Gloxinia's eyes snapped open breaking her free of the anxiety from her nightmare. It was early in the morning, but the sun was out and blazing. Even with that, the air seemed several degrees frostier than yesterday.

Her lungs seized as Sawyer's cold, pale face came back to her from the nightmare. She still remembered how it had felt to watch him die in an arena, remembered how it felt when she was forced into a similar situation. The raw pain washed over her once again, sticking and stabbing into every crack of her heart. She'd vowed never to be helpless again, but here she was. She vaguely remembered that Alexander had been with her in the dream, and with a turn of her head the last remnants of sleep fled as her eyes fell on the sleeping boy. Gloxinia didn't remember him falling asleep beside her, but a sense of relief rippled through her. She smiled softly.

Thankfully, she hadn't sensed his warmth in the night because she knew that the unplanned romantic moment would've been horribly embarrassing. Gloxinia knew she was letting him get under her skin, but she'd be a fool if she acted on those feelings. She was here to win the games, not to fall for a boy who'd kill her without any hesitation.

Gloxinia saw deep frown lines in his forehead, as if something in his sleep was disagreeing with or disturbing him. Sometimes, she wondered what had happened in his past, and without thinking about it, she stretched out her hand to smooth the grooves in his forehead, attempting to comfort him. Before she realized what had happened, Alexander grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the ground. He still looked like he was trying to snap out of a sleepy haze on top of her.

Gloxinia wasn't sure how to react. She could try to head butt him or attempt to kick his leg, but he'd probably kill her quicker. To her relief, she saw recognition flash in his eyes.

"Gloxinia?" Alexander murmured, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. 

Gloxinia was still too shocked to say anything or push him off so she just nodded her head.

Stupefied, he stared at her. "What... What were you doing?" he questioned.

A deep blush spread across her tanned skin as she looked away, her hands lightly pushing against his chest. "Nothing. Seriously, though, you weigh a ton! Get off, Alex."

He stared oddly at her for a long moment. Finally, he sighed and went to move. He was fairly sure she'd been stroking his face, though for what reason, he'd never find out.

She sat up, trying to avoid his gaze. He was just about to speak again, but before the moment could become even more awkward, they heard a crash and a low moan. His hand froze on her shoulder as they listened intently. A different voice screeched, high-pitched and inhumane, from the direction of the forest, and something moved in the distance.

"What was that?" Gloxinia's eyes widened.

They slowly made their way towards the sound but something kept nagging Gloxinia at the back of her mind.

She turned toward Alexander. "Maybe it's nothing? I'll go check it out by myself," she said quickly.

Alexander frowned. "No, I'll come along."

"No no! Look, just go back and get some sleep. Once I'm back I won't let you sleep. Don't miss the chance," Gloxinia said, closing his eyes with her fingers. 

She wants to go alone? I'm offering to go with her, and it could be dangerous... But she wants to turn me down? He pulled away, staring at her queerly. "Right..." He watched her race away from him, and he turned back to get his knives. She's hiding something. Or someone. And I'm going to find out.
***
Colorado, her District's tribute, lay bleeding from both of his arms and a leg, turning the snow around him a deep vermilion. She was glad that she had followed her gut because if Alexander had been the one to find Cole she knew he would've killed him.

"Cole, what happened?" All she got was another groan. He looked towards her face but she knew he was hardly seeing her. His eyes were cloudy, almost a milky color and they weren't focused on her.

"I-" He took a deep breath; there was no way he could breath easily. He was dying. "Mountain fell. Forest-" He gasped again. "Bad... very." He reached up to wipe sweat off of his brow, but instead smeared blood all over his face. Unbearable waves of fire licked up his leg, going from his upper thigh to his hip. His arms throbbed and wailed with agony as blood poured from the holes that something - he couldn't remember what - had punched into them. The wounds throbbed with pain, and the fierce mountain of agony slammed down on top of him, blurring his vision even more. He couldn't think clearly but he knew the wounds were tend-able, knew that once he got some food, bandages, and water, he might be okay. But for the moment, every tiny cut seemed to ache. His body just burned, and he finally surrendered himself to the pain, letting it take him and dance away with his mind.

Panic bubbled in her chest; Gloxinia knew she wouldn't be able to fix him up. Maybe she should kill him to end his misery - one step closer to winning the Games. She shook the thought out of her head, but she still had no idea how to help or even how to get help without him being killed by someone else. He was still savable, that much was obvious. Not that Gloxinia had any idea how to help. If Azrael or Narian were here, then maybe... If she could get him back to camp and keep Alexander away, she'd have time to find one of them.

Footsteps hurried toward them, crunching and sloshing alternatively through the snow and melted ice. Gloxinia moved into a defensive stance. She didn't have any kind of weapon on her, so if the other person had one, then she and Cole were most likely dead. She wouldn't go without a fight though.

The relief that flooded through her when she saw the person was immeasurable. It surged up from her gut, making her go limp. Her shoulders slumped as she saw that it was just Narian, who looked so distraught and lost that it almost distracted Gloxinia.

"Cole? What-?" Narian asked, her eyes wide at the sight of the scarlet snow, but she quickly ran up to Cole without any explanation from Gloxinia. "We need to stop the bleeding. I have a little Rosaweed left, and we have to take him back so that I can make a poultice so-"

Gloxinia cut Narian off mid sentence. "We can't take him back yet. Alexander will kill him. We'll use the ice to stop the bleeding for now. That way he looks less vulnerable." They quickly started covering his wounds with snow; it wasn't the best thing but that was all they could work with. Gloxinia wasn't sure how they'd hide him.

She didn't hear the next set of footsteps. When someone cleared their throat, she whirled to face them.  Alexander stood there; his eyes turned into slits for a moment when his gaze landed on Gloxinia. He glared at her for a long moment in silence.
"Alexander," Gloxinia slowly stood up, she knew what Cole looked like to Alex - an easy kill. Begging him would just drive him to kill, explaining it was out of the question, and trying to fight him with no weapon would get her killed, ruining all her hard work. She rested a hand on his arm, eyeing him warily.

"This? This is what you made me go back to camp for?" He laughed, shaking his head. He walked to where Narian sat, his hands ready to pull out his blades.

"You can't kill him," Gloxinia said, standing her ground, but Alexander towering over her made her nervous.

"Of course I can," came Alexander's reply, his gaze focused solely on his prey like a true animal. He hadn't killed someone in so long. So many dumb dolls running around alive.

"Not yet. Please," she said this only to him. She didn't know how far he'd listen to her but once again she needed him. Gloxinia hated the fact that she had to beg him, to show him her vulnerability, but this was what she had to do in order to win. "You hurt him then you and I are over." She said, making her voice quiver at the end for effect. She considered spilling a tear or two but she was done making herself look weaker than she was. Her strategy was manipulation not weakness, she reminded herself. But she owed Colorado. She owed him for comforting her when Sawyer died. She owed him for keeping her secret when he saw her kill Dax for killing Sawyer. He could've told on her, could've gotten her killed or arrested.

But he'd kept silent anyway.

Finally Alexander looked at her, annoyed. "Over?" He could hear her desperation. He knew she didn't want this tribute dead for whatever strange reason, but "over?" That was just ridiculous. He looked down at the injured boy, and growled, "Fine, if you want him that bad!" He threw his knife dangerously close to Gloxinia to make his point.

Gloxinia could hear her heart beating against her ribcage. He could kill her in an instant; the loss of an ally wouldn't bother him. He was strong enough to carry on by himself, and she didn't want him walking away from her. It made her sick. She was so weak, too weak. The fact that she needed him at all irked, niggling at the back of her mind like the screeching of a pencil on a chalk board.

A hug would have been appropriate to stop him and make it look like they settled their quarrel but she didn't dare go near him in this state. He looked like he was ready to kill her as the appetizer and then move on to Cole and Narian. Since she didn't relish the idea of getting herself or her allies killed, she hung back.

Alexander refused to help at first. The boy could act like a completely spoilt child when things didn't go his way. Gloxinia gave him another pleading look and after shooting her another glare, he shoved her with his shoulder and helped take Cole to the campsite.

Cole passed out on the walk to camp, not that Gloxinia was surprised but she could tell Alexander was relieved when he laid the boy down on the snow. Narian quickly began working on the injured boy, and Alexander gripped Gloxinia's arm and pulled her to the side.

"If you don't want to kill, fine. But you won't let me kill anyone! What's wrong with you? Remember what you told Wiley? Are you stupid, Gloxinia? This is a killing game. And if you keep getting in my way, I might just have to kill you," He bit out, anger radiating from him.

"Listen to me, Le Monte," Gloxinia growled. The way he spoke to her just seemed to have driven her to the edge. "You need me as much as I need you right now. Don't deny it! So don't argue when I did something for us." Grabbing a fistful of his jacket, she jerked him closer and kissed him. She kissed him furiously, hoping to convey her anger and confusion, but probably bruised herself more than him. His lips were warm and aggressive against hers. He immediately dominated her, which irritated her even more. Breaking the kiss, she shoved him back a little, and without giving him another glance, she walked back to Narian and Cole. Gloxinia had acted completely on impulse, a fact that made her seethe. This had to stop happening.

He stared at the spot where she stood and laughed. Now he remembered why she was an ally in the first place. He'd let her believe that, and feel safe in her own worth, safe from him. But it didn't take away the frustration at her unwillingness to take lives. He looked over and decided they didn't need his help.

"Where did Alexander go?" Narian asked, snapping Gloxinia out of her internal turmoil.

"I don't know. I'll go look for him," she said mechanically. I hate how we're arguing. Even though I'm going to kill him eventually, I want us to be happy and together for as long as possible.
Alexander did need her for the time being in the Games, but she needed him too. Between the two of them, she had to be the one to fix them before he changed his mind. Gloxinia started following Alexander's footsteps.
***
Meri turned in circles, gazing at the swirling snow and struggling not to burst into tears. She'd lost Azrael somewhere in this blizzard. The sudden stab of abandonment hit her like a freight train, bowling her over and snatching her breath. I'm going to die out here. I have no idea where I am or what I'm walking into. With that horrid realization, Meri sat down in the snow.

Fear held her in its icy clutches, snarling and snapping at her as she tried to push it back.

No time for fear. No time.

It was nearly ten minutes before the wind stopped, and the falling snow finally dwindled down to light flurries. Big, fluffy flakes drifted out of the sky lazily, dusting her hair with sugary sprinkles. Through the storm, she saw a figure coming toward her.

Shivering, she thought about getting up and shouting to them. But she didn't and it didn't take her long to realize it was a wise decision.

Achmetha appeared from the snow, wraith-like and bloodied. How? How is he still alive? I killed him... I could've sworn his heart stopped... Meri gulped, huddling closer to the ground. Perhaps he'd miss her?
No, he headed was straight for her and she could see him clutching a bloodied rag to his chest as he stumbled across the frozen snow. The sound of his boots crunching on the hard, packed ground seemed a thousand times louder, echoing in her ears as he stopped and dropped to his knees before her.

Why me? she thought, rocking back and forth. Running would do no good. Running was never good. He'll kill me. He'll think I wanted him dead.

His beautiful blue eyes were swimming with reflexive tears and anger. She flinched as he reached out with his free hand to cup her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut as she anticipated the blow. The crushing pain would be horrible. Until he decided toying with her wasn't fun anymore.

This is the end... I just hope he'll be kind to me and make it quick. Even as she thought it, she knew it wouldn't happen. He wouldn't be kind to her. Her heart fell as her throat tightened even further. I wish Azrael was here... I wish we weren't in this horrible arena. If we weren't, maybe Achmetha could've been different.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm sorry... I just... You were hurting him."

Achmetha tilted her chin up, and she opened her eyes. Their gazes locked as a tear dropped down her numb cheek. He smiled, although it was obvious that he was in pain because it became more of a grimace.

"I know you are." He looked at her for a long moment, silence filling the space between them. "Unfortunately," he continued. "You were stupid, and your actions have signed your death warrant."

Tears dripped down her nose, freezing on her cheeks in the sub-zero weather. Her head dropped, but he forced it back up again. His fingers stroked her throat gently, and in any other situation, it would've seemed like he was trying to seduce her. "Look at me..." he demanded, his voice a soft, husky whisper. "Keep your eyes on mine... I want you to watch."

She shivered, horrified, and looked up at him. Everything in her wanted to look away. Heavens, she wanted to. "I don't want to watch." Trembling took over as he moved his hand down to her arm.

"Watch anyway." Then he moved his free hand from his chest, revealing a charred, oozing wound. Blood dripped from his fingers, virulent and dark in the weak sunlight. A gasp tore from her throat as he placed his blood-soaked fingers to her cheek with a smile, leaving a red handprint on her fair skin. "You did this," he murmured.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think... I..." she wailed, trying to reach out and touch him. He grabbed her wrists, keeping her from doing so. Her eyes closed to block him out. "I never knew you'd survive. If I'd known this would happen... Heavens, Achmetha. I'm so sorry..."

He pressed a bloody finger to her lips. "Shh... Don't prolong the inevitable. You'll make it worse."

At least he's making it easier mentally... It could be worse. Meri flinched back as he brought out a dagger. The scream beneath the surface wouldn't come. It got stuck, refusing to give her an outlet for her devastating fear. It welled in her, rushing into every limb and freezing her in his arms. Even when he brought the blade to her cheek she couldn't move.

"Not even going to struggle?" Achmetha sighed. "Not much fun that way..."

"Just... do it... quick."

"No."

The scream did come then as he dug the knife into her cheek. She shoved at his arms, whimpering as the knife went deeper, stinging and throbbing. "Please..." The soft cry made him hesitate.

Maybe I can still escape. He's still weak... I have to get free. Now that she thought about it, she didn't really want to die yet. She wanted to say goodbye to Azrael properly. At that moment, it was all she could concentrate on.

He faltered. That was all she needed. She shoved at his injured chest. He collapsed as blood spurted from the poorly cauterized wound. His fingers loosened on the knife, and Meri could only think of ending his misery. She snatched it away and plunged it into his throat with a scream.

Stumbling to her feet, she ran without a backward glance. That's the second time I've tried to kill someone. And I've succeeded this time. What's wrong with me? This sick, twisted creature isn't me... Bile rose in the back of her throat, and her legs burned. Blood streamed down her face as she sobbed. Achmetha's actions reminded her too much of the way the men of her past treated her. They beat her when she didn't cooperate and refused to acknowledge them. They'd used torture to force her obedience. Not that she should've had to obey them. They were all drunks and drug addicts. None of them had any right or authority.

I... I can't. I can't keep doing this. This is just as bad as when I was unable to escape them. Worse, maybe.

She was so distracted that she slammed straight into a solid chest. Hope sparked in her.

Azrael?

But when she looked up it was Alexander's cool gaze that met hers. Her eyes closed again. He wasn't Azrael, but she wouldn't think anymore; Meri did the only thing that came to mind. She threw her arms around him and huddled close, praying he'd keep her safe from this horrible place. She'd kept Azrael from killing Alexander, so that must hold some weight. Anyway, Alexander might make her death quick if he did decide to kill her. Achmetha wouldn't have.

Alexander cleared his throat, staring down at the girl, who clung on as if he was her last hope. "Meri? What...where're the others?"

"I lost them. Azrael j-just disappeared. And Achmetha... He tried to... I... He's just like them." She burst into tears, confusion and horror overwhelming any rational thoughts left to her.

Alexander's intrigue overruled his uncertainty. She said that she'd been separated from the rest, so there was no one to stop him from doing what he wanted, was there? He's just like them. That promised something interesting. Something that could give him leverage.

"Who? Who's Achmetha like?" He asked, false concern seeming to fill his eyes as their previous iciness abruptly left them. At any other time Meri wouldn't have trusted him, she would have questioned why he was doing this, but her grief blinded her and she didn't think about the cold shoulder she was crying on.

"L-like the guys m-my mom dated b-back home," she whimpered as he pulled her into an embrace, allowing her to use him as a crutch.  He isn't leaving me... He isn't going to just let me deal on my own...

"It's okay... You can tell me. What happened, Meri?" His voice was gentle, layered carefully with tones of care and worry, hiding the venom underneath. Not that he'd needed to hide it. She was unfocused. Even worse than Gloxinia had been all day.

Meri didn't notice. "They u-used to... whip or hit me... I-if I didn't o-obey them," she stammered. "And everyone else ignored me." The story came rushing out as Alexander sat her down and listened willingly. No one had done this for her since Milan died, and Milan was the only one to ever do so. Until now.

"I had to hide the injuries. At school, people either bullied me or ignored me. And o-one time... This group of guys tried to... to." No, she couldn't say that. It hurt too much.

The scene was burned into her mind. The things they said. The way they touched her. And the girls who were with them just walked off, leaving her to their twisted machinations. "I mean, they just... I..."

He let his expression form into one of understanding, shaking his head. "It's alright, you don't have to say." He knew, of course, she'd tell him anyway. Someone who'd been treated like that, like a speck of dirt on a window, wanted nothing more than someone who cared.

"They were going to hurt me badly." She settled on that. It was safer. "Milan - my fiancé - stopped them. It was the first time we met." Tears gathered in her eyes as she remembered how kind he'd been to her. He'd been so gentle even though he didn't know her. "But..." This was the hardest part. Yet it seemed to come tumbling out of her with little hesitation or reservation at all. "My mom found out about us. We were going to elope when I turned eighteen. I would've been eighteen a week after the Reaping. My mom found out what we were planning somehow, and she shot him. She made me watch as she shot him in an alley. She didn't even kill him right away. She made sure he'd suffocate on his own blood. He- He died in my arms a week before I was Reaped." Meri sobbed, nuzzling into his chest. He let her wet his shirt with her tears. Let her trust him. It'd hurt more that way.

The reality of it hit her again. His broken body was lying on the flagstones of the alley, bleeding and ruined. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the horror of it. When even that wasn't enough, she buried her face in Alexander's neck. His arms tightened further, providing calming reassurance.

Meri didn't understand why Azrael hated Alexander; he was being so kind. He wasn't hurting her even though he could easily do so, and he was listening to her. This person helping her didn't seem like a hard-hearted jerk. Arrogant sometimes, yes. Cold or distant, certainly. Hateful or hard-hearted, however, didn't seem to describe him. At the moment, he was helping her to calm down enough to concentrate at least slightly on something other than the horrors she'd witnessed.

He rubbed her back, murmuring nonsense and doing what he could to soothe her. She'd be eternally grateful to him for that.

Her story turned out to be worse than he'd expected, which, in a way, made it that much better. He was almost proud at how well he'd acted. Not a trace of distaste at how weak she was being had shown on his face. Hostility had flashed only to show his supposed anger at those who hurt her. From the corner of his eye, he saw something - someone - sneaking up on them. He barely stopped the smirk when he realized who it was. "Come on, I'll take you back."

She sniffed, looking up at him with wide eyes. He could tell why Azrael had become so attached. Too bad he was taken. He chuckled at the thought. Meri tilted her head in confusion.

He smiled at her. "Don't be scared. No one will hurt you while I'm here," he whispered in her ear, and she relaxed in his grasp.

He stepped back, taking her hand instead.  That's when Gloxinia entered, her expression questioning.

Gloxinia had followed Alexander to make sure he wasn't too upset by her refusal to kill Cole. She needed him. Just for the games of course. A twinge of jealousy took over when she saw Alexander with Meri. He was hers! For a brief moment, it was all she could think about. All she cared about or focused on.

How dare that brazen hussy? I should've killed her when I had the chance! Now here she is stealing my man.

But then she heard Meri, and it broke her. Sure, the majority of them had their tragic and horrible pasts, but they'd mostly turned volatile or hard. Meri had suppressed all of her feelings. So strong.  It had to be stifling at times.

Gloxinia looked at Alexander. Though he was comforting Meri, his eyes remained open like he was processing her story. Gloxinia's eyes narrowed; even though she'd only known him for a short time, she knew him well. He was definitely concentrating on some sort of devious snare that involved what Meri had told him. She had to stop him. Alexander saw her; his eyes widened a little but he quickly collected himself.

Deciding it was time to make her presence known to the other girl, she walked toward them and ignored Alexander's stare. "Meri, what happened?" Gloxinia asked, as gently as possible.  She pulled Meri into a tight embrace; this is what she needed.

She'd needed this when Sawyer died. She'd needed someone to tell her that everything wouldn't be fine, but she couldn't let it break her. That she just had to become stronger. Cole had comforted her, but he hadn't told her that she could be stronger. He'd let her cry and didn't really say anything, and truth be told she could tell why all of his previous girlfriends had broken up with him.

"It's okay. You're so strong and brave. You can do this." Gloxinia said to the girl but she was also reassuring herself. She just hugged her tighter, as if putting Meri back together would fix her too.

Gloxinia wasn't sure how long she was holding onto the girl, but she was afraid that their broken pieces would land in the wrong places if she let go. They needed to be stronger, more focused. Alexander cleared his throat and Gloxinia shot him a glare.

She didn't let go of Meri's hand. She couldn't.

The three of them walked back to their campsite. As soon as Meri sat down, Gloxinia grabbed Alexander's hand and pulled him out of earshot and behind a tree. "You can't, Alexander. I won't let you," she said, firmly.

"And what, exactly, am I going to do?" Alexander asked, raising his eyebrow. When she didn't reply, he smirked, looking her straight in the eyes. "Better question, how do you intend to stop me?"

Gloxinia growled, clenching her fists tightly as she stared him down. Was he in earnest? She might not be much of a threat, but she could still make him sorry.

He scoffed at that, rolling his eyes. "You can't do a thing, Gloxinia. Not against me. You, of all people, should know that." Then he flashed her a grin. "But I'll keep my mouth shut, if that's what you mean. Her past is her past," he told her. Ignoring her confused expression, he walked away.
She stomped after him. She wouldn't argue or bring it up again. There was no telling if he'd change his mind if she were to confront him after he ended their conversation so straightforwardly. He was unpredictable that way.

Narian was tending to Meri, whilst Cole was sitting quietly. Gloxinia plopped herself beside Cole, seeking comfort from her district tribute.

"How are you feeling now?" Gloxinia asked the boy. He looked much better since they found him, but still pretty worn out. Even with his arms bandaged, a hot meal in his stomach, and some of Narian's rosaweed tea, the boy still managed to look healthier than he had in nearly a week.

"I'm not dead, am I?" He smiled at her and then looked down at his bandaged leg. "It hurts less."

Narian approached them from behind, looking like she'd been to Hell and back. Her hair was matted and full of snow, hanging in greasy, tangled clumps around her face. Dirt veiled her entire head, and she wiped another tear off her cheek, smearing away just a bit of the varnish of dirt. "How," she stopped for a minute, swallowing hard. "How is he doing?" she finished, wiping away her tears and squeezing her eyes shut to hold off more.

"You need to get some rest, Narian. If you drop dead from exhaustion, you're of no use," Gloxania pointed out.

Narian looked like she'd pass out, and the last thing she needed was for her ally to become an easy kill. She was as unfocused as Cole and Meri. But at least she looked strong and pulled together for now.
Narian shook her head. "I can't sleep. I just... I can't." She collapsed next to Cole, and he put his arm around her in a comforting way.

"Nightmares?" he asked gently.

Slowly, she nodded. "I keep seeing him every time I close my eyes. Him, Aslane, everyone I've lost." She broke down; the tears made clean streaks down her dirty. "I don't have anyone anymore," she whispered hoarsely through her tears.

Cole squeezed her hand. "You have us, Narian."

"What if you die too? What if you all die and leave me behind to go back to Six?" She pinned him with a flat stare, which spoke volumes of her pain. "I'll be alone again. I can't do this, Colorado. I'm too broken. Even Toby's left me."

He stared into Narian's tear-filled eyes and shook his head. "I may not know you very well, Narian, but I know you well enough to know that when you break, you know how to put yourself back together. You can do this. You're strong enough for this."

She shook her head forlornly. "I - I can't, Cole. I just don't know how." She got up shakily.

Gloxinia could tell that comforting Narian wouldn't work in this situation. She'd never seen Narian's barriers come crashing down simultaneously before, but she knew there was only one thing that would force Narian back into survival mode. "You can't start feeling sorry for yourself right now, Narian," she snapped, making her voice as angry as she could manage.

Cole shot her a look but she shook her head at him almost imperceptibly. Narian's palisades went back up again, and a guarded look came into her eyes. She wiped away her tears and stared at Gloxinia, realizing that she was just trying to help. "I know. I'm sorry. I just... it's not... " She stopped, pushing back more tears.

Alexander put a hand on her shoulder. "Missing poor Demetriot?" he asked with false innocence.
"Go away, Alexander," Gloxinia growled. "She doesn't need your 'help' right now." Gloxinia glared a warning at Alexander, but he ignored it.

Narian shoved Alexander's hand off her shoulder and spun to face him. "Why do you do that? Taunting people when the object of your taunts is already gone? It's dumb. Just leave me alone." Eyes shining with unshed tears, she left, shoulders slumped.

Gloxania and Cole didn't bother to follow, but Alexander started after her. "You'd better apologize, Alexander. Toby and I will make you pay if you hurt her anymore," Cole warned.

Alexander scoffed at that. Meri he could live with, but Narian was being far too pathetic for him not to say anything. He followed Narian to the fireside, where she was sitting and staring into the fire.

"It's sad that he burned to death, you know," Alexander commented. He knew he was being a jerk, but it was the one thing that worked on Narian - acting like what Demetriot had thought he wasn't.

"Go away," Narian hissed. "I don't want to hear it."

"He could've defeated those wolves you know, if he wasn't caught up in saving you. But he stepped too close to the fire, see. It was a perfect position.

Narian whirled. "What did you do?" she seethed. He didn't answer her. "What did you do to Demetriot?" she screamed, her emotional pain, anger and hurt mixing together in a jumbled mess.

He watched her from behind, observing the almost obsessive way in which her fingers picked at each other, the way her whole body curled up slightly.  She was close to the edge, he could feel it. He wanted to make her hurt somebody, to push her so far that she didn't care about morals and was concentrated only on the kill. He would even let her draw blood if it made her see that no matter how good she claimed to be, in the end, she was a killer too. Everyone here was a killer.

"He came so dangerously close to the fire, Narian. But even closer to me."

Narian had her knives in her hands and spun around. Within a millisecond, Alexander was on the ground with both of her knives sitting against his throat. "How could you? He was everything I had left, you monster!" Tears fell down her face, and she pressed her knives against him even more; he could feel the warm blood droplets forming on his skin.
"Why would you do that? How could you?" Her voice rose slightly, and she pressed the knives into his throat. Her voice calmed a little. "You realize that because I have nothing to lose, you've lost your leverage over me, right?"

There it was. That focused, calculating blood lust he knew she had deep down inside. Alexander would have laughed but he couldn't even swallow without cutting his throat on the surprisingly sharp knives. A line of blood trickled down his neck and he tensed. He had to fight back soon, or she'd do too much damage; he had to admit that he hadn't expected her to jump him. Unable to answer, he just stared up at her, a grin carved into his face.

"Narian, stop it!" Cole's voice broke through the silence, and Gloxinia pulled Narian off of Alexander.

Narian shivered and collapsed on the ground. "How could you?" she whispered again.
Cole wrapped her in an embrace and held her tightly. "What did he do to you?" Cole whispered, staring at Alexander with murder in his eyes.

Alexander watched her cry, finding himself stuck in a Cheshire grin. "Tell me, Narian. You wanted to kill me then; you would've killed me if you had the chance. So what makes you so much better than me?" He didn't stick around to listen to her answer, because he knew there would be none.

This game was all about concentration or the lack thereof. Those who couldn't focus or keep their thoughts together would die. Narian, then, would also die.

As he walked away, he saw Gloxinia glaring at him. He knew she had seen it - his hands edging ever so slightly towards Narian's tear stained knives as she cried. She wouldn't have stopped Narian if she didn't know what he was about to do. He glared right back, to her surprise. He could've killed that girl, and Gloxinia just ruined it once again like the saint she was so eager to pretend to be.

Narian shivered in Cole's embrace and let her tears fall. Finally, after crying herself dry, she pulled out of his embrace.

Then she walked up to Alexander and took a deep breath. "I hate you," Narian growled. She threw a punch aimed at his face, and he unsurprisingly dodged it. She snarled at him before walking off to find someplace quiet and alone where she could think in peace.

Meri watched Narian storm off in silence. Alexander skulked over to the opposite side of the camp and settled in, a scowl on his face. With a clear head, she wondered now how advisable it had been to tell him. Well, it didn't matter anymore. He knew now, and he'd do with the information as he liked.

Still, she felt she owed him an apology. She'd been weak and horrified by what she'd done to Achmetha. He had to despise that about her, especially when he was so focused on winning, and she was messing it all up with her inability to concentrate or stay guarded. Even Azrael hated her weakness, though he was kind about it and didn't mention his discomfort when she went to him for console. In fact, he did exactly what Alexander had done; he comforted her gently. Guilt seeped into the cracks in her walls. No matter how she tried to keep it out, she felt horrible for forcing Alexander into that position, for making him endure her tears and heartache.

Finally resolved and clear-headed, she stood and walked over to him, ignoring Gloxinia's annoyed glance. Sitting down beside him, she cleared her throat.

When he looked at her, she looked down at her lap and fidgeted with the fur lining of her coat. "I came to say sorry. And thank you.

He quirked an eyebrow, shifting to face her. "For what?" He bent forward to look into her eyes. She blushed, looking up.

"You didn't turn me away." She kept her gaze bent to the ground, knowing that if she looked up into his curious, inviting blue eyes, she'd lose it. She would lose the careful, calculated calm that she'd built around herself in an attempt to match his cold demeanor.

"Yes, that covers 'Thank You'," he drawled sarcastically, his eyes glinting mischievously as her blush darkened. "But why did you want to apologize?" He was genuinely curious. He'd expected her thanks, but why she'd say sorry...

"I'm sorry because I know you must despise my weakness. You must hate me for being so pathetic," she murmured, her face blazing with embarrassment. Will he laugh at me? Will my apology be one more admission of my weakness and stupidity?

Alexander blinked. He had to say he hadn't expected that, not from Meri. She knew she was weak, and she knew how he felt about weakness. So why didn't she run away while she could when he'd found her?

Gloxinia walked over and squeezed her shoulder. "You're as strong as we are. The fact that you're still fighting after all that you've been through shows your strength. You're not weak, Meri!" She'd already made the mistake of showing her vulnerability too many times in the games herself, and she knew if she made more, she might as well be dead. Hopefully, Meri understood that.

"I am! I'm not like you or Alex. I'm just... I'm always crying or running away. You guys face things head on and with fire." She smiled sadly at Alexander. "You seem so cold and reserved. But I can't help wondering if there's something you're hiding. Something made you this way... I just know it... But you're so unbelievably strong. Callous sometimes, but strong. And brave too. You didn't even flinch when Azrael tried to kill you. You're... an enigma."

He stared at her, feeling an odd feeling bubble up in his stomach. Why was she telling him this?
"You stopped him, though." Although he said that as a statement, they both knew it was a question. Azrael and Meri seemed to be so loyal to each other; it had actually shocked him to see Meri defy the other boy on his behalf.

"I stopped him because he's allowing his hatred for you to cloud his judgment. If he killed you, it would be a horrible loss to your allies and family." She cleared her throat and stared out at the forest, listening to the snapping pop of electricity thrumming through the foliage. Is that really it though? Or was it more? If you're honest with yourself, you just didn't want to see anyone else die. Not after what you did to Achmetha. You're a freak and a coward. Just like you always have been. You don't deserve to survive this. Her mother's voice whispered in her head, voicing all of her fears and doubts. Per usual, her mother's voice was the voice her thoughts took when she was berating or belittling herself for something.

"You'd think so." He barked a short laugh. He let his gaze roam over her. "But everyone has to die. Even me, eventually. What's the point? A loss now and then doesn't make a difference, does it?"

"Yeah, but until it's necessary to kill, why do it? Why kill needlessly when you could work together and better your own chances of survival?" Meri wished he'd see her point. Wished that he would see why he shouldn't just kill unnecessarily. If it had to be done, like with Achmetha, fine. Otherwise, death could wait.

Gloxinia was nodding, but Alexander just laughed at the idea. "You're an interesting one, Meri. But I assure you that it's necessary to kill now. You wouldn't want a whole group of hungry, desperate tributes to come at you after having survived so long."

"You sure do know how to sugarcoat it," Gloxinia chided, glaring at him.

"No... He's right. But if you know that they'll betray you eventually, then don't you want them near you? Don't you want to know where they are so that they can't surprise you?" She grinned at Alexander, already feeling better. "I know I'd rather know where the danger's going to come from. With what I told Alex... About... You know." She blushed, feeling shy. Her past wasn't a pretty thing to envision; she held a lot of anger and pain inside because of her mother and her string of horrid lovers. "Well, I learned quickly that I was safer if I knew where everyone was."

Cole spoke up from across the fire. "Hey, whatever you told Alex, you need to tell all of us."
Gloxinia glanced at Alexander, warning him silently. He rolled his eyes and looked at Cole. "If Meri wants you to know, she'll tell you." He glanced over at the girl, wondering if she really would tell. That would ruin his advantage.

"That never ends well. But fine. Have your secrets." Cole crossed his arms, trying not to look weak and cringe from the pain it caused.

Meri looked at Alexander, wondering again if he would use it to hurt her. Certainly if he told the others, they'd realize how useless and weak she was. They'd abandon her.

Is that why Azrael left me? Did he let me get lost in the storm so that he'd have an easy way to let me die? So that he wouldn't have to wield the knife at my throat himself? Does it even matter? I still don't know if I want to go home. I have nothing waiting for me. Nothing and no one. Perhaps it would be best to do something good and right for someone here and die. At least then, I wouldn't go home to an empty, loveless life.

All three of the others were looking at her expectantly. She glanced over at Alexander, instinctively knowing that he would be the one to tell her tale if anyone would. Gloxinia wouldn't. And Narian didn't know it. Only Alexander knew the truth.

She shook her head, terror biting into her and ripping pieces of her resolve to be strong away like a hurricane. "I don't want to tell it again. I'm sorry, Cole. But you don't really want to know."

Alexander wasn't surprised at her decision. A past like that would make her feel vulnerable even admitting that it had happened. It remained in his mind, buzzing around like a trapped bug, making him wonder why she had told him so easily. He smirked at the petulant boy. "Too bad, Cole. She just doesn't trust you."

Gloxinia gave him a light shove. "Don't listen to him." If anyone would listen to her now it would be Cole; Alexander would probably slit her throat if she tried stopping him.

Cole glared at Alexander. He didn't want to get in an argument while he was injured, but at the same time, he wanted to punch Alexander in the face. Instead, he crossed his arms, refusing to show how confused and upset he was inside.

Cole began to dream of the interestingly horrible deaths that could happen to Alexander - most of which involving the other boy in multiple pieces. The anger surged through his body and he welcomed it more than he should have, because it was such a glorious sensation compared to the angst he had been feeling ever since he heard his name called out only two mere weeks ago.

Meri tensed, sensing how angry Cole was with both her distrust and Alexander's consistent taunting. "Cole... I'm not. I mean, I just can't handle it. It's not anything that will help anyone, anyway. If it was, I'd tell you even if I didn't want to."

"If Meri doesn't want to tell, she doesn't have to." Gloxinia glared at Cole.

"It's fine. I didn't want to trust him anyways," Cole muttered.

Meri cleared her throat. "It's okay, Gloxinia... I mean... If he tells, it's my fault because I told him in the first place. I... I'll trust him with this." She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to say this out loud, but she did anyway. Alexander needed to know that she was believing in him. Believing he had some spark of goodness left in his soul. She'd seen it underneath the calculating behavior, carefully concealed intelligence, and trickery. What she wasn't so sure about was whether he knew he still had it or not.

Meri watched him from under her thick lashes as snow powdered his dark curls. Please. Please be trustworthy. I need you to come through. She knew it was a long shot, but she tried to communicate her need to him in her dark gaze. She tried to remind him that life and death wasn't just a game. It was so much more. Meri was sure he'd known that once. But somehow, over the years, he'd lost it.

Alexander stared curiously at Meri, the confusion once again returning. He wanted to tell her to stop being so...so nice. No one had ever acted like that towards him, like he was anything but horrible. He ignored the feeling, and looked away from her. It was more than he wanted to see, those eyes begging him to listen. Those dark eyes that looked too much like someone he used to know.

It felt like a stab to the gut when he looked away. He won't keep quiet, will he? Her eyes closed in bitter pain. Does it matter if they know? Does it? After all, it's in the past. Maybe if they know they'll think I'm more of a danger. People who have nothing to lose often become a bigger threat than those with something they love.

But even as he tried to ignore it, he found himself walking towards her. A soft smile formed on his face. "Meri?"

She looked up at him, lips parting slightly in surprise.  "Yes?"

"Thanks."

"For what?" She frowned. "What could I possibly have done for you?"

He shrugged, feeling sheepish. "Honestly? I don't know," he sighed and pivoted, heading towards Gloxinia and away from the campfire. Of course, it was a lie. He did know why. She couldn't ever find out how much leverage she could have with him. If she did, he'd be in too much danger.

"Well, you're welcome," Meri called after him as he walked off, feeling even more confused.

Cole watched this all, confused and amused by Meri. But without her there, it all came down to one thing. Either Alexander would tell, or he would keep quiet.

Deep down, Gloxinia knew she trusted Alexander even if it worked against her. But she'd never let him know that. He had good in him, but trying to get him to trust her or even suppress his career tendencies seemed impossible and useless since they were both in the Games. "I trust you." Gloxinia said, looking at him. She knew he wouldn't say anything now. He would break loose when Azrael caught up with them. Whatever time they all had, she'd enjoy it, make the most of it. She ignored his raised eyebrow and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Talk to me, Le Monte," She teased him but she genuinely did want to know him. Of course he had ulterior motives to keep his mouth shut, but she was positive he wasn't always like this. She just had to keep reminding herself that no matter what Alexander told her she wouldn't given in, she wouldn't let him get to her first. She couldn't forget the monster he truly was. "Are you going to keep quiet or not?"

He stared at her for a long moment and then laughed- almost genuinely. "You'll just have to wait and see."