𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐒 | hunger games ✓

chapter 22

━━･❪ 🌸 ❫ ･━━

The knife sailed through the air, embedding itself in a crate about a foot away from Daphne's head. And far missing the target scrawled upon several stacked crates in the center of the ally.

Daphne glared at Sylla, yanking the knife out of the wood. "You did that on purpose."

Sylla smirked. "Perhaps, or maybe you're just a horrible teacher."

Daphne debated what Makani would do if she picked Sylla up and hurled her at the stacks of crates, seeing how strong their makeshift target wall really was.

That morning, Rye had instructed them how to shoot a crossbow with accuracy and speed. Daphne had never fully gotten the hang of it, her shots mostly going wide.

After a few hours of that, when Daphne's arms were sore from shooting the heavy crossbow so many times, it was Pavel's turn to mentor in hand-to-hand combat. Judging by Pavel's small stature and frail-looking frame, Daphne was skeptical at first by how good he really was. Skeptical enough to volunteer to be his first challenger.

She should've remembered that looks could be deceiving. She'd barely managed to throw a single punch before Pavel was gone, suddenly appearing behind her and hooking a foot around her legs. Before she knew it, she was on the ground, Pavel crouched triumphantly over her with a hand on her throat.

It had brought back foul memories of Mellie nearly strangling her to death within minutes of the Game beginning. She'd thrown him off of her, but it was a lost cause. Pavel was deceivingly quick and strategic.

Thoroughly humiliated and beaten up, Daphne had done her best to soak in every tip and instruction that Pavel had given in his lesson in hopes that at the end of the day, she would manage to best him in a skirmish. His fighting style reminded her somewhat of Caelum's in the Training Center, swift and fleeting. Daphne would've paid good money to watch a duel between Pavel and Caelum.

It was late afternoon now, and Makani had put Daphne in charge of teaching the tributes how to wield knives. Most of the weapons that were to be used in the attack were knives distributed from Daphne's and Sylla's belts. Sylla still had all six of her knives, and Makani had managed to convince her to loan five of them to other tributes, keeping one for herself. Makani herself, Rye and Azalea were each given one of Daphne's knives instead, meaning Daphne got to keep two of them.

"How do you have a belt of knives and not know how to throw any of them?" Daphne scowled at Sylla as the District Three girl hurled another one. This time, she actually aimed for the target, but it bounced off the wood harmlessly.

"Sorry I'm not a blade-obsessed weirdo such as yourself." Sylla scoffed.

Daphne scowled at her. "Being a 'blade-obsessed weirdo' is what has kept me alive in this damned arena."

"Well, I'm also alive. There are seven others here who are also alive, and clearly none of them are all that good at throwing knives either. If you've got a point, I don't see it." Sylla made an effort to gesture to the other tributes, all lined up in front of the makeshift wall of crates, hurling knives. Most were to no avail.

"Would you like to shut up and let me help you, or would you like to walk into the attack not knowing how to use the weapon around your own belt?" Daphne snapped.

Sylla grumbled a mantra of rancid words beneath her breath, consisting of 'foul easterners' and 'conniving animals.' Daphne gritted her teeth, anger boiling deep within her core. She whirled, hurling a knife.

The knife nicked Sylla lightly by the ear, sinking deep into a crate behind her. Daphne had her second knife drawn and pointed straight at Sylla's chin as the other girl blinked, her amber eyes wide with surprise. A trickle of blood welled up by her ear.