Six of Crows characters in the Hunger Games

The Forest

Jesper

Jesper was sure something was wrong. It seemed unlikely for them to loose three people in two days. A day had passed since then where nothing had gone wrong, but it still bothered him. Anyway, yesterday had been different. On the screen above, where the people who died usually were, had been a picture of a young girl, who they identified to be the president's daughter. How had that happened? Something was wrong here, but when he mentioned his worries to Kaz, he had just shrugged it off. 

He missed Wylan, he had realised. Not in the way he missed Matthias and Nina (he hadn't known them well enough to feel it with anything other than nostalgia), but like a living thing that roared through his veins, his brain, relentless. If only they'd had more time together. He was currently meant to be finding food, but couldn't be bothered. It felt like all the energy that had made him restless was sucked out of him, leaving him unwilling to do anything.

He had been hiding in the bush for what must be half an hour. He just wanted to be alone. In training, it had occurred to him that maybe they couldn't win this game. And losing meant dying. They couldn't all make it out, and Jesper didn't want to be the only one who survived. Inej walked in, calling his name softly, trying to avoid unwanted notice. Kaz followed behind.

"This is pointless. Jesper is either dead or close to it, in which case we can't do anything, or he wants to be alone, in which case he shouldn't be disturbed."

"He could be injured."

"Then he's a liability."

"What happened to "I'm not going to let anyone die"?"

"That was when I still thought it was possible. I was foolish. Only one person is making it out of here. That will be you."

"No - I can't - No!"

"Find your family. Be free. The money you win should be enough to pay off your indenture. Go and hunt slavers."

"Yes, but... I can't do it without you."

"Of course you can."

"I don't want to. Anyway, there is no way to be free. Once you win, they make you mentor every year. I can't do that."

"Get home then."

"It isn't home without you." By now, they were standing close to each other. They were almost kissing. And then they were. Just for one second, then Kaz stumbled back, away. All Jesper could think, though, was that Wylan should be alive, here. They should get the chance that Kaz and Inej had. It wasn't fair.