The twelve chariots fill the loop of the City Circle。 On the buildings that surround the Circle； every window is packed with the most prestigious citizens of the Capitol。 Our horses pull our chariot right up to President Snowˇs mansion； and we e to a halt。 The music ends with a flourish。
The president； a small； thin man with paper…white hair； gives the official wele from a balcony above us。 It is traditional to cut away to the faces of the tributes during the speech。 But I can see on the screen that we are getting way more than our share of airtime。 The darker it bees； the more difficult it is to take your eyes off our flickering。 When the national anthem plays； they do make an effort to do a quick cut around to each pair of tributes； but the camera holds on the District 12 chariot as it parades around the circle one final time and disappears into the Training Center。
The doors have only just shut behind us when weˇre engulfed by the prep teams； who are nearly unintelligible as they babble out praise。 As I glance around； I notice a lot of the other tributes are shooting us dirty looks； which confirms what Iˇve suspected； weˇve literally outshone them all。 Then Cinna and Portia are there； helping us down from the chariot； carefully removing our flaming capes and headdresses。 Portia extinguishes them with some kind of spray from a canister。
I realize Iˇm still glued to Peeta and force my stiff fingers to open。 We both massage our hands。
¨Thanks for keeping hold of me。 I was getting a little shaky there；〃 says Peeta。
¨It didnˇt show；〃 I tell him。 ¨Iˇm sure no one noticed。〃
¨Iˇm sure they didnˇt notice anything but you。 You should wear flames more often；〃 he says。 ¨They suit you。〃 And then he gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me。
A warning bell goes off in my head。 Donˇt be so stupid。 Peeta is planning how to kill you； I remind myself。 He is luring you into make you easy prey。 The more likable he is； the more deadly he is。
But because two can play at this game； I stand on tiptoe and kiss his cheek。 Right on his bruise。
6
The Training Center has a tower designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams。 This will be our home until the actual Games begin。 Each district has an entire floor。 You simply step onto an elevator and press the number of your district。 Easy enough to remember。
Iˇve ridden the elevator a couple of times in the Justice Building back in District 12。 Once to receive the medal for my fatherˇs death and then yesterday to say my final goodbyes to my friends and family。 But thatˇs a dark and creaky thing that moves like a snail and smells of sour milk。 The walls of this elevator are made of crystal so that you can watch the people on the ground floor shrink to ants as you shoot up into the air。 Itˇs exhilarating and Iˇm tempted to ask Effie Trinket if we can ride it again； but somehow that seems childish。
Apparently； Effie Trinketˇs duties did not conclude at the station。 She and Haymitch will be overseeing us right into the arena。 In a way； thatˇs a plus because at least she can be counted on to corral us around to places on time whereas we havenˇt seen Haymitch since he agreed to help us on the train。 Probably passed out somewhere。 Effie Trinket； on the other hand； seems to be flying high。 Weˇre the first team sheˇs ever chaperoned that made a splash at the opening ceremonies。 Sheˇs plimentary about not just our costumes but how we conducted ourselves。 And； to hear her tell it； Effie knows everyone whoˇs anyone in the Capitol and has been talking us up all day； trying to win us sponsors。
¨Iˇve been very mysterious； though；〃 she says； her eyes squint half shut。 ¨Because； of course； Haymitch hasnˇt bothered to tell me your strategies。 But Iˇve done my best with what I had to work with。 How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister。 How youˇve both successfully struggled to overe the barbarism of your district。〃
Barbarism？ Thatˇs ironic ing from a woman helping to prepare us for slaughter。 And whatˇs she basing our success on？ Our table manners？
¨Everyone has their reservations； naturally。 You being from the coal district。 But I said； and this was very clever of me； I said； ˉWell； if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls！ˇ¨ Effie beams at us so brilliantly that we have no choice but to respond enthusiastically to her cleverness even though itˇs wrong。
Coal doesnˇt turn to pearls。 They grow in shellfish。 Possibly she meant coal turns to diamonds； but thatˇs untrue； too。 Iˇve heard they have some sort of machine in District 1 that can turn graphite into diamonds。 But we donˇt mine graphite in District 12。 That was part of District 13ˇs job until they were
destroyed。
I wonder if the people sheˇs been plugging us to all day either know or care。
¨Unfortunately； I canˇt seal the sponsor deals for you。 Only Haymitch can do that；〃 says Effie grimly。 ¨But donˇt worry； Iˇll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary。〃
Although lacking in many departments； Effie Trinket has a certain determination I have to admire。
My quarters are larger than our entire house back home。 They are plush； like the train car； but also have so many automatic gadgets that Iˇm sure I wonˇt have time to press all the buttons。 The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature； pressure； soaps； shampoos； scents； oils； and massaging sponges。 When you step out on a mat； heaters e on that blow…dry your body。 Instead of struggling with the knots in my wet hair； I merely place my hand on a box that sends a current through my scalp； untangling； parting； and drying my hair almost instantly。 It floats down around my shoulders in a glossy curtain。
I program the closet for an outfit to my taste。 The windows zoom in and out on parts of the city at my mand。 You need only whisper a type of food from a gigantic menu into a mouthpiece and it appears； hot and steamy； before you in less than a minute。 I walk around the room eating goose liver and puffy bread until thereˇs a knock on the door。 Effieˇs calling me to dinner。
Good。 Iˇm starving。
Peeta； Cinna； and Portia are standing out on a balcony that overlooks the Capitol when we enter the dining room。 Iˇm glad to see the stylists； particularly after I hear that Haymitch will be joining us。 A meal presided over by just
Effie and Haymitch is bound to be a disaster。 Besides； dinner isnˇt really about food； itˇs about planning out our strategies； and Cinna and Portia have already proven how valuable they are。
A silent young man dressed in a white tunic offers us all stemmed glasses of wine。 I think about turning it down； but Iˇve never had wine； except the homemade stuff my mother uses for coughs； and when will I get a chance to try it again？ I take a sip of the tart； dry liquid and secretly think it could be improved by a few spoonfuls of honey。
Haymitch shows up just as dinner is being served。 It looks as if heˇs had his own stylist because heˇs clean and groomed and about as sober as Iˇve ever seen him。 He doesnˇt refuse the offer of wine； but when he starts in on his soup； I realize itˇs the first time Iˇve ever seen him eat。 Maybe he really will pull himself together long enough to help us。
Cinna and Portia seem to have a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie。 At least theyˇre addressing each other decently。 And they both have nothing but praise for our stylistsˇ opening act。 While they make small talk； I concentrate on the meal。 Mushroom soup； bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas； rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper； noodles in a green sauce； cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes。 The servers； all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine； move wordlessly to and from the table； keeping the platters and glasses full。
About halfway through my glass of wine； my head starts feeling foggy； so I change to water instead。 I donˇt like the feeling and hope it wears off soon。 How Haymitch can stand walking around like this full…time is a mystery。
I try to focus on the talk； which has turned to our interview costumes； when a girl sets a gorgeous…looking cake on the table and deftly lights it。 It blazes up and then the flames flicker around the edges awhile until it finally goes out。 I have a moment of doubt。 ¨What makes it burn？ Is it alcohol？〃 I say； looking up at the girl。 ¨Thatˇs the last thing I wa oh！ I know you！〃
I canˇt place a name or time to the girlˇs face。 But Iˇm certain of it。 The dark red hair； the striking features； the porcelain white skin。 But even as I utter the words； I feel my insides contracting with anxiety and guilt at the sight of her； and while I canˇt pull it up； I know some bad memory is associated with her。 The expression of terror that crosses her face only adds to my confusion and unease。 She shakes her head in denial quickly and hurries away from the table。
When I look back； the four adults are watching me like hawks。
¨Donˇt be ridiculous； Katniss。 How could you possibly know an Avox？〃 snaps Effie。 ¨The very thought。〃
¨Whatˇs an Avox？〃 I ask stupidly。
¨Someone who mitted a crime。 They cut her tongue so she canˇt speak；〃 says Haymitch。 ¨Sheˇs probably a traitor of some sort。 Not likely youˇd know her。〃
¨And even if you did； youˇre not to speak to one of them unless itˇs to give an order；〃 says Effie。 ¨Of course； you donˇt really know her。〃
But I do know her。 And now that Haymitch has mentioned the word traitor I remember from where。 The disapproval is so high I could never admit it。 ¨No； I guess not； I just 〃 I stammer； and the wine is not helping。
Peeta snaps his fingers。 ¨Delly Cartwright。 Thatˇs who it is。 I kept thinking she looked familiar as well。 Then I realized sheˇs a dead ringer for Delly。〃
Delly Cartwright is a pasty…faced； lumpy girl with yellowish hair who looks about as much like our server as a beetle does a butterfly。 She may also be the friendliest person on the pla she smiles constantly at everybody in school； even me。 I have never seen the girl with the red hair smile。 But I jump on Peetaˇs suggestion grateful