The Mentor

6

I spend the next day thinking of strategies of how we can win and dozing. At dinnertime, Effie comes to retrieve me. I go out barefoot.I walk out to see Peeta standing beside the two stylists. Effie is probably retrieving Haymitch and Katniss. I go to stand next to them."Good evening," I say to the trio."Miss Lockly," the man says. He is surprisingly normal by the Capitol's standards, a swipe of gold eyeliner over each eye, coffee-colored skin, dark hair. "A pleasure. My name is Cinna. My counterpart is Portia.""It's nice to meet you both," I say. "So you were Zenobia's apprentice.""She always spoke highly of you," Cinna says.Katniss and Effie join us on the balcony."Haymitch is getting cleaned up," Effie says to me, and I nod. One of the waiters offers me a stemmed glass of wine. I refuse, as does Peeta. Of course. He's heard me talk about Haymitch's destructive capabilities enough times.We sit down at the table just as Haymitch comes in. He accepts wine but when the soup is brought out, he begins to eat with a glance at me.Cinna and Portia certainly have a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie. I think I'm the only one who knows that they don't actually hate each other, even though they'd both deny it themselves.I study Peeta and Katniss throughout dinner. Peeta is his charming self with Effie and the stylists. Katniss stays silent, focusing on her food.When the dessert comes out, it's a massive cake. The red-haired girl carrying it lights it with a match and with awhoomp, the cake lights on fire. The flames flicker around the edges for a moment before going out."What makes it burn?" Katniss asks. "Is it alcohol?" She looks at the girl. "That's the last thing I wa – oh, I know you!"My eyebrows furrow as fear crosses over the girl's face. She shakes her head and retreats."Don't be ridiculous, Katniss," Effie snaps. "How could you possibly know an Avox? The very thought.""What's an Avox?""Someone who has committed a crime," Haymitch says. "They cut her tongue so she can't speak. She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you know her.""And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order," Effie says. "Of course, you don't really know her."There's a heavy pause, then Peeta snaps his fingers. "Delly Cartwright. That's who it is. I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realized she's a dead ringer for Delly."I know Delly Cartwright. She's pasty and has blonde hair. The girl looks nothing like her"Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair," Katniss says."Something about the eyes, too."Everyone else relaxes, but I'm staring at Peeta. I can tell when he's lying. Why is he covering for Katniss?"Oh, well. If that's all it is," Cinna says. "And yes, the cake has spirits, but all the alcohol has burned off. I ordered it specially in honor of your fiery debut."We finish eating and move into a sitting room to watch the opening ceremonies. Katniss and Peeta surpass the other tributes by far."Whose idea was the hand holding?" Haymitch asks."Cinna's," Peeta says."Just the perfect touch of rebellion. Very nice."I glance at Haymitch. His choice of words seems aimed at me, reminding me of all the late night conversations we've had speculating about escaping the Capitol. We never ventured into reality, staying in the realm of theory."Tomorrow morning is the first training session," Haymitch says. "Meet us for breakfast and we'll tell you exactly how we want to play it. Now go get some sleep while the grownups talk."Peeta and Katniss leave the room, and I turn to face the others."How are we going to play this?" Cinna asks."Can you two keep up with the flame-inspired clothes?" Haymitch asks. They nod."Piper, you're already close to Peeta. Can you get close to Katniss too?" Haymitch asks me."Yeah.""Good. After we talk to them tomorrow, we can think up a better strategy than just surviving."We disband, but I wait outside Peeta's quarters. He and Katniss are off somewhere, maybe talking about what happened at dinner. I don't know. Something about it makes me uneasy.Peeta comes back almost twenty minutes later, dark circles under his eyes. When he sees me, he straightens up."Where've you been?" I ask."The roof," he answers, glancing anywhere but my eyes. "Katniss and I were talking.""Anything to do with what happened at dinner?" I ask, and he meets my eyes. I see the truth there, plain as day."Come on, we'll talk in my room," I say. He follows me silently until I close the door behind us."What's going on?" I ask him."Katniss knows that Avox," Peeta says. "She saw her get captured by the Capitol. I didn't think people tried to escape the Districts.""It's not common," I say, but my mind is racing. "But there are rumors –"Peeta's eyes widen, and I shake my head. "It doesn't matter. We've just got to focus on getting you home." I turn away to find something to sleep in."I don't want to get home."I look back at Peeta, who's staring resolutely at me."What are you talking about, of course you want to go home –""I love her, Piper."In all my nightmares, I never saw this coming. What are the chances? I stare at him for a few seconds, but he doesn't back down."Peeta, I'm not sacrificing you for Katniss.""I'm not asking you to," he answers. "But if I come home because you helped me more than you helped her, I'll never be able to live with myself. Please, Piper."I know there's no budging him on this. But I won't give him up for Katniss's life, I refuse."What's she like?" I ask him."Tough," he says with a smile. "Smart. Independent. Very stubborn. She really loves her sister. She reminds me of you, actually.""Really?" I ask."You're just more…likeable. More willing to show what you're feeling."I sigh and sit on the edge of the bed. "I won't promise to choose her over you. I can't. But I won't show you special treatment.""Thanks," Peeta says. He presses a kiss to my forehead, then leaves the room. "Good night.""Night."My mind is teeming with what he's said. The first thing I think, and I hate myself for it, is how I can use his feelings to make him more appealing to the Capitol. Then I fall back into thoughts of how I'm going to get Peeta home.