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╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗
the career pack.
volume one; before
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝
One of Elora's least favourite parts of the games was sealing alliances for her tributes with other mentors. It was only her second year and with the young tributes reaped last year the possibility of joining the career pack was impossible for either of them. Now, she sat across from the mentors for districts one and two. If Elora thought she was a cold hearted killer, that she was blood and murder and all things dark, she had nothing on them.
Gloss and Cashmere were not the problem. While they may be Capitol sweethearts, they were polite enough and easy to talk business with. District two was another story. Brutus stared her down for the entire meeting and Elora knew he liked to make her squirm. It was hard to imagine Cato under the guidance of such a deplorable man.
Cato.
That's all this meeting made her think about. He was playing in her mind like a song on repeat.
"Coral shows promise, between her high training score and adoring fans she would make an excellent addition to the career pack this year."
Elora knew this. She had thought about it non stop since Coral had been reaped. Even after she met Cato, she had thought about it. In ordinary circumstances, joining the career pack would be the obvious choice. She would have protection for the first three quarters of the game and when numbers got low she could split and go off on her own. In the back of her mind, she knew this was the best option for Coral. Her soul ached to have to watch them together, but at least this meant they weren't threats to each other. Maybe Coral wouldn't make it. Maybe Cato wouldn't have to be the one to kill her.
She was glad Cato wasn't here.
The guilt over playing both sides was never going to disappear but she was tiring. Like the storm, Elora Clarkes resolve was beginning to wane. The strength of her fury was slowing starting to settle, a certain calmness left in its wake. She wanted to see him again, but not like this.
"I'm glad that we can come to an understanding. Coral will join the career pack this year, I can assure you that she will be a valuable asset."
The other mentors smiled in agreement. Brutus simply stared at her, a knowing look in his eye. Elora hated that out of everyone sitting at this table, he was the only one who knew the truth. Knew of that mark that would forever stain her wrist.
