When she woke, she had a brief, delicious feeling of happiness that was connected with Peeta.
Happiness, of course, was a complete absurdity at this point, since at the rate things are going, she'd be dead in a day.
And that was the best-case scenario, if she were able to eliminate the rest of the field, including herself, and get Peeta crowned as the winner of the Quarter Quell.
Still, the sensation was so unexpected and sweet she clung to it, if only for a few moments.
Before the gritty sand, the hot sun, and her itching skin demanded a return to reality.
Everyone was already up and watching the descent of a parachute to the beach.
Livia joined them for another delivery of bread- identical to the one they'd received the night before.
Twenty-four rolls from District 3.
Which would evenly divide up until the next death.
Livia wondered how long they could keep the alliance.
She didn't think anyone expected the number of tributes to drop so quickly.
What if she was wrong about the others protecting Peeta?
If things were simply coincidental, or it had all been a strategy to win their trust to make them easy prey, or she didn't understand what was actually going on?
There was no ifs about that- she didn't understand what was going on.
And if she didn't, it was time for Peeta and her to clear out of there.
She sat next to Peeta on the sand to eat her rolls.
For some reason, it was difficult to look at him.
Maybe it was due to her guilt from keeping him in the dark.
Or maybe just knowing the brief amount of time they had left.
And how they were working at such cross-purposes when it came to who should survive these Games.
After they ate, Livia took his hand and tugged him toward the water, "Come on. I'll teach you how to swim."
Livia needed to get him away from the others where they could discuss breaking away.
It would be tricky, because once they realized they were severing the alliance, they would be instant targets.
If she was really teaching him to swim, she'd make him take off the belt since it kept him afloat, but what did it matter now?
So she just showed him the basic stroke and let him practice going back and forth in waist-high water.
At first, she noticed Johanna keeping a careful eye on them, but eventually she lost interest and went to take a nap.
Leilani was weaving a new net out of vines, sitting in Finnick's lap as he just watched her.
And Beetee played with his wire.
While Peeta had been swimming, Livia discovered something.
Her remaining scabs were starting to peel off.
By gently rubbing a handful of sand up and down her arm, she cleaned off the rest of the scales, revealing fresh new skin underneath.
She stopped Peeta's practice, on the pretext of showing him how to rid himself of the itchy scabs- and as they scrubbed themselves, she brung up their escape.
"Look, the pool is down to eight. I think it's time we took off." Livia started under her breath, although she doubted any of the tributes could hear her.
