135 THIRD BLAST

Caesar cackles, and he's so good at his job it sounds genuine. "It looks like our time with young Finnick Odair is almost up. But before you go, is there a birthday wish you'd like to share with us in the Capitol? Anything at all?"

Finally, Finnick finds Mags in the audience, plain and washed out amid the flamboyant vibrancy of the Capitolites. Even though her face is mostly hidden by shadow, he can understand her advice as clearly as if she'd whispered it in his ear.

Make this one count.

"I wish...to go home," he says quietly. It might be the first truth he's told the entire interview. "I wish to make my district proud." The buzzer sounds, and the whole audience lets out a collective sigh.

"So young, and yet so noble," Caesar says gently. "Everyone, give it up for District Four's Finnick Odair!"