𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙇𝘿 𝙄𝙉 𝙍𝙐𝙄𝙉𝙎 - 𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙬𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚

─── ∙ ⋆★ CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER SIX

( THE WASHTUB OF LIES )

A YAWN ESCAPED Artemis's lips as she sat at the table where she had gathered together a piece of bread with fresh smashed berries spread over the top of it. Freshly smashed, as in she took a few and just smashed them on top of the bread. Not the most nutritious thing to have for a meal and it was hardly filling but it had to suffice.

She woke up with her head aching, she could feel the congestion coming from the time she had spent out in the cold rain. Somehow she knew Gale would find a way to nag her about it.

But not today.

Today she deemed it as her off day. The games were coming to an end with only four tributes left. One of the tributes being her friend. The Capitol seemed to have made an exception to Peeta and Katniss's star-crossed lovers scenario and was allowing two victors from the same District win.

They were the only two left who were from the same District. Peeta's life was left in Katniss's hands now and she couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing. However, he was recovering from his leg wound. He may have a chance to fend her off if she betrayed him.

She shivered under the green blanket she had placed over her shoulders. She looked towards the fireplace to see the embers quickly dying out. The bright, angry, orange colors dwindled vibrantly under the charred wood.

She shuffled her feet towards a small pile of wood to the left of the fireplace and tossed a couple logs into the pit and a few bits of kindling. She poked and prodded at the small flames with a twig of kindling until she deemed it strong enough to heat the house.

She looked over at the pile of wood that was stacked next to the fireplace. Only three logs left. She sighed, the huff of air ruffling her bangs, as she placed her hands on her hips. She threw the blanket off of her shoulders and tossed it on to the small couch. She ached as she slid on her boots, tying them in a knot before slipping on her jacket.

"Leaving again?" Her fathers voice startled her, making her jump. She lifted herself up from the couch to face him. His large build almost taking up the entire space of the doorframe from his room, his arms crossed with a displeased frown on his face.

"I'm just going to get more wood." She shrugged nonchalantly. Her fathers face looked unamused. "Uh-huh." He hummed out. Artemis was sweating under her fathers suspicious gaze. "Artemis Lynn." She rolled her eyes at the use of her middle name. She was not in the mood to get lectured. "Can you tell me why when I was making my deliveries yesterday to Mr. Northcott he told me he saw you with Gale coming out of The Hob?"

Artemis's blood froze. Not only was she poaching illegally outside of the fence but she was also illegally trading game within The Hob with Gale. She would be in trouble for the next century if she told her father the truth. "The Hob? Like where they sell the illegal stuff?" She questioned with a perked brow. Best to play dumb in this scenario. "That's the one." Torq replied, nodding his head. Artemis let out a soft chuckle.