The Silent Killer (A Finnick Odair Love Story)

Chapter Sixteen

It's been three months since we came here.

Finnick's better. I'm getting there.

I can talk a little, but I don't like to. I only talk to Finnick.

He ties knots, I throw knives.

I wake up silently screaming, he fights the nightmares away.

He tries to hold on to his sanity, I do what I can to help.

He braids my hair. Says it reminds him of braiding rope back home.

"Asphodel."

"Asphodel," I repeat slowly. I can say complicated geology and electricity and various other power terminologies, but I can't even properly say my own name. I groan, angry at myself.

"It's not your fault, baby," Finnick promises, gently pulling me to his chest. "You're doing great."

"I love you, Finnick."

It's the one thing I can say without flaw.

"I love you too, beautiful."

"Soldiers Odair and Lethe, make your way to Special Defense," Coin's voice echoes through the P.A. system.

Finnick grabs one of his jackets and holds it up so I can put my arms through the sleeves. It hangs far too big on me, but it feels familiar and safe. He gently separates my hair into different sections, then carefully begins braiding it into what he calls a fishtail braid. There's also a four-strand braid called a sailor's knot he likes because it reminds him of home. I adjust his necklace around my neck, the one he gave me in the arena. He kisses me softly and smiles before leading me out the door.

"Asphodel!"

A little boy from Five comes running toward me. Two weeks after we arrived here, the conditions in Five had worsened, so I demanded they send out a rescue party to get who they could. If Coin didn't bring them here, I would've refused to be the face of the rebellion. We only managed to get a small fraction of the population before the Peacekeepers attacked us and we had to pull out.

The boy hugs my legs tightly and I smile, crouching down so I'm at his eye level.

"Hi," I say as best as I can.

"Thank you for staying alive," he says, hugging me tightly. "Everyone back home wanted you to win."

"That's why I fought," I manage to say, offering a small smile.

"The bombs were coming. We saw them fall on the other side of the mountains. Then the hovercrafts came," he continues. "You saved us."

He hugs me tightly before running off. I rise to my feet, only to see Finnick watching me in awe.

"You're their hero," he states.

I shrug, shaking my head. I'm no hero. I just did what had to be done. Finnick wraps his arm around me and I let myself be pulled closer to him.

"Finnick. Asphodel," Beetee says fondly as the two of us enter into Special Defense. "First, since it's closer," he continues, picking up a vest. He wheels himself over to me. "Asphodel, try this on for size.

"It looks somewhat thick, but it's actually quite breathable and light. It's bullet-proof and stab-proof. Really, this is your same knives and vest from the arena, just modified a bit." He hands me a folded pack. "And give these a try." He gestures to a row of Peacekeeper dummies.

I nod, quickly removing the knives and fitting them into the slots on the vest. I have twenty four. In about forty-five seconds, each dummy has a knife in its heart, between its eyes, or in its throat.