"Evelyn Brinley, better known as Lady Red, victor of the 72nd Hunger Games. Won her games at 15."
"Why Lady Red?"
"Because she always wears red. Oh, and she won her games by burning the remaining tributes alive."
✮
"𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆? 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒄...
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EVELYN WAS CROWNED VICTOR IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOL, and the crowd's cheers rang in her ears. She was standing above them all, yet Snow still looked down on her. Of course he did. The victor hated him, but she knew he wasn't as naive and brainless as the rest of them. That was why it was so easy for him to make them brainless and follow his every order. It was so easy to tell them killing children was entertaining, and none of them would listen when the districts tried to bring what was happening to light.
The victor had only seen the president from far away, but up close he was even worse. Snow did not look physically strong, and he probably wasn't strong at all. He had people waiting on him hand and foot, he never did anything. It wasn't his physique that scared Evelyn, it was him. It was the fact that he emitted a powerful presence without saying a word. It was the fact he could merely look at someone and they'd know he was threatening them.
He reeked of blood and roses, his teeth were white and perfect, and he had zero emotion on his face. Evelyn wanted the crowning to be over so she wouldn't have to see him for another six months; he made her feel cold.
"Congratulations," The president said, "That was quite the game. Very entertaining."
Evelyn smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Of course, that is our job, isn't it? To be entertaining."
Snow laughed humorlessly, "It has always been like that. Oh, and Ms. Brinley?"
"Yes?"
"Flames aren't the only thing that can burn you."
✮
The train ride home was long and awkward, with Sasha in his room the whole time and Evelyn in the main compartment. Both of them were exhausted, neither of them wanted to talk to each other or anyone else. Fortunately for the mentor, he was able to go home as soon as the train docked at 8's station. Unfortunately for the victor, she was forced to stand there and smile and wave at a crowd that wasn't cheering nearly as loud as the Capitol had. Evelyn knew a lot of the families in 8. She'd given a lot of them food, and those were the particularly happy families. A few other families that were closer to the Laines didn't look too happy that she was home instead of Jordan.
The only family who didn't seem upset with her about that was the Laines themselves. Obviously, the family had been mourning. Evelyn could tell by his brothers' dead eyes and his parent's pale faces.
The victor tried to avoid them when she was finally allowed to leave the stage, but Seamus, Jordan's father, stopped her before she could.
"Hey kid, you okay?" He asked her.
Evelyn stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out why he was asking that. If anyone deserved to blame her, it was him and his whole family. Yet here he was, asking her if she was okay.
"Uh yeah, I'm fine I guess."
Seamus smiled weakly and patted her shoulder, "That's good to hear."
The victor looked at him, waiting for some sort of explanation. Seamus and Ella, Jordan's mother, continued to stare back at her. Maybe they were waiting for something.
