Bellona quickly changed into some darker clothes before rushing off toward the arena, muttering something about finding Sejanus.

As she suspected, a guard stood outside the arena, blocking the entrance as he played with the money in his hands. Bellona scoffed. Money? Really?

"Hi," Bellona greeted, plastering on a fake smile as she made her way over to the man. The Peacekeeper eyed her up and down with a smirk before turning back to his money.

"What can I do for you, little lady?" the man asked, paying no mind to her. Bellona only stepped closer, looking inside the gates to see Sejanus.

So she was right.

"I think you just let my friend over there inside," said Bellona, pointing toward Sejanus, "I'd like to go in too."

The man turned back to look at Sejanus before laughing.

"No can do, little lady. Boy told me not to let anyone in looking for him. I'm presuming he meant you," said the man, causing Bellona to groan.

"Please?" Bellona begged, fluttering her lashes at him as she put a hand on his arm, mimicking what she had done earlier to Lepidus. The Peacekeeper smirked, letting Bellona graze his arm as he leaned closer.

"And what are you gonna give me?" the man muttered, his face so close Bellona could feel his breath. Bellona smiled at that, leaning closer before reaching for the gun in his holster, and aiming it at him.

"Let me in. Now," Bellona demanded, causing the man to laugh.

"Come on, sweetie. We don't want you hurting yourself," the man mocked. Bellona laughed in response, cocking the gun before aiming it at the man again.

"I may be rusty but I think I'll be able to manage. Let me in," Bellona demanded, ready to pull the trigger. If it meant getting to Sejanus, she would do it.

"Well would you look at that," the man muttered, clenching his jaw as he opened the gate, "Gates open."

Bellona smirked, placing the gun in her waistband before walking into the arena. Time to go get Sejanus.

Quietly, the girl made her way through the entrance, sneaking under the barricade before walking toward Sejanus.

Breadcrumbs. Of course.

"Sejanus," Bellona muttered, crouching down next to the boy. Instantly, Sejanus turned in her direction, eyes wide.

"Bells? What are you doing here? I told the man-"

"Yeah well he wasn't going to stop me," Bellona muttered, turning her attention toward the breadcrumbs, "Giving Marcus some peace?"

Sejanus looked down, nodding as he looked at Marcus's body.

"It's the least I can do," Sejanus breathed out, tears welling in his eyes. Bellona frowned, taking some of the bread from his hands for her own, closing her eyes as she said her final goodbyes before sprinkling it on Marcus.

"Goodbye, Marcus," Bellona whispered, scattering the last of the breadcrumbs before brushing the hair out of his eyes. From next to her, Sejanus began to cry, weeping for the loss of his classmate. The loss of his final tie to District Two.

"Bells," Sejanus muttered, voice barely audible behind his sobs. Instantly, Bellona pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his.

"Sejanus, what are you doing?" Bellona whispered, tears prickling in her eyes, "You're going to get yourself killed."

"I'm already dead, Bells. The Capitol is killing me," Sejanus muttered back, eyes shaking as he looked at his sister with teary eyes. Bellona shook her head, thinking of something to say before she heard a clinking sound.

They needed to go. Now. But how? Sejanus would never go back to this life.

"Then let's leave. Let's go back to Two. Tonight. We can get Ma and we can leave. Just please stay with me," Bellona uttered, barely keeping up with the desperate words that flew out of her mouth.

She knew it wasn't possible to leave tonight, but if she planted the idea in Sejanus's head, maybe it was something they could do in a few days.

Sejanus, however, just shook his head, too focused on the body in front of him.

"I- It won't work," Sejanus muttered, "He won't let us."

Right. She forgot about their father.

"We don't have to tell him. I'm the only one who knows you're here right now. If we move quickly, we can get out of here before he even finds out," Bellona insisted, once again lying to convince Sejanus.

Sejanus seemed to think it over for a moment before shaking his head again.

"No. No. I can't," Sejanus muttered, "I need to make a difference. They need to see it."

"You think anyone's watching?" a voice called out from behind them, forcing Bellona to stand as she turned around. Coriolanus.

"Gaul cut the feed. If you get killed in here she's just going to say you died of the flu," Coriolanus urged, stepping closer to the two. Bellona furrowed her brows at Coriolanus. Why was he here? Who sent him?

Sejanus seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Coryo? I thought they'd just send Bellona," Sejanus muttered, turning to face his only friend.

"No. By the time they found out where you were, Bellona was already missing. Guess she found you before anyone else," Coriolanus explained, clenching his jaw as he looked at the girl. Was he mad over not getting here first or being forced to go into the arena? Bellona couldn't tell.

"I'm not leaving," Sejanus muttered, doubling down as he stood up. Coriolanus shook his head.

"Look, Sejanus. I know you want to help, but dying in here will do nothing for them. You can't make a change if they kill us all in here," Coriolanus muttered, inching closer with a hint of harshness in his voice. Bellona rolled her eyes at him. Always needing to be the hero.

"How will I make a change out there?" Sejanus shot back, not convinced by Coriolanus's speech. But Coriolanus didn't back down.

"You're smart. You have money. You care more than most," Coriolanus listed, voice an angered whisper, "And you're the only one brave enough to stand up against Dr. Gaul. You'll find a way."

"Sejanus, please," Bellona begged, eyes pleading. Sejanus looked down, contemplating his choices before nodding.

"Alright. But I'm not leaving Marcus," Sejanus mumbled, eyes flickering down to the boy from home.

And so, Bellona found herself directing the boys as they carried Marcus toward the exit, occasionally letting Coriolanus bump into something before correcting him.

The group had just about made it halfway when Bellona heard that clinking sound again, forcing her to halt. And then, from one of the barricades, Bellona watched as a young boy ran up on them, knife in hand as he aimed at Sejanus.

"No!" Bellona yelled out, tackling the boy to the ground, now recognizing him as the boy from Eight. Bellona grunted as she felt her ankle twist, ignoring it as the boy flipped her over, now on top of her. Instantly, Bellona's hands flew up, grabbing onto his wrists as he tried to stab her.

"Stop! Stop!" Bellona yelled, not caring if she woke up the other tributes, "I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm Bellona. Remember? From Two?"

The boy's face flashed with confusion, his grip weakening, allowing Bellona to shove him off before scurrying up. However, this time, the boy stayed on the ground, staring up at her as he watched her limp away, grabbing onto Sejanus.

"Let's go. Now," Bellona muttered, letting Sejanus be her crutch.

But Bobbin didn't stay frozen for long, getting up before charging at them again. But this time, his target was Coriolanus. Bobbin swung his knife around ferociously, getting a good hit on Coriolanus's shoulder before falling to the ground, and swiping at his leg.

But Bobbin didn't seem to have good aim and hit Sejanus, leaving a large gash where the knife had been. Bellona quickly caught onto Sejanus' trying her best to hold his weight as he let out a grunt.

"He's down! Let's go!" Bellona yelled, noticing the way Bobbin wrestled on the ground. But Coriolanus did not seem to care.

Filled with rage from the gash on his shoulder, Coriolanus sprung forward, grabbing onto a piece of rubble before slamming it down onto the boy.

"STOP IT!" Bellona yelled out, hand instinctively reaching for the gun in her waistband, "HE CAN'T GET US ANY MORE. LET'S GO!"

But to Bellona's horror, Coriolanus continued to slam the rubble, a monstrous look in his eyes. Over and over and over again. Until the boy was surely dead.

For a moment, Bellona's blood boiled so much that she considered shooting Coriolanus right then and there.

But then, she remembered that nothing good would come of it. She didn't care what happened to her, but there was no way the capitol would let Ma and Sejanus get away unscathed if one of their beloved citizens passed because of her.

So for now, she just had to try her best to urge the boy away and get them all out of the arena before more tributes came after them.

"CORIOLANUS!" Bellona called out, forcing the boy to turn to her, "NOW!"

Coriolanus clenched his jaw, looking at Bobbin one more time before walking over to Sejanus. Finally, the three tried their best to get out of the arena as fast as possible, ignoring the pain they felt in order to survive.

As Bellona had thought, the other tributes began to wake up. And soon, the clinging began again. Only this time, it sounded like more than one person.

"Move," Bellona muttered through gritted teeth as she sped up, heart pounding as she noticed the pack begin to chase them.

The pack continued to get closer, screaming profanities at them as they continued to chase. But it seemed their efforts were in vain as the group made their way to the gate just in time for it to close.

Bellona heaved, holding her chest as she glanced back at Bobbin's body. That poor boy, Bellona thought. He was just angry. He just wanted to go home. And Coriolanus took that from him.

"Bellona? Is that you?" the girl heard a voice mutter. Mizzen.

Instantly, Bellona's attention turned toward the younger boy, forcing her closer to the bars.

"Mizzen," Bellona muttered, sneaking her hands through the gate as she touched his face, "You're okay."

Mizzen's eyebrows furrowed, gaze falling to the gash on Bellona's knee.

"Why are you here? What happened?" Mizzen asked, taking a glance at the two behind her.

"It's a long story," Bellona mumbled, forcing out a laugh, "I'll tell you about it when you win."

Mizzen let out a chuckle before nodding.

"You better not break your promise," Mizzen warned, gesturing toward the trident in his hand. Bellona only laughed, waving him off.

"Guess I better not break it then."

But of course, nothing ever lasts forever.

"SHOO!" the Peacekeeper yelled as he made his way toward the bars, "GET BACK IN THE ARENA."

Great. Guess he's finally decided to do his job.

Of course, the tributes listened, leaving Bellona with only Sejanus and Coriolanus.

"Sejanus," Bellona started to say, turning her attention to her once again crying brother, "I'm sorry."

Sejanus only waved her off, turning his head in the direction of an approaching car.

"Let the buying begin."

-

a/n:
no festus and bell this chapter but i promise the next chapter will make up for it </3

alsoo !! im gonna start posting my treech fic so pls check it out if you'd like !!

as always, i appreciate you guys sm for supporting  me and all my fics,,, it truly means a lot

love you guys,
hannah <33