Storm: A Hunger Games Story {Book One of the Storm Trilogy}

Seventeen

I couldn't sleep. Images of my family dead or tortured circled in my head, so I just sat in bed next to Wes.

I watched the world go by outside the window, seeing the lights of the Capitol far far away in the distance. The place that took so much from me.

Beside me in the bed, Wes began mumbling in his sleep. He started shaking, and jolted awake with fear in his eyes.

"You're okay, you're safe." I whispered, wrapping my arms around him. Wes leaned into me, wrapping his arms around my abdomen and nestling his head in my neck.

Wes began to cry, more than I had ever seen him cry before. He was inconsolable, holding onto me like I would be ripped from him if he let go. It hurt me to my core that he had to go through this, and that despite his own grief and trauma, he focuses on mine.

"Don't leave me, Ophelia. Please don't leave me." he begged, choking on his tears.

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I'm right here." I ran my fingers through his hair gently, trying to calm him down.

"I want to talk about it." he whispered. I kissed him on the top of his head.

"Of course, tell me about it." He sniffled, and pulled away, staring at his lap.

"He, he took you. Killed you in front of me, and there was nothing I could do about it," he paused to take a deep breath, "I had to go to your funeral. And then he sold me. He killed you so I could be useful to him, and that scares me because it might just happen, and I can't do anything to protect you." My heart broke, knowing he wasn't scared for himself, but for me.

I put my hands on his face, and looked at his tear-stained face. I wiped his tears, but they just kept coming.

"I'm not going anywhere. He can't take me from you, and he can't take you from me. We will always have each other." I kissed his forehead and pulled him in again. I just let him cry, knowing nothing else I say can truly comfort him.

The next morning, he woke up with swollen eyes. He had cried until he fell asleep from exhaustion.

"I'm going to get you a cold cloth." I told him, walking into the bathroom. I wet the cloth with ice cold water, and came back to the bed. I placed the cold cloth over his eyes to help the swelling.

"Thank you." He held onto the cloth as I got back under the covers.

"Everything will be fine, okay? We just need to suck up to him today, and then we get to go home." I tried not to let him know I was afraid, not only for today, but for tomorrow when we return home and I speak to our district.

A knock on the door snapped us back to reality. Cecelia poked her head in, telling us it was time for breakfast before we have to prepare for today.

We were passing through the Capitol now, the lights and sounds of the sinister city echoed as we went by. I tried not to think too much about the day ahead as I ate my breakfast.

———————

"Welcome back." Cecelia muttered, hating being back in the Capitol as much as me. We were escorted to the studio to prepare for my interview with Caesar.

"What gem am I today, Ozias?" I ask my stylist as he brought out my dress.

"A ruby." The glittering red gown reached the floor, with simple straps. He placed my hair into elegant curls, with Alaric's help. Cordelia worked on my nails, and Guinevere did my makeup. My nails and lips were both red, adding to the ruby theme.

Wes wouldn't be in the interview, so he was dressed in a charcoal tux with a white shirt, red tie, and matching red nails, ready for Snow's mansion later.