Another deep breath, clenching his hands together as he made himself keep it together. It was a lot to take in, on top of everything else. He had stupid had he been to think that he could just settle in here? Nothing in his life had ever been stable and whole.

This was just another missing piece. Peeta turned his head, catching what she said. Part of him wanted to hit her, but that thought was fleeting with guilt at thinking it following after. "No. They weren't. They just blamed you."

He didn't need to see the aftermath to understand that that was the logic behind it. She was a scapegoat, plain and simple.