¹ THRONE ─ the hunger games

[ 010 ] fifty words for murder

"So, your district partner," Titus started, as they were making their way to the swords station, bypassing the agility and survival stations. "Why isn't she with you now?"

Keeping his expression carefully blank, Alex fought to prevent his frustration from showing. If he showed Titus that he was bothered by Iko's absence, taking leadership of the Career pack would be a lost cause. He couldn't let control slip from him like that, just because of one slip-up.

"She's been buzzing about the weapons since we got here," Alex said, feigning nonchalance as he shrugged, the lie coming easy to him, "couldn't wait to get her hands on them. She told me she was collect more allies for us, too, so if that's her goal, I trust her to do it efficiently."

Titus' expression twisted. A dubious look crossed his sharp features before a smirk overtook his lips. "Trust is child's play. But, we'll see how your... partner does."

Alex picked up a sword off the rack. He didn't like the way Titus was looking at him. Like he was already questioning his decisions. Not that his district partner was his choice, in any way. From the playback of the Reapings, Titus must've scouted his potential allies, making snap judgements on who he wanted on his side. Iko was a lot smaller than the conventional Career tribute, but her deadliness wasn't compromised by her stature. Alex could already see the underestimation working its way into Titus' head, a slow poison that would no doubt get him killed in the Games.

With a sword in hand, Opal slanted an indecipherable look at Titus, who merely shrugged.

"Trust is fundamental in this alliance," Opal said, her silky voice steady as a current in a flowing river, as she tested the weight of her chosen weapon. When Titus cut her an incendiary glare, she brought her sword round in a clean stroke, pointing the glinting tip towards their right. "See for yourself."

Alex and Titus followed the path of her gaze to a ring of simulated moving targets above a pressure-sensitive floor, lit up by tiles of white-blue light. And there Iko was. A perpetual motion machine. Moving like dry lightning, the blade of her katana flashing under the fluorescent lights, decimating the simulated opponents in lethal and precise strokes. Teeth bared like she was out for blood. Out for glory. Her dark hair, swept into a tight ponytail behind her head, whipped around her shoulders like a black strip of silk. By her side, a girl with red hair slashed and hacked at the simulated targets. District 4, Alex recognised. Sage Kovacs. Tall build, easily matching Opal and Titus in size, strong swimmer's shoulders. The two girls moved almost in synchrony. When the simulation ended, the station master called them off the ring. District 4 turned to Iko with a savage grin, and said something. Iko returned it with a cold smile.

Looks like they had one more ally in the bag.

Frowning, Titus spun his sword in his hands, not liking that he was proven wrong so easily. Especially by his district partner.

In a flash, Titus pivoted and had his sword buried in the heart of a stationary dummy. Affecting aloofness, Titus said, "the harder part's about application."

Alex didn't doubt that for a second. But if Alex didn't kill him first, he had every confidence Iko would skewer Titus in three seconds flat if he wasn't useful to the alliance. Clamping his self-control over the urge to punch the living daylights out of Titus for dismissing Iko's abilities, Alex turned to wave Iko over with the hand he ought to knock every tooth out of Titus' head with.

* * *

OPAL. TITUS. SAGE. ELIAS.

With Sage trailing after Iko as she cut across the training facility, ignoring the other tributes who skirted around the two Career tributes like nervous animals, towards Alex, who was flanked by both District 1 tributes, that left Elias, who had yet to be inducted into the arsenal of the arena's deadliest alliance. Brick by brick, Iko thought, again. That's how you build your throne.