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

by Suzanne Collins

This was, for lack of a better word, romantic.

He felt trapped here on base, while she could freely roam the night. In some ways, it had been better to have her locked up in the Capitol, where he always had a general idea of what she was doing.

A few other birds in the area picked it up and wove it into a harmonic fabric, which again reminded him of the Covey with their old songs. “We should kill them all.” The words slipped out before he could stop them.

What if this was his life: rising whenever, catching his food for the day, and hanging out with Lucy Gray by the lake? Who needed wealth and success and power when they had love? Didn’t it conquer all?

“I think it’s more important than love. I mean, I love all kinds of things I don’t trust. Thunderstorms . . . white liquor . . . snakes. Sometimes I think I love them because I can’t trust them, and how mixed up is that?” Lucy Gray took a deep breath. “I trust you, though.”