THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

44 ~ the naked ladies

"Finnick Odair, right?" Katniss said, recognizing him from the District 4 reaping.

"Yes," Haymitch nodded. "He won his games at 14, youngest ever. Extremely humble."

Katniss scoffed. "You're kidding."

"Yes, I'm kidding. He's a peacock," Haymitch flipped his hair dramatically at the nickname. "A total preener. But, he's the Capitol darling, they love him here. Charming, smart, and very skilled in combat, especially in water."

"What about weaknesses?" Peeta asked.

"One," Haymitch said, clicking the television remote to display the reaping for the District 4 female. "Carolina Seymour."

"Hold on, I know her," Katniss sneered. "She's the giggly bride-to-be I had to do televised dress fittings with a couple of months ago."

"Be careful with her. She wants you to underestimate her," Haymitch laughed. "She's the Capitol's princess. Won her games by using her voice to lure tributes into a trap and kill them. She's a Siren. If you hear her voice, run. Don't look back."

"Wait, isn't she engaged to Snow's grandson?" Katniss said Snow's name as if it were poison. "How is she Finnick's weakness?"

"You should know better than anyone else that publicized engagements aren't entirely what they seem," Haymitch said. "Now her and Finnick's relationship, that is the one you should be concerned about. That man will do anything to protect her. I handed the girl a drink once, and based on his reaction, you would have thought I cut off her head."

"She volunteered for this," Peeta said. "Why would she do that if she wasn't out for blood?"

"To protect her loved ones. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Haymitch sent a pointed look to Katniss before switching the television to replay the female reaping. "Annie Cresta was originally reaped. The girls grew close after Carolina was a part of Annie's victory tour a few years back, but don't let this sacrifice of hers make you think she's not prepared for the games. Extremely smart, she is one of the most manipulative people I have ever met and a very good drinking partner. Every victor in that arena is going to hesitate to kill her, and due to her close relationship with the Snow family, I wouldn't be surprised if the arena was rigged in her favor."

"Sounds like a powerful ally to have," Peeta said, scribbling down something in the notebook in his lap.

"She is," Haymitch nodded. "Sadly, you are going to be at the top of her kill list."

"What did I do now?" Katniss sighed.

"Surprisingly, the issue is not you," Haymitch turned and pointed at Peeta. "You killed the District 4 boy last year."

"And I killed the District 4 girl," Katniss said. "The boy was 12. She should've known he wasn't going to make it."

"I thought the victors had a forgive-and-forget policy about the fallen tributes," Peeta said.

"We do," Haymitch nodded. "However, that policy goes void when the fallen tributes are the victor's siblings."

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Carolina didn't speak to Cyrus until the train was arriving at the station in the Capitol, but no one would have ever guessed that was the case. Their bright smiles and loving looks caused the entire crowd to think the star couple couldn't keep their hands off of each other.

Cyrus couldn't remain by Carolina's side for long, though. The second she left the crowd's sight, Carolina was whisked away to be cleaned and groomed by Capitol stylists.

Carolina was thankful that her time with the stylists was shorter than it was her first time around. Before she had never had access to good plumbing or daily showers, so her grooming had involved multiple rounds of cleansing and scrubbing.