Dangerous Allies // Cato Hadley

Part 19: You and Me

Cato and Clove stood silently on the edge of the clearing, waiting.

Clove was looking for Marvel; Cato was looking for Eve.

He heard the canon and he felt the dread sitting in his stomach. He pictured Marvel with her blood covering his spear and a smile on his face.

He would cut off his head.

A grimace lined his mouth at the thought of giving him a fast death. He wanted him to feel it. He'd cut off his hands first. Then he'd carve out his heart.

The possibility of winning hadn't passed Cato's mind in a long time. He didn't want to think about what his victory would mean.

Eve.

His own retched life meant nothing compared to hers. She deserved to win. Not him.

Eve was going to win. He would kill anyone who stood in her way. He would fall on his own sword to make it happen.

Eve stomped through the leaves, not caring if they heard her coming from a mile away.

Cato's body and soul let out a breath of relief at the sight of her walking alone amongst the trees.

"Where's Marvel?" Clove's arms were crossed over her chest while she leaned against a large tree.

"Dead."

Cato's eyes were glued to Eve. He saw the blood covering her hands and he saw the look in her eyes. It was the same one he had seen when Foxface died. She was losing it.

Clove narrowed her eyes. "Did you kill him?"

"Yes." Without a second thought she threw Marvel's bloody spear at her chest.

It stuck into the tree behind Clove as she laid sprawled in the leaves, barely missing the deadly weapon.

"Wait." Cato reached out to grab Eve's arm.

She spun her spear, connecting the steel bar with his jaw.

He fell backwards as Clove threw a knife. Eve struck it out of the air and waited for the next. She would run out of ammo eventually.

"Attention, Tributes." The voice came suddenly into the arena. "Attention."

The group of three paused as they waited for whatever was important enough to stop the games. "The regulations requiring a single victor have been suspended."

"From now on two victors may be crowned. One boy. One girl. This will be the only announcement."

Cato slowly pushed himself to his feet as his head spun. Not only from the blow to his head, but from the words echoing through the woods. He didn't need to die anymore. They could both make it out.

It felt like the air was sucked from Eve's lungs as her eyes met Cato's. She wondered what he was thinking behind his guarded blue gaze.

Everyone held their breath as they waited to see what was going to happen next.

One boy. One girl.