Part of her rebels at the thought of trying to back to normal. In Carthak - and in Snowsdale, so long ago - she might have lost her head, but at least she did something. There had been grim satisfaction, or even a sort of comfort, in avenging her family and in tearing down the emperor's palace, brick by brick. It had felt right, at the time. It had felt fair.

She hadn't been proud of herself afterwards, though. When all the dust had settled, she hadn't been pleased with what she'd done. But would it really have been better if someone had stopped her? She can't even imagine it. No one's ever kept her from fighting an enemy before, not one who so clearly needed to be stopped.

Not that she could have stopped Lucifer, anyway - not according to Aziraphale. Maybe Peeta's right. Maybe getting back to normal is the only target she can shoot for right now.

What if she misses it?

She's feared losing herself before, but now that old terror rises up again in a new guise. The wall in her mind isn't going to make it easier to go back to the park. Or control her temper. Or keep her friends, and she doesn't think she can stand to lose any more of those.

Especially not Peeta. And she's been so awful to him.

Daine's face crumples, and she closes the little distance remaining between them, wrapping her arms around him and hiding her face against his shoulder. "I don't know if I can," she admits, voice muffled.