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Alistair picked at his food across from Katniss and Gale at the crowded dining table. Katniss merely stared down at her untouched tray, visibly miserable.
Gale nudged her gently. "You should really eat something."
Katniss didn't respond, lost in grief. Alistair studied Gale thoughtfully - something about the calculating look in his eyes set Alistair's instincts tingling.
Before he could consider further, Caesar Flickerman's voice drawled from the screens up above.
"Hello, all in Panem! I urge you, whatever you're doing, stop this instant. You'll want to see tonight's broadcast, trust me!"
Alistair tensed, dread pooling in his gut as the Capitol seal played across the screen. Whatever was coming, it meant nothing good.
Especially if Caesar was personally hypeing it up with such flair. Dread probably showed plainly across Alistair's face too but he found himself unable to mask it fully.
Not with the possibilities of what they were about to unveil making his blood run cold.
Beside him, Gale leaned forward in interest as Caesar teased imminent breaking news. The glint in his eyes held traces of excitement and vindication that turned Alistair's stomach.
But he held his tongue, hands slowly curling into tense fists under the table. Whatever Caesar promised was surely the start of a new twisting agony. One that Gale seemed eager to witness unfold.
Caesar directed the cameras to reveal an unnervingly pale, thin Peeta. "Please welcome my special guest, Peeta Mellark!"
A collective gasp sounded in the room. Alistair stared slack-jawed - Peeta was alive. Beside him, Katniss bolted up in desperate hope.
"So Peeta, shed some light on that controversial final night," Caesar prompted eagerly. "Walk us through what really happened."
Peeta looked directly into the camera, eyes haunted. "When you're in the arena, you only get one wish - to get out alive. But it costs more than your life...it costs your soul."
Leaning forward, Caesar asked what he meant.
"To murder innocent people destroys who you are," Peeta said sorrowfully. "My one wish was to save Katniss. I should've run off earlier with her."
"But you didn't. Caught up with Beetee's plan?" Caesar fished.
Peeta shook his head, voice catching. "No, I got caught up playing allies...then I lost her. The lightning went off, blew out the whole forcefield."
"Except you saw the footage - Katniss blew it out," Caesar said leadingly.
"No. She didn't know," Peeta argued. "Neither of us knew about the real plan."
Caesar's grin held sick delight. "You're saying you had no idea at all?"
