Victor's Crown: A Hunger Games Story

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 [𝟮𝟭]

If the arrow hadn't been lit on fire, Finnick never would have seen it coming. But the flash of orange light catches his eye as it arcs down toward him, and he's able to curl into a ball just in time. The arrow dives harmlessly into the grass behind him. Or not so harmlessly: Hungry flames burst to life where the arrow lands, licking greedily at the oil coating the stone surface. The conflagration unfurls at an impossible rate, forcing Finnick to move quickly or risk becoming its next victim. Then he sees her: Bellona standing at the edge of the platform, wielding her bow and a quiver full of new arrows, firelight magnifying the wildness in her eyes. She's already nocking another arrow. Suddenly, Finnick is certain he's about to be the next reason the cannon fires.

It turns out he doesn't have to. Bellona turns just in time to dodge a sword brandished by none other than Ruby Riveta, caked with dirt, soaked in oil, and shrieking like a wildcat.

To astonished to even swear, Finnick commando crawls up the stairs until he can get his feet under him and scramble the rest of the way to the top.

In the few seconds it takes him to ascend the rest of the stairs, the fruit of violence already spatters the concrete in a constellation of red. Bellona and Ruby are engaged in a deadly battle, each trying to outmaneuver the other. District 2 has her knives and a metal-plated armguard, but 1 has a sword and a shiny new shield. It's small and round, but it holds up well enough against Bellona's blades.

Through the haze of panic and oil clouding his vision, Finnick spots a long drawstring bag lying at the mouth of the Cornucopia. The 4, while rumpled, is still clearly visible, stitched into the cloth in gold thread.

"Stop!" Bellona screeches from the other side of the pavilion. But she can't turn her blades on him without exposing herself to Ruby.

Abandoning any pretense of caution, Finnick barrels across the pavilion and yanks his gift from the bag. He only has a fraction of a second to take it in: A magnificent golden trident, its prongs as sharp as shark teeth, its surface gleaming like fish scales. Wrought from metal so opulent it might have been dipped in sunlight, the weapon is so perfect, so purposefully crafted for killing, Finnick almost hesitates to use it. Almost. The only question is, who will be his new weapon's first victim?

An anguished cry of pain has Finnick whirling around, trident poised to throw. Bellona has Ruby pinned against one of the columns supporting the pavilion, the latter's sword and shield kicked to the side. Ruby is sprawled on the ground, bleeding from a cut running diagonally across her face, narrowly missing her eye. Her gaze lock with Finnick's, and in it shines a harried, desperate plea for aid. When Finnick hesitates, she begs aloud.

"Help me," she whimpers. "I was trying to save you! We're allies, remember?"

"Is that what you told Alabaster when you gave me up for him?" Finnick questions, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. It bothers him, more than he allowed himself to acknowledge until now. After what Ruby had said and done with and for him, and after she had dismissed Alabaster time and time again, she went back to him anyway, rendering Finnick the odd man out once more. It wasn't until he joined up with Caspia that he fully comprehended the stress of having to fend for himself, of being dangerously and heartachingly alone.

"We were never allies, Ruby." Slowly, adjusting his grip on the trident to allow for a lightning-fast reaction, he begins to creep up beside Bellona. Her bow, while only at half-draw, is still loaded and incredibly deadly in her hands.

"What do you know about allies?" Ruby retorts. "Your own district partner didn't even want to ally with you. Poor, pathetic Finnick Odair, as alone in the arena as he was in life."

"I'd rather be alone than surrounded by people who don't care about me," Finnick shoots back. "At least people like me for who I am. There's nothing remotely real about you. Does Alabaster know how little you really care about him?"