The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 65

"I vote yes as well," Melo spoke up, being immediately joined by their mother.

Another tie. Five yes, five no. Dove thought, glancing at Finnick, who seemed to be thinking deeply about which side to take.

"No, absolutely not. They're just children!" Ron exclaimed, rather shocked at how the ones left to answer were seriously considering voting yes.

"I'm with Ron. No kid should go through that. From the Capitol or not. Let the kids out of this," Muscida said decisively.

Five yes, seven no. Finnick, Haymitch, Katniss and I are left to answer. If we all vote yes. Those Games will happen. If Haymitch or Finnick abstains, but Katniss and I vote yes, the Games will also happen. And if two of us vote no, the Games won't happen at all. She thought, squeezing Finnick's hand tightly as the realisation that she had to choose hit her.

"No, I vote no," Finnick spoke, although he didn't add any type of speech as some had done. "Dove?"

"I'm not sure . . ." Dove muttered, raising her eyes from the table to look at everyone who had already cast their votes. However, once she had done that, her eyes encountered the rose. So beautiful. So frail. The same rose that had brought the beginning of her nightmares now seemed so tiny. As if it had never been bad news to encounter one. As if the person who wore it had never played with her family's safety. Her sister's safety.

"I'm with the Mockingjay," Haymitch said, causing Dove to return to reality. Everyone was looking at her, waiting expectantly to know what she would vote for. Whatever she chose would decide everything.

"My life has been filled with 'almosts' since before my own games. I almost lost my brother to the Games. I almost lost my sister. I lost the boy I saw as a friend. I lost my sanity. Finnick and I almost lost our lives in the Quell. I almost died from the torture in the Capitol. I almost lost half my family because of Snow's stupid mutts!" Dove exclaimed, rage clear in her eyes as she looked up from the rose. "I vote yes."

"Excellent. Since there was a tie, but Katniss and Dove were on the same page, their decision carries the vote," Coin said. "Now we really must take our places for the execution."

"Dove . . ." Finnick muttered, although Dove just shook her head. She was in no state of mind to explain why she had condemned a bunch of kids to death.

"I'm sorry, Finnick," she whispered as she passed by him to join Katniss, who was giving Coin the rose to make sure Snow wore that during the assassination. "Are you trying to make it easier for me to know where I should aim or what?"

"Well, you've never been too good at archery," Katniss answered with a slightly teasing tone. "The Games won't happen. Coin said she wouldn't announce it until Snow's dead." She whispered, so only Dove could hear.

"So that means . . ." Dove said, receiving a nod from Katniss as confirmation. Of course, if she won't announce it until after. And Katniss will kill her just as I'm done with Snow. The news will never reach the public. Those kids will be safe as long as all victors never speak of what just happened. She realised, chuckling softly before adding. "I feel like I should apologise to Finnick after this. I just deliberately avoided him. It feels weird to be back to almost ten years ago."

"You avoided him?" Katniss questioned, clearly surprised.

"Yeah, I felt guilty for being a victor's daughter with no worries about survival at all while he had just done everything in his power to survive." Dove explained, following some people out of the mansion towards the City Circle, where the execution would take place.

Katniss and Dove stood behind the doors as everyone took their places outside. As Finnick passed by her side, she sent him an apologetic look, which he smiled at. Not needing to use words to tell her that everything would be fine.