Peeta’s voice rang out across the blood-soaked sands of the arena, cutting through the chaos like an anchor. His eyes locked onto her as she stepped cautiously into view, her face pale but determined.

“You found me,” he said, his voice a mix of relief and disbelief. A soft, almost boyish smile broke through his exhaustion. “I knew you would.”

He stepped closer, taking her hands in his own, his fingers trembling slightly against hers. His eyes roamed her face, drinking her in as if to reassure himself she was really there. “I don’t know how you do it. Every time the world tries to break us, you hold it together. You hold me together.”

His voice dropped to a whisper, so soft she had to lean in to hear. “But this time…we’re getting out of here. Both of us. No Capitol, no Games. Just you and me. I promise.”

For a moment, the arena melted away—the danger, the cameras, the nightmare of it all. It was just the two of them, standing together, unyielding.