AUDREY SCURRIED OUT OF THE ROOM AS CORIOLANUS TOOK OFF HIS COAT. Pearl took a deep breath before approaching him.
"Coryo."
Coriolanus's blue eyes widened just as she expected. Pearl heard Tigris use the nickname before, and Pearl figured she would hit a nerve with it.
She saw the softness take over his face. Coriolanus blinked before looking at her skeptically. The sternness fell back into his eyes.
"Why are you calling me that?"
Pearl looked at him innocently, her hand brushing against the maroon coat he had just hung.
"I've heard many call you Coryo before, so why can't I call you by that?"
Coriolanus tensed, as if he was trying his best to restrain himself from reaching out to touch her soft skin. "It doesn't seem like something you'd do."
She suddenly found her back against the wall. "But those who are closest with me have used it."
Pearl wanted so badly to make a sarcastic remark, or even to push him away from her. She knew it wasn't the time, especially if she wanted him to not be furious with her by morning.
"Do you like it?" Pearl asked softly.
"Anything that comes out of your lips sounds extravagant, my rose," Coriolanus whispered.
His usual antics came along. The cold hand running through her hair, and the suffocation of the rose scent. His soft lips pushing against hers...
What was Pearl to him? Did he think of her as a potential lover or just a toy? None of it would matter tonight, and Pearl made sure to assure herself that. She would be free.
The night seemed to be going similar to yesterday. Pearl got into her night clothes, and was a little less hesitant to climb into Coriolanus's bed.
Not to glorify any of this, but Pearl believed that this wasn't as bad as she expected. Yes, she was forced to be in very close proximity with a murder, but she wasn't being tortured to the extent she thought she would.
But maybe that was only because she wasn't causing any trouble. Pearl shuddered at just the thought of Coriolanus finding her mid escape.
She felt him slip into bed next to her. Would this be her routine if she wasn't leaving tomorrow? Pearl wondered what he had planned for her in the future. Coriolanus couldn't have went through all of that just to keep her prisoner in his room for the rest of her life.
He couldn't have killed Marie and her mother all for his own little enjoyment. Did Coriolanus just need entertainment when he wasn't working?
The cycle continued. Coriolanus pulled her close, and Pearl didn't object as her end of the contract promised. That morning, she woke up and he was gone. Everything was going perfectly.
She looked at the clock, realizing that she overslept almost the perfect amount. It was almost noon, but Audrey hadn't showed up.
Pearl examined the closet to see what outfit Coriolanus had picked out for her. She raised an eyebrow when she realized it was a bright shade of red rather than white. She swore he was the one who wanted her in no shades of red.
She put it on without anymore question. Pearl admired herself in the mirror, taking note of the fact that red always seemed to look good on her. It made her feel powerful.
But there was one color she would rather wear than red or white. Pearl wished Coriolanus would give her a light blue dress.
Pearl kept looking up at the clock, Audrey growing later by the minute. It began to occur to Pearl that Audrey could be a liar. She could be too scared to get involved and simply ditch her duties for the day, and therefore the escape plan.
She sighed. Pearl would have to do this on her own. Standing motionlessly in the room was just wasting time since Coriolanus could return at any given moment.
The door wasn't locked. Audrey at least left it open for her, but left her alone in executing her plan.
Pearl was slightly family with the Capitol hallways, but she noticed that she was in different area than his office. Pearl wondered why he didn't bring her to his mansion instead.
Disturbing slogans were displayed on framed posters throughout the halls. Everything was eerily silent and perfected to its core. Pearl didn't know what awaited her at each turn.
She underestimated how large the Capitol was. How would she ever find her way to the train station? She had been there before, but never came from Coriolanus's quarters.
Pearl turned the corner curiously, finding an excessively huge elevator. She stepped in, eyes widening at the amount of buttons it had.
She pressed a random one in hopes that it would bring her somewhere helpful. The elevator doors opened and Pearl sighed in relief that no one was waiting for her.
Everywhere looked almost the same. It looked like she hadn't even changed floors. Pearl was only able to take a few more steps forward before armed men came running towards her.
Pearl panicked, running in the opposite direction. She almost made it to the elevator, but they dragged her out harshly.
One held each arm and two others stood behind her. "What the hell do you want with me?" Pearl struggled, knowing exactly what they wanted. What Coriolanus wanted.
"Can't let the president loose his toy," one of them whispered to the other.
They all broke out in laughter.
Pearl wanted to throw up. "Is that really what you think of me? How about I plunge my trident into your chest just like I did in The Hunger Games?"
Almost all of their faces went pale in sync before returning to their stern looks. "Exactly why he has it locked up."
Pearl smirked. "You know, if you help me get it unlocked I could help you."
"Help me with what?" the dark haired man asked curiously.
"Anything you want. I could give you so much money."
"Aren't you a district girl?"
"Victors get more fortune than you think."
He nodded in contemplation. "I'll think about it. Got to get you back to the president first."
Pearl groaned as she was dragged even further. Her eyes widened. She saw him.
Coriolanus Snow stood patiently waiting for Pearl to be delivered to him. He stood tall, and his men carried her towards him. They released her and Coriolanus looked them up and down. "You are dismissed."
The men left in one motion, and Pearl was standing there looking up at Coriolanus.
"Wearing red made you easy to spot," he whispered.
Why was he so clever? Before Pearl could respond, Coriolanus took her by the arm. "Let go of me."
Coriolanus's blue eyes looked into her soul. "Contracts don't mean much to you, do they?"
He brought her into the elevator. "Maybe it's time I bring you back into the jabberjay room."
No. Pearl couldn't do that again. Heading her loved ones' screams for so long was complete torture. It would be even harder with Marie and her mother actually gone now.
"Please. No."
Coriolanus smirked as the elevator went up. "That's what I thought."
The door to Coriolanus's room opened, but Pearl forced herself out of his grasp, throwing him against the doorframe. Before she could escape, he twisted her against the other side.
"Tell me, my love. What was your plan once you got out those doors?"
Pearl didn't answer.
He grabbed her chin. "Tell me."
"I was going to go to my district and escape past the fences."
Coriolanus's eyes widened with a sense of familiarity. "That would be useless. I would find you in an instant."
"How?"
He chuckled to himself before looking down at her again. "Do you remember your tracker in the Games?"
Pearl nodded, the horrid realization creeping into her mind.
"I made sure that it stayed on you."
Pearl shivered. Coriolanus has been able to hunt her this whole time. That's why she was never able to get away.
"Take it off!"
Coriolanus shook his head. "I don't think I will. I'll continue to use it to my advantage so that you'll never leave me."
Pearl could feel a tear forming in her eye, but she shook it off. "You're insane."
"You haven't realized that by now, my rose?"
Pearl was silent again.
"Now let's get to bed. I won't have to use any cuffs, will I?"
Pearl sighed, climbing into the bed shakily. What had she become?