CHARADE | Glimmer

Chapter Nine

Trigger warnings: Manipulation, Arguments (yay!)

The Capitol official leads Cashmere, Gwen and I into an elevator, which takes us down one floor, before leading us into a small room. I glance at Gwen but she doesn't meet my eyes. To my surprise, Finch, the girl from District Five, is also there with her Capitol escort, Herc. On the table in front of her is what seems to be a wooden necklace. It's been sawn open to reveal a jagged piece of metal. Another Capitol escort is murmuring to Finch and gesturing wildly to the necklace, while she shakes her head.

I swallow and glance over to where the Capitol official is leading us. On another table lies my ring, its' point exposed.

"Care to explain this?" The official asks in a low voice once we've approached it.

I open my eyes wide, "It's my ring! But what's it got sticking out of it?"

The official studies me, "A poisoned spike."

"Poison?" I repeat, my voice hushed, "How? Why?"

"That's what we would like to know, Miss Jewel. Were you aware that when this ring here was twisted, a poisoned spike came out?"

"I...I didn't know it could be twisted," I say, bewildered, before gasping, "How long has it been there? Could I have spiked myself whilst I was wearing it? That's horrible!"

My voice rises at the last word, and the other group looks over at me. Finch's eyes rest on me, curious.

"Miss Jewel," The official is losing patience now, "Do you mean to say that you were unaware of the ring's spike?"

"What?"

He sighs, "Miss Jewel, did you know that the ring had a spike?"

"How would I?" I ask, "I've never twisted the ring."

"We were wondering, Miss Jewel, if you put that spike there yourself."

I gape at him, my brow furrowed in perplexion, "How would I do that?"

"Did you make the ring?" But there's doubt in his voice now.

"Make? No, I bought it."

"From whom?" He demands, "When?"

I shrink back, "From a seller in my Ma's tavern. During Festival Week," I turn to Gwen, "Have you ever been to District One during Festival Week?" She shakes her head, "Oh, it's lovely, you should come next year! There's music and dancing and people sell things for good luck for the Hunger Games! And this year, someone was selling jewellery. You should have seen her, Gwen! She was wearing the most beautiful green dress. It flowed right down to her ankles, it did. And when she moved it was like the wind parting a field. You know what that's like, don't you, when you stand in a field and it's all quiet but then suddenly the wind blows? It's beautiful! Anyway, her dress was like that and she had the most magnificent jewellery. Oh!" I suddenly say and everyone staring at me jumps, "You don't think she put that spike there, do you?"

"What did this woman look like?" The official asks, as I pause for breath.

"I already told you," I say surprised, "Her dress-"

"Not the dress, Miss Jewel," The official snaps, "Her face, her appearance!"

"Oh," I blink and pretend to consider, "Well, she had long hair that was brown...or was it red? I think it changed. Hair does that, you know. Have you noticed how much it changes when you stand in sunlight and then later on you stand in the dark? It's fascinating, really. And of course there are people who have different coloured strands of hair, where some are one colour and others are another."