She didn't deserve it. If anything, Annie's guilt was suffocating for Sera but before she could say anything, Zephyr scoffed.
"You're wasting your time," He said in a dry tone. "Sera doesn't care."
Annie's lips pressed into a thin line. "I do, though."
Silence fell between them for a moment before Annie shifted, her expression tightening as she tried again.
"I can help. With something. With anything."
Sera and Zephyr exchanged a glance before both shook their heads. Zephyr crossed his arms. "Stick to Eos or anyone from her stylist team. If Sera, Augustus, Enobaria, or I aren't around, stay with her."
"You're both treating me like I'm a child." Annie bristled, her brows knitting together. "I'm not a child."
"Might as well be."
"Just because I'm not fully well doesn't mean I'm helpless. I can be useful." She straightened, defiance sparking in her usually soft voice. "I know you two are trying to plan an out from the Capitol and you're both looking for other victors. I-I can help."
"Sure you can."
"Zephyr." Sera warned quietly but he ignored her and got up from her bed. His feet unsteady and he almost fell over as he saw stars. He shook his head but Annie continued.
"I can help—I can–um–I can help find the other victors that were brought here after the Quell. I heard you asking Enobaria. She wasn't much help, but I can be. I was on the train with several victors on my way to the Capitol." Again, she paused before continuing. "And when I was taken to the hospital, I saw some of the ones from the Capitol there too."
Zephyr's smirk faded slightly, his shoulders tensed and he straightened up. Sera narrowed her eyes, studying Annie carefully.
"Who did you see?" Zephyr asked.
"I can tell you everything I remember." She said and paused. "But only if you two let me help."
"You're bluffing." Zephyr sighed and tried to stand up again. "You're a hostage for Finnick Odair and so is she," He pointed to Sera. "I worked closely with Beetee and Plutarch. That's why I'm here. Augustus is here for his pretty face. There's no other reason to bring others here."
"But they are here!" Annie pulled at the tips of her hair in frustration. "I know they are because I was with them! I saw them! On the train! At the hospital!" She hissed out, her face turning red with each breath.
"Annie." Sera tried to calm her down but Annie shook off her attempts as her breaths grew heavier. Her eyes became blurry, unfocused and watery. She was close to slipping away under the tides. "Annie." She snapped her fingers and clapped her hands together. "Breathe. Just…ignore Zephyr and focus on my voice." Her voice trembled and there was an edge to the softness of Sera's voice.
She'd never had to deal with the fits of others other than Finnick's. She'd ignored her own nightmares and waited for them to leave but the same couldn't be done for Annie. There was no treatment for her, no one else to care other than Sera and maybe Augustus next door.
Slowly, Annie followed Sera' voice and resurfaced as clarity returned to her. Her knuckles that had turned white slowly regained color, the redness from her face started to fade and dissipate. She sucked in another breath and nodded to herself before closing her eyes.
"Are you here with us?" Annie nodded. "Good. Ignore Zephyr. He's…not himself."
Zephyr snorted and doubled down on what he said before. "I might not be myself but I know there's not many of us here."
A bitter laugh escaped Annie's lips, it sounded more like a choked cry to Sera. "I-I-I–uh–I know what I saw. I know there's others out there."
Just for a second, Sera closed her eyes. The moment she did, the room vanished, swallowed by a distant, echoing sound: screams. Not loud, not overpowering, but distant and stretched out like the long corridors of the dark place they'd kept her. Her heart felt like a rusty anchor as she rubbed her throat, wrapping her hand around it.
She opened her eyes and stared at Annie and Zephyr. "They're gone." Her voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was heavier than before.
"They went back home already?" Annie's face crumbled in disappointment. "But we're still here. That's—"
"They're dead, Annie."
Her face paled rapidly. Her lips turned blue like she was drowning as her eyes flew wide open in disbelief. "They can't be. They wouldn't kill any victors." She said, her hands shaking. "I…we were always told they wouldn't."
Zephyr nodded vigorously in an almost childlike manner. "They'll just…hurt their loved ones instead. That's why half of us don't have families. Not me though. Mine were already—"
"Zephyr." Sera gathered her things and started to put them away. "The victors they brought to the Capitol are all…dead. Most of them at least and those that aren't…" She trailed off.
Annie stood up slowly, her blue coat slipping off her shoulders as the silver buttons near her lapel got tangled with her messy braided hair. "Is…this another of your…attempts to…scare us?"
Sera's eyes trembled and she paused in her movements, swallowing as she shook her head. All the white roses that she hadn't pruned were bunched up in her hands, covered with an old faded newspaper.
"...It is, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry Annie."
Annie scoffed at her apology. "No!" Her voice rose in pitch, cracking with frustration. "No." She shook her head and breathed out heavily.
Sera exhaled slowly. "Annie, they're gone. Everyone that came here with you or was here already are gone."
Annie shook her head, her breath quickening. "No. That's not true. Mags, Reef, and Finnick told me—they told me—that no matter what happens, they would keep the victors safe. The victors are important. We played their games—we won! We won!"
She gasped out and clutched her throat, on the verge of drowning again. But she took a deep breath and resurfaced.
"...We won. Didn't we?" She asked softly in a broken voice.
Zephyr let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Winning means nothing anymore."
Annie's eyes snapped to him, wild with disbelief. "That can't be right. I know everyone's fine." She inhaled sharply. "I-I-I spoke with Reef and Kaia at that hospital they took us to. Reef told me everything was going to be okay."
Sera's stomach twisted. "Reef." She repeated his name, barely above a whisper, and harshly bit her lips to keep herself from saying more.
The remaining color in Annie's face drained. "No." Her voice cracked, raw and fragile. She shook her head violently, her entire frame trembling. Tears welled up, blurring her vision. "No. No. Don't—don't tell me. Please."
A heavy sigh escaped her lips and her shoulders sagged as she leaned against the marbled walls next to the fireplace. She was cold and her bones were heavy, dragging her down.
The smile on Zephyr's face was wiped off as he rose from Sera's bed. "You're not lying, are you?"
Sera stared at the ground, refusing to meet their gaze. "...I saw—I heard…them die. There were so many screams…so many cries. I don't think I heard that many in my life. Not even in the games."
Annie's colourless face quickly dyed a desperate red as she sprung from her seat and grabbed onto Sera's shoulders. She started to list some of the victors of Four. "R-Reef's gone? K-Kaia? What about her? What about—"
But Sera couldn't give her the answers that she desperately wanted to hear.
"I'm sorry Annie." Sera said softly.
Sera never thought guilt could be so crushing and so painful until Annie's tearstained face was in front of hers with her nails digging into her shoulders and rooting the poisonous feelings into her system.
She could never afford to let herself drown in her self-pity. She had a lot to do.
"At the dinner with the President and those people—you and Augustus—you two saw it all happen?" Annie's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was loud enough for all of them.
"Just me."
Annie's lips parted slightly as if trying to form words, but none came. Instead, she sucked in a sharp breath.
"Is that why Augustus asked about Peridot?" Sera nodded. Annie's gaze dropped to the floor as she murmured, almost to herself. "Mags. Reef. Kaia." She squeezed her eyes shut. "They're gone." Her hands clenched into trembling fists. "Finnick and I…we might be the only ones from Four left."
Sera opened her mouth, then closed it. There were no words that could soften the truth. "Annie, I'm so—"
"Stop. Stop apologizing for something that's not your fault" Annie cut her off.
She wasn't angry, just tired. Defeated. She turned away, stepping back toward the sofa before lowering herself onto it. Slowly, she curled in on herself, knees tucked to her chest, arms wrapped around them.
Sera didn't try to stop her. She didn't try to tell her it would be okay—because it wouldn't.
Zephyr exhaled sharply, breaking the heavy silence. His voice was eerily calm when he spoke. "So that means I almost died down there too."
His face was blank, but his hands—his hands were shaking. He had them curled into loose fists, resting on his sides. It was the calmest she had seen him since his name was called at the reaping, but she knew better. The tension coiled beneath his skin was barely restrained.
"How long do we have until we're next?" Annie asked quietly. "And please…don't lie to me."
"I'm not letting either of you die," Sera said firmly. "I'll get you both out. Soon."
Annie lifted her head, her red-rimmed eyes locking onto Sera's. Slowly, she unfurled herself from her curled-up position and reached for her. Her fingers grasped Sera's wrist tightly, almost desperately.
"How are you going to do that?"
"I'll find a way."
"Please," Annie whispered. "Don't do anything dangerous. Just…let things go."
For a second, Annie's vision blurred and it was like Sera could see what she could. She wasn't looking at her—she was looking at Jenny, her sister.
"It's a little late for that."
Annie's grip tightened, fingers digging into Sera's wrist as desperation flashed in her eyes. "Finnick will come for us." She whispered, her voice almost pleading. "He'll find a way. He always does, so don't do anything reckless. My father's still out there too. Gaven as well. They'll come for us. I know they will. Finnick won't stay away. He'll come"
Sera shook her head, as easier it would've been to lie to Annie, she couldn't. The power grid was having issues and that meant communications were disrupted—all communications. They were for worse, on their own, cut off from the rebels and the districts. There was no way she could reassure Annie to quell the anxiety and fear she felt.
Besides that, Annie wasn't stupid or naive as most people thought her to be. She was just…lost. That was the nicest way Sera could describe Annie. She was there but not really.
'Aunt Dahlia was like that before she—'
"Annie, no one's coming for us." Sera said softly, pinching the bridge of her nose and letting out a sigh. "But we should be fine for now until I find a way to get you out."
"Us." Annie corrected. "We'll all leave together."
Zephyr snorted, rolling back into Sera's bed. "I think you should face it, not all of us have the…um…motivation to leave and even if we want to—it's going to be hard. No one's coming for us."
"But for now we should be fine." Sera added.
Annie sat down but she was shaking as she cradled a pillow against her chest. Her lips quivered and her eyes welled up.
"D-do you really believe that?" She asked quietly in a broken voice. "Do you really believe we'll be fine? You said it yourself—the others, they're gone—what if—"
"President Snow is being generous enough to allow us to stay at the Presidential Palace." Sera cut her off. "We should—be glad that he's kind enough to give us shelter in these dark times."
"What? Are you even—" She stopped herself mid-sentence.
Zephyr hissed. "Don't."
A knock on the door and Sera plastered a placid smile on her face. "Come in." She said and turned her head to the door.
Scarus had returned. He wasn't alone. Eos and her team trailed behind him. But there was another A gaunt, pale and a wraith-like woman with thin long straight hair dragged herself in. She was wrapped in a violet silken dress that made her look even more ghost-like.
'An avox?' It couldn't be. Avoxes moved only in the shadows, never in the light. They were never so prominent. That woman was almost being paraded in front of Sera.
But Sera couldn't get a better look at her face. Her blue-black hair curtained her face, hiding it from her like a mask. She refused to look up, only lifting her head every few seconds to catch a glimpse of Scarus. Her face was caked with thick makeup and her lips were painted in red. She looked like a drowned corpse.
Drowned.
Her head snapped over her shoulder towards Annie as she heard a sharp intake of breath and Zephyr shot up from the bed. Annie had curled up on herself. A single glimpse from the strange corpse-like woman had her shaking and breathing hard.
"Scarus." Sera moved to shield Annie. "I thought I asked you to call my stylist team."
The nonchalant guard nodded and craned his head to the side, almost trying to look behind her. He was trying to catch a glimpse of Annie. "I did." He returned back to his position and eyed Sera for a second. "I got your team."
"M-my team? I think there's an extra."
"She's part of your team too."
Sera drew her lips into a thin line and tried to again get a good look at the woman but again, she wouldn't lift her head. "There must be a mistake then because I know my team—unless there's a new addition."
He rolled his eyes in disbelief. "You asked me to gather your team for your next upcoming schedule "
She inhaled sharply, steadying herself. "I understand that—"
Annie's trembling fingers clutched at the back of her dress, pulling her slightly backward. She swallowed up her words and looked at the floor before letting her gaze drift to Eos and her team.
Mica and Harp stood near the fireplace with a rack of clothes, still as the paintings hanging on the walls. Eos had her arm wrapped around that woman's shoulder.
And Scarus…
His eyes were trained on Sera like always. He wasn't angry. His lips curled upwards and there was a strange spark of sadistic joy in his cat-like eyes as if he were savoring the moment, stretching it out just to watch her squirm.
"I'm telling you she's part of your team." He repeated, his tone infuriatingly casual.
A new addition?
Sera forced a smile, the Capitol-trained kind that never reached her eyes, the one that she knew Scarus despised. "Well," She said lightly. "I'm flattered by the new addition to my team. I only wish I'd been informed before—"
Sera pressed her lips into a thin smile. She barely got the words out before Zephyr abruptly stepped forward. His body swayed slightly, but his voice was sharp, cutting through the room like a blade.
"Emilia." He breathed out and covered his mouth.
Her heart pounded twice erratically and her shoulders caved in with the sudden jolt of pain. But she forced herself to remain composed.
Slowly, she turned her gaze back to the woman. The figure in violet lifted her head at last. Her breath came shallow and forced as she stared at the corpse-like woman—Emilia.
Her half-moon lids were dusted a deep blue-violet, masking the bruises that had formed around her eyes. Her plump and deceptively youthful cheeks had been hollowed out. There was a gray-blue tint on her skin that truly made her look like a drowned corpse.
Thick makeup couldn't quite mask the sunken hollows of her face, the way her skin clung too tightly to her bones. It couldn't even hide that one of her eyes was gone, in its place was a dark void. Not even a glass eye had replaced it. She didn't look distinctly Capitol-like anymore.
Emilia's lips stretched into something that was supposed to be a smile and then, in a voice that was too bright, too chipper, too wrong, she said, "I'm back, Sera-phine! Apologies for taking some time off but I can assure you that I am back in my b-best condition to help you manage your schedules again!"
Sera's stomach twisted as she forced herself to look at Emilia, at the shell of the woman she once knew.
"Time off." She echoed faintly.
Emilia nodded, her movement stiff and unnatural like marionette. "Yes. But I'm all fine now! She continued, voice falsely bright. "Ready to help. Just like before."
Sera felt Annie's grip tighten on her dress, her knuckles white, her breath coming faster. Zephyr's face had gone eerily blank, his hands were shaking at his sides.
Scarus let out a low chuckle. "See? She's ready to serve. I told you she was part of your team."
Sera finally turned to him, schooling her expression into something calm. Something manageable. "Of course. My mistake." Her voice was level, polite and cold. "It's just…unexpected."
"You asked for her and I delivered." He closed the distance between the two and Eos loudly coughed, causing him to scowl. "Right. You have a busy day and I have a meeting to attend. Unfortunately, I won't be seeing you for lunch." He finished, dragging his eyes over her body before nodding at her and turning around.
He was gone in a blink of an eye, leaving her room colder than the winter outside. No one spoke in the aftermath. Annie had curled herself against Sera's back, still tugging at her.
Emilia stared aimlessly at her former charges, her smile slowly dying with a pained bloody sigh, she masked with Eos' handkerchief.