Stay with me, always.

Chapter 30. The Victor

Sejanus jostled my shoulder, "She could win this Coryo!" he said excitedly, I nodded, still in shock from watching Soarynn and Beckett kill all of those mutts. They did it so effortlessly like they were trained assassins. I looked over at Mother who was clutching onto Father's hand so tight that he looked like he was losing blood flow in his arm.

I was secretly hoping that the bear had done the same amount of damage to Jessup as it had done to Beckett and that he was lying somewhere in the forest, slowly dying. Soarynn was still sitting by Beckett's body, motionless as the rain fell around them. Lightning struck the Cornucopia, pulling her from her thoughts, she grabbed her bow and slowly stood up, walking away from Beckett's body.

She made it to the tree line when the anthem began to play, displaying Cleo and Beckett's faces in the sky. Soarynn frowned, looks like Jessup was still in this thing, they were the final two. Eudora fanned her face, "Well he must be injured," she said, looking around at us, I nodded, "So is Soarynn," Sejanus pointed out. It was true, she had sat down again, leaning against a tree close to the edge of the forest, rubbing her arm.

The coyote had ripped away a good chunk of flesh, her face was scratched up again, and her wrist was bleeding through her gauze. "She just has to hold on a little longer," I said, if she won, she would be picked up by hovercraft and rushed to the Tribute Center's hospital, housed in the basement where she'd receive state-of-the-art treatment for all of her wounds. She could make it, I believed in her.

Thunder rumbled across the arena and the screen flipped to Jessup, who was, still, alive. His breathing was shallow as he stumbled through the woods, slipping on mud and tree roots. I couldn't make out his injuries that well in the darkness, but his shirt looked like it had been ripped off. The sun was setting in the Capitol, normally people would be turning in for the night, but everyone was watching the Games. Imogen told us that when they had gone to vote, the Viewing Plaza was the fullest they had ever seen before.

Sejanus nodded, "I heard some Peacekeepers saying it might be past capacity," he told them, Jadis gasped, "The Games are surely going to be a hit this year," she said, the others nodded, "The Game Makers certainly have outdone themselves this year," Olympia said. I shot Father a nasty look while nodding, I hope the Game Makers enjoyed the Games this year, because next year, they wouldn't be alive to create them.

Soarynn was trying to stay awake, she hadn't lost a lot of blood, but the adrenaline was wearing off. Her eyes flew open when lightning struck the Cornucopia again, "Okay, we get it," she mumbled, she watched as the rain fell and began to lower her head again when she perked up. She saw something in the distance, on the other side of the woods, a figure stumbling toward the Cornucopia. It was Jessup. I heard gasps throughout the booth, throughout the whole Plaza as Jessup limped out of the woods.

His face was a bloody mess, his shirt was tattered, with bloody claw marks raking across his chest, and his leg squirted blood with every step he took. How he was still alive, I had no idea, but slowly but surely, he was making his way toward the Cornucopia. His eyes were dead set on Soarynn, who sat there watching him, a vacant look in her eyes. Thunder shook the ground and Soarynn nodded, it was time. She stood up, grabbed her bow, and stepped out of the forest. Jessup stopped, panting as he watched her walk out before also coming to a stop. They had to be around fifty yards from each other, neither of them making an effort to move forward, both planted in the mud, Soarynn sighed, "Please don't make me do this," she whispered.

Jessup started coughing, blood coming up along with his spit, he wiped his mouth and stumbled towards Soarynn, who took a step back. She shook her head at him, he was going to die without her killing him, that we all knew, but if Jessup attacked her, she'd have to defend herself. Jessup didn't even have his bow anymore, it was probably lying somewhere in the forest, along with the rest of his shirt, but from the look in his eyes, he could kill her with his bare hands if he wanted to.