Finnick's sleeping pills worked well at keeping Eve from worrying the night away.
The morning was another story.
She pushed through the nausea pulling at her stomach while she forced down her breakfast. It was her last guaranteed meal and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.
"Ready, sweetie?" Fira asked, holding out her hand for her to take.
With shaking fingers Eve let the woman guide her to the elevator.
They walked silently down a set of corridors until another unmarked elevator stood in front of them.
Fira's foot tapped nervously against the tile floor as they watched an arrow point to the changing of the floors.
"Remember you'll be on camera the whole time." She said. "But you can use that to connect with the audience."
Eve nodded.
"Now let me fix your hair." She said, fiddling with the strands in the low ponytail she fastened.
Eve didn't struggle when she tugged at her hair. She could barely feel it over the beating of her own heart.
"Now don't be scared." She said. "There's no time for that."
Eve wiped her sweaty hands on her pants and nodded.
"You have to keep your wits." She said. "And don't do anything stupid."
When the doors slid open to the blinding sun Eve sucked in a breath. A huge ship stood alone on the tarmac in front of them.
"Good luck." Fira squeezed her hand. "You can do this."
"Thank you." Eve's voice sounded hollow in her ears.
"I'll see you soon." Fira said, releasing her hand.
"Right." Eve nodded, though she didn't believe the words coming from her mouth.
She dragged her feet towards the ship as she began to come to terms with what was about to happen.
She was going to die.
*** *** ***
Because she was the last to arrive it wasn't hard to find her seat.
She looked across the walkway, meeting Cato's sharp blue eyes.
"Of course." She groaned, collapsing into her seat.
"Oh come on." He laughed. "You're not happy to see me?"
She stayed quiet as she took the time to look over the other tributes.
"I'm happy to see you." He grinned. "Not as much as last night though. You looked great in that dress."
Her eyes shot over to his.
"Tell me, who'd you get to take it off for you?" He asked.
"Finnick."
She tried to smile at her own witty remark, but couldn't get her face to show any kind of emotion. She guessed that was a side effect of her impending doom.
Eve didn't notice the way Cato's fists clenched against his thighs while he scoffed. "Yeah right."
Eve's eyes drifted to Finch, who had the ghost of a grin on her face.
She looked back to Cato. "That man really knows how to use his hands."
"And a couple other things." She mused.
"Bullshit."
She shrugged. "I guess you'll never know."
"Arm." A lady in a pristine lab coat ordered.
Eve did as told, extending it to the woman. She inserted a chip into her forearm.
"Ow."
"Get used to it." The woman said before moving to the next tribute.
"Bitch."
Cato's familiar laugh landed on her ears.
"It's not funny."
"You know, I can see why everybody loves you." He said. "Hell, you've almost got me fooled."
"I'm flattered." Her voice stayed in a single octave as she looked away from him and to her sore arm.
The flight rumbled for twenty minutes before it rocked with its landing.
She pushed herself to her feet, ready to get this over with.
"Hey, Eve." Cato's voice stopped her in her tracks.
He was sangfroid in the dimly lit aircraft; as if this was nothing but a trip to the park. "Apologize."
"For what?" She laughed.
He crossed his arms over his chest. "Making me look weak."
"You are weak." She spoke as a peacekeeper grabbed her arm.
He cocked his head to the side as a smile lined his mouth. "I don't think you'll be saying that in the arena."
She shook her head. "Not physically."
"You'll understand if you make it out." She assured him. "I hope so, at least."
"You're not gonna make it out I promise you that." He said. "I'm coming for you."
She didn't doubt his words for a second.
A peacekeeper pulled her towards the exit and she looked back over her shoulder at the man. "May the odds be ever in your favor."
Cato's face looked calm, but on the inside his heart was racing. There was nothing he loved more than a challenge and she was going to make the games better than he ever could have imagined.
He couldn't wait.
Eve was escorted to her room by a single peacekeeper.
Finnick stood with crossed arms waiting for her.
Before she could speak he pulled her to his chest. "How're you feeling?"
"There's no point being scared." She said. "I'm ready."
"I'm gonna try to make an alliance with Finch." Eve pulled away to look into his eyes. "She needs someone to watch her back."
"Bad idea." He shook his head. "It's better to stay on your own."
She shook her head. "I won't kill her."
"All the more reason not to form an alliance." He explained. "The strongest ones always have to fight for the crown."
He helped her into her dark green jacket. "It's better to hope someone else kills her before you have to."
"I'm not gonna wish for her death." She shook her head.
"There isn't time to be soft anymore." He scolded. "Not in there."
Thirty Seconds. The robotic voice broke their conversation.
"Listen closely." He grabbed her shoulders tight. "There will be weapons in the center of the circle. You need one. But not at first."
The thought of being inside the arena for even a moment without something to protect herself made her hair stand on end. "But-"
"It's called the blood bath for a reason." He said. "Hide in the tree line and wait."
"Once the coast is clear get what you need and get the hell out of there. Do you understand me?"
"Yes." She nodded.
Five seconds.
He guided her towards the tube that would send her into the arena. "Once you hear the starting canon you run."
"You can do this." He assured her.
She nodded once again before the clear tube closed around her.
"Thank you." She mouthed the words down to him as the platform began to rise.
She didn't get the luxury of seeing his reply before she was thrust into the arena.
Her eyes adjusted to the bright light fast. Everything was green. The trees, the grass, it seemed like everything in that damn artificial world was green apart from the sky.
She looked up into it as the seconds counted down all too fast. There was no usual pause that came with counting in seconds. No 'Mississippi' to follow the number, whatever it was. The capital couldn't even give them that.
Eve stood on the curve of the semicircle and looked around.
She wasn't surprised to see so many of her fellow tributes crying.
20
Her eyes met Ethan's. His body was propped to run towards the loot in the cornucopia the second the counter ended.
There was no way for her to warn him what was about to happen. All she could do was hope he was fast enough to make it out alive.
She turned to her other side and caught Cato's eye beside her.
"You ready, sweetheart?" He called. "I can't wait to see why you got that 12."
She didn't need to put much thought into what he said to know she was one of his top targets. But she did know she had time. Him, like most other tributes, would take the bait in front of them.
10
She shook out her legs as she bounced from foot to foot. She wouldn't have time to stretch once that timer ended.
3
She twisted around to face the forest.
2
1
She leapt into the soft grass.
Oh no what's gonna happen next