𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

───── THE THIRD DAY OF TRAINING meant they'd finally be having their private sessions with the Gamemakers. District by district. First the boy, then the girl tribute. It was both daunting and reassuring. Delphi was almost guaranteed to have the Gamemaker's attention, but unless she made sure to stand out, she risked being drowned out in the following sea of faces.

Finnick and Mags had debriefed them as much as they could during breakfast.

"This is important," Finnick stressed, "Higher ratings mean more sponsors. This is the time to show them everything you've been hiding. As District Four, you have the advantage of seeing them first. But you'll be seen around brunch, so their attention may wander. I don't care what you have to do to get it back on you. Just do it."

It had seemed so simple at breakfast. They'd already been watching them through training, so why was this any different?

It wasn't until she had been gathered into a small waiting room and told to take a seat did the anxiety kick in.

Delphi was about to go in front of the Gamemakers, the very same people who were designing the stage and setting of her possible death. She was going to show off for however long she was required to, and then depending on her showcase, she'd be given a number through twelve, one being irredeemably awful and twelve being unattainably high. That number would then be broadcasted to Panem. A single number was meant to sum up her importance and her ability to survive. This score was important—it could make or break a sponsorship, and Delphi needed those.

Of course, scores weren't a promise of a Victor—they just helped tremendously. Nireus had still won his Games, and he had scored a three. Sure, whole time, he had struggled with a lack of—he had almost died from a festering wound—but he had still won.

One by one, the tributes trickled out of the room.

Jason looked sick with nerves and when his name was finally called, Delphi was worried he would keel over. "Good luck."

Instead of responding, he just struggled for a smile and scampered off.

The air was different now that seven other tributes were gone. All of them had yet to come back and it had everyone shifting nervously, unsure of what was happening beyond the reflective metal of the double doors.

Delphi clenched and unclenched her jaw, her hands drifting to her neck, reaching for a necklace that wasn't there.

Fifteen minutes after Jason had left, her own name was called. She shot up as if she'd been shot, drawing a dozen eyes to her figure. Breathing deep, Delphi shouldered the weight of their stares and lifted her chin high as she entered the gymnasium.

A few bleary, wine-drunk eyes stared down at her. The rest of the Gamemakers meandered about the viewing box, long-stemmed glasses in more hands than she cared to count. How they were already so tipsy, so early in the assessments, Delphi didn't know. She didn't care. All that mattered was that she stood stock still, watching with bubbling anger as they stretched and yawned and feasted upon some sort of roasted bird as if she wasn't even in the room.