HEART OF GOLD | CORIOLANUS SNOW

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 35

"You—?" spluttered Lilith, but as her father buttoned up his jacket, prepared to leave, coherency rushed back to her. "Daddy, no! Please, we need the money. Don't do this!"

"We?" he said, surprised. "You've never cared about the Games."

"It's my job."

"A job you didn't want."

The reminder didn't just sting—it stabbed her like the knife everyone assumed she had lodged in Athena's back.

But that was just one of her worries. At the weekly round-up, marketing had anticipated Triple G and its subsidiaries to contribute a total that amounted to almost thirty percent of this year's funding. To lose this sum, this year of all years, would be devastating.

First, there were all these new plans lined up. Worthy suggestions from Gamemakers and Gamestudiers alike were in the works, including Lilith's—including Athena's. Next, Gold Global Group was too influential. Lilith didn't like to think of the withdrawals that might follow the example. Then, it was the first year the ship was being steered by a new captain. It was more important now than ever to establish stability, continuity, if not progress, which would assuredly be impeded by this drastic financial setback. Should the Twenty-first Hunger Games transpire to be anything short of a success, people would attribute it to the new leadership, and Lilith knew precisely what this "new leadership" would think.

Whatever Snow said, he would know that it was all her fault. Her proposal, her Preview, her incompetence had led to this very moment. She would be the downfall of the Games, of his Games, and the thought terrified her.

Her body gave an involuntary shudder.

Misconstruing it to be a result of coldness, her father pulled up her quilt until it covered the bulk that was her thickly bound arm and tucked her in, like she could be ten. Lilith felt ten as she peered helplessly up at him.

"I still have to do my best," she mumbled.

The problem was, would her best be enough?

His eyes softened, and after gazing at her for a long, wordless minute, he sighed.

"I'll rethink it," her father announced. Instantly rejuvenated, Lilith straightened up, and he held out a warning finger. "I promise nothing, Lili. Only that I'll think about it."

"Yes, just think about it, Daddy," said Lilith eagerly. "Think about all the people you'll be helping..."

Images of Gaia Penworth, and even Pantaleon Pryde, had swirled into Lilith's head. She saw their families, the spouses and children she didn't know. Then it was Kai Scooper and Quirinus Moore, each with faceless partners on their arm. Cora Middleton entered the picture, followed by Athena...

It became painfully clear what would happen should the Games shut down: the mouths that would go unfed, the futures that would have to be shelved, the lifelong dreams that would never be fulfilled. Beseeching her father to consider all the far-reaching repercussions his actions might have was the least she could do. The desperation not to be the catalyst for the ruination of countless lives, however, was quite real, and soon, Lilith was rambling.

"I think I get your point," inserted her father.

Assertive, yet still kind, his tone and a steadying hand to her good shoulder cut off her excess of speech. Lilith had to catch her breath, and he chuckled, albeit not without shaking his head. A nurse appeared then, delivering mounds of colorful, nutritionist-approved food. The vast tray was set onto Lilith's overbed table with a bid for her to enjoy, drawing her attention to the piece of furniture whose otherwise emptiness struck her as odd for reasons she couldn't pinpoint.