HELL FROM THE POWERS TRILOGY | C. HADLEY

CHAPTER 13

"Erm ..." Devyn was struggling to make up an excuse.

Leighton raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "You saw lover boy, didn't you? You met with Cato!" He barked, and Devyn sighed.

"One: he found me while I was looking for you guys. And two: what is the issue if I see him? I'm making him not only my ally but yours as well."

"Still, you can't trust him. He'll stab you in the back ... literally," Leighton mumbled the last word, and Devyn glared at him.

"Why do you care so much about who I trust or not? I can handle my relationship with Cato well enough without you intruding."

"I'm not intruding —"

"Like hell!" Both noticed how much Rue flinched away when Devyn raised her voice. Leighton sighed while Devyn felt guilt run through her. Not only was she scaring Rue by yelling at Leighton, but she did not need to use such language in front of her. She would never say this around a younger sister if she had one. And she was so protective of Rue she might as well be a version of another sister.

Without another word, Leighton stormed off to climb a tree nearby. As the girls watched him, Devyn sighed, moving her gaze back down to Rue. "I'm going to go look for water. Stay with Leighton, please."

***

It had been two days of hunting for game and water for Devyn while Leighton and Rue settled in the trees and occasionally made themselves worthwhile by searching for plants. But since their fight, Leighton and Devyn hadn't spoken to each other. But the three allies still slept in the same tree, with Rue and Leighton cuddled together for warmth with Devyn's extra jacket thrown over them and Devyn sleeping on a branch slightly lower.

Devyn was on her casual hunting trip to pass the time but got bored of walking around blindly and returned to the tree. They were only a few yards away from where Katniss was unconscious, even if they didn't know how the girl would react. But if she responded in violence, which Devyn was confident she wouldn't, especially with Rue around, then Devyn could handle her. Especially with Leighton by her side.

But when she returned to the tree, she was startled by Katniss, Rue, and Leighton sitting around a dull fire, all feasting on two plump birds. "How long was I asleep?" Katniss asked Rue.

"A couple of days," Devyn answered, and everyone snapped their heads over. The younger tributes looked at ease while Katniss drew her bow back with no hesitation. Rue had informed Devyn that Katniss got hold of the bow from Glimmer, and Devyn was certain this was the weapon she was most skilled in. It was the only weapon station she avoided during training.

Devyn raised her arms with a slight smirk. "What happened to our alliance, Katniss?" She asked, taking a few steps forward.

"It kind of ended when you abandoned me in that tree," she spat, and Devyn chuckled. The two other tributes didn't try to interfere as they were too scared by the tension between the two.

"What was I supposed to do to help you? I didn't have medicine to heal your leg — how is it, by the way?"

"Fine, no thanks to you," Katniss lowered her bow.

"Case in point for the reason I left. I couldn't help you, so why delay myself and stay? Did you want me to babysit you?" Devyn sassed, and Katniss stood up from beside Rue on a log. The two girls glared at each other as Leighton cleared his throat, trying to calm their anger.

"This isn't helping anything. You both were once allies, and now you'll be again," he stated, not leaving any room to argue. Devyn sat down next to her district partner while Katniss settled back down next to Rue. Both were still filled with rage but didn't feel like causing a ruckus.