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Estella had long since lost track of the days they had been trapped inside the arena. Time had bled together in a haze of cold nights, brutal fights, and moments of fragile stillness that felt too good to last.
Now, she walked silently behind Aries, her fingers clutching tightly at the back of his shirt, using it like a lifeline. His jacket hung loosely over her shoulders, far too big for her, but it swallowed her small frame in much-needed warmth against the biting chill of night. Their bodies brushed together with every slow step, and at some point, Aries had wrapped a protective arm around her waist, pulling her closer without a word, as if shielding her from everything the world still had left to throw.
He held her like she was something precious in a world built to destroy.
Two people from different worlds—opposites in so many ways—yet here they were. Stuck together, surviving together. She, a quiet strategist with haunting eyes and memories she never spoke of. He, a reckless warrior with too much anger and far too much charm. They clashed. They challenged. They belonged.
Estella stared at the star-drenched sky, letting the brilliance of the constellations lull her thoughts. It was strangely beautiful tonight, surreal even. She almost forgot the blood beneath their boots, the looming threat around every corner. But her peace didn't last long. A shriek suddenly pierced through the silence, sharp and unnatural. Her senses flared instantly, instincts kicking in as her breath caught. She spun her head in the direction of the sound.
Aries heard it too.
He tensed, muscles locking into combat readiness. Without hesitation, he pulled Estella flush against him, her back to his chest, his arm tightening protectively around her waist. In his other hand, his sword gleamed under the moonlight, raised and ready. The heat of him radiated against her, grounding her in a moment of heart-thundering panic.
"Aries," Estella whispered, her voice barely audible, lips brushing the edge of his jaw as she pointed ahead. "There."
Peeta and Katniss were visible in the distance, running with wild eyes and frantic movements. But what caught her breath wasn't them—it was Cato. He burst out of the treeline like a bullet, and he wasn't running to attack. He was running to survive.
Right behind him came the monsters.
The ground seemed to tremble beneath their paws. A pack of mutts—genetically engineered hounds, grotesque and towering with hulking muscles and soulless eyes—barreled after the fleeing tributes.
Estella gasped, her breath catching sharply in her throat. A wave of surprise washed over her, momentarily stealing her ability to speak. Aries, in response, simply widened his smile, the expression knowing and perhaps a little smug. The grin remained fixed on his face, unwavering and confident.
"Oh, now that's what I call entertainment," he exclaimed, his voice laced with mocking cheer. He punctuated his words with laughter, even clapping his hands together as if the sound could reach the very heart of the Capitol. "The game makers have truly outdone themselves this time, haven't they?" he added, his tone dripping with sarcasm and a hint of admiration for the spectacle unfolding before them.
