The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

by Suzanne Collins

Then she looked him in the eye, and impatience tinged her voice. “You could start by thinking I can actually win.”

The fact that she mattered to him, as he’d claimed in the zoo, only made things worse. He should’ve been trying to preserve her life, to help her become the victor, no matter the odds.

Wars are won with heads, not hearts.”

“I’m beginning to think it will never be over,” conceded Festus. “The districts will always hate us, and we’ll always hate them.”

“Let’s consider for a moment that the war is a constant. The conflict

“Being Capitol is going to kill me.”

It matched the one on his lapel, just in case anyone needed a reminder of who Lucy Gray belonged to.

“Well, you know what they say. The show’s not over until the mockingjay sings,” she said. “The mockingjay?” He laughed. “Really, I think you’re just making these things up.” “Not that one. A mockingjay’s a bona fide bird,” she assured him.

“Not my show, sweetheart. Yours. The Capitol’s anyway,” said Lucy Gra...

‘The Ballad of Lucy Gray Baird.’

But what he really felt was jealous.

His girl. His. Here in the Capitol, it was a given that Lucy Gray belonged to him, as if she’d had no life before her name was called out at the reaping.

while he had no claim on her heart — he barely knew the girl! — he didn’t like the idea of anyone else having it either. Although the song had been a clear success, he felt somehow betrayed by it. Even humiliated.

As they reached the wings she started to release him, but he tightened his grip.

“One hearing’s all my cousin Maude Ivory needs. That child never forgets anything with a tune,” said Lucy Gray.

They helped to remind him that he was the real star of the evening. Even if Lucy Gray was confused on the issue, in the eyes of the Capitol, she belonged to him.

We’re so glad that Sejanus has such a good friend. If there’s ever anything you need, I hope you’ll know you can count on us.”

“And try not to look down on people who had to choose between death and disgrace.”

with As they say, war is misery, but it’s not without its charms

He’d loved the unfamiliar sense of safety that their defeat had brought. The security that could only come with power. The ability to control things. Yes, that was what he’d loved best of all.

What he desired had little to do with nobility and everything to do with being in control. Not that he didn’t have a strong moral code; certainly he did.

But he was angry, too. It took two parties to make a war. A war that, by the way, the rebels had started. A war that had left him an orphan.

“May I ask, what did you love about the war, Dr. Gaul?” She looked at him for a long moment, then smiled. “I loved how it proved me right.”

The Heavensbees were ultrarich, the way the Snows had been before the war. But no matter his advantages, Hilarius always seemed to feel oppressed.

He was genuinely fond of her, far more than he was of most of the girls he knew in the Capitol. If she could survive — oh, sweet only if — how could they help but have a lifelong connection? But for all his positive talk, he knew the odds were not in her favor,

Tigris craved it and would have eaten her whole portion raw if the Grandma’am hadn’t forbidden

“Tell her,” said Tigris, “that I am rooting for her.” “Tell her,” the Grandma’am added, “that we are all so sorry she has to die.”

Coriolanus felt something inside him unravel as he saw her helplessness and felt his own. He reached for her. “Oh, Lucy Gray . . .” “I don’t want to die,” she whispered. His fingers brushed the tears from her cheeks. “Of course you don’t. And I won’t let you.” She sobbed on. “I won’t let you, Lucy Gray!”

“I’ll be a wreck tomorrow! When I told you that you mattered to me, I didn’t mean as my tribute. I meant as you. You, Lucy Gray Baird, as a person. As my friend. As

jealous after your ballad, because I wanted you to be thinking about me, not someone from your past. It’s stupid, I know. But you’re the most incredible girl I’ve ever met. Really. Extraordinary in every way. And I . . .” Tears welled in his own eyes, but he blinked them away. He had to stay strong for them both. “And I don’t want to lose you. I refuse to lose you. Please, don’t cry.”

“And you won’t be alone in the arena; we’ll be together. I’ll be there every moment. I won’t take my eyes off of you. We’ll win this thing together, Lucy Gray. I promise.” She clung to him. “Sounds almost possible, the way you say it.”

honor. She was his girl, she had saved his life, and he had to do everything he could to save hers.

“I thought you might want to use your own.”

“Take me with you. Take it.”

“You’re all I’m going to think about in that arena,” she whispered. “Not that guy back in Twelve?” he said only half-jokingly. “No, he made sure he killed anything I felt for him,” she said. “The only boy my heart has a sweet spot for now is you.”

He felt more in control, having something to do besides watch.

Calm and unruffled: Those were the qualities a Snow should project.

know it’s to punish the districts, but haven’t we punished them enough? How long do we have to keep dragging the war out?”

“My cousin said to remember this isn’t of our making. That we’re still children, too.”

Being used like this,”

It takes a lot to kill a Snow.”

wanted them dead. I wanted every one of them dead.”

essential that you make an effort to answer that question. Who are human beings? Because who we are determines the type of governing we need.

What you liked about the war. A lot of fluff. Drivel, really. Until that bit in the end. The part about control. For your next assignment, I’d like you to elaborate on that. The value of control. On what happens without it. Take your time with it. But it might be a nice addition to your prize application.”

“Chaos happens. What else is there to say?”

Start with that. Chaos. No control, no law, no government at all. Like being in the arena. Where do we go from there? What sort of agreement is necessary if we’re to live in peace? What sort of social contract is required for survival?”

“And I keep wondering how it came to this. That my baby cousin, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, has to fight for his life in the arena.”

just hate what they’re doing to you.”

“Right. Yes. I’m sure they are. Snow lands on top,” she agreed. But the look on her face spoke otherwise.

the Snows were about to lose their home.