XX

[PREVIOUSLY: With Octavia and Raven in the lead, everyone does their part to look and act like grounders as they scout Polis, searching for Bellamy. Finally, Octavia realises that they are getting nowhere and enlists Indra's help].

Chrrrick. Chrrrick. Chrrrick.

Slowly, carefully, I passed a smooth stone over the sharpened tip of my sword, following the jagged lines as they dipped and rose along the edge of the hard-crusted metal.

I glanced up briefly, checking to make sure the others were doing okay.

I was leaning back against the grey, brick wall with Bryce, Tim and Peter sprawled on the ground opposite me. Zoe, who had gotten her hands on a long-bladed dagger, was fiercely guarding the entrance into the deserted street. Raven was standing nearby with her head bowed and her hands in her pockets, looking like complete misery.

I chucked the stone onto the ground near my feet and sheathed my weapon as I moved closer to her. "Ra-Ra, you okay?"

Raven snapped her head up and sent me a withering stare. "Only Finn is allowed to call me that, got it?"

My eyes widened in annoyance and surprise but, nevertheless, I gave her a slight nod, indicating that I had understood. "Well? What's up?" I persisted.

"What's up? Are you kidding me?" Raven retorted, her jaw clenching in anger. "We left them, Octavia! We left Finn and Murphy and Aidan out there, all alone! Great, now we know that Bellamy isn't dying but what if they are? We abandoned our friends. We never should've done that. If anything happens to them, I'm placing the blame on your head!"

I glared at her, something starting to snap within me. "Sheesh Raven, you didn't need to come with us if you didn't want too!"

"You made it sound like I had no other choice!" she yelled. "You made it sound like finding Bellamy was more important than waiting for them to make it back!"

"I did not," I growled. "I - I'm just trying to keep the peace here, okay? I would've left anyway but you didn't have too! So don't go pinning the blame on me when you're just as guilty!"

"What if something happens to Finn?" Raven cried, tears of desperation shining in her eyes. "I couldn't take that, okay? I watched Conner die. I watched Izzy die. I watched dozens of our people die by the grounder's hands. But I cannot even bear the thought of Finn suffering the same fate ... I - I love him."

I froze. "You - you love him?"

"Of course I do!" Raven snapped as she jabbed angrily at her wet eyes. "I've loved him since day one, okay? I can't lose him. Y-you wouldn't understand. You were raised beneath the floor. You're a complete basket-case, Octavia. You have a, what shall we call it, a wee crush on Aidan because he's good-looking but you have no idea what it's like to love someone!"

"Yes I do!" I shouted. "I loved him too! I loved Finn! With all of my heart! And what did he do? He turned around and stabbed me in the back! He didn't tell me about you. He made out that I was the only one he had ever cared for. Now I know that's not true! He loves you too, I can see it in his eyes and every time I do, it makes my insides twist with pain because ... because he used to look at me like that."

Raven gazed at me for an entire minute before stepping back and shaking her head. Suddenly, she raised her hand and smacked her palm across my face.

SLAP.

Shocked, I stumbled backward, my cheek stinging from the impact. I raised my hand to cover the sore spot, watching as a red fire lit up within Raven's eyes.

"Don't ever talk about my boyfriend like that again!" she hissed. "Got it?"

My eyes narrowed at her and a scowl darkened my features. "Gladly. He broke my heart and my trust. I don't feel that way towards him ... not anymore. However, there is one person that has never done that and that's Bellamy. He was always there for me and has always looked out for me and protected me. I love him and I'm not going to let him down ... not ever."

"You Blakes are exactly the same," Raven scoffed. "Bellamy was a tyrant and forced everyone to work for him. He saw himself as a leader but on the inside, he didn't have the guts to even kill Murphy, a murdering rapist that deserved nothing less! And you? You used Aidan and toyed with his feelings to get us safely to Trikru territory. Somehow you've deceived Lexa into allowing you into Polis. You're quiet, you're invisible, but you're like a shadow that hangs over everyone's lives, manipulating even the most innocent of people. No wonder your mother was floated for having you. Even the council on the Ark thought it was crime you even came into existence and frankly enough, I do too ..." as she spoke those words, though, a flash of regret passed over her face. But it was too late, the damage had been done.

"Don't you ever bring my mother into something like this!" I whispered, trembling with uncontrollable rage. My entire body was shaking with anger. My hands were balled up into tight fists and my teeth were grinding together in fury. Turning my back on her, I stomped away, trying to alleviate the pain cutting my heart.

For my entire life I had been told that I was an unwanted, unloved un-necessity. Now, the sting of Raven's remarks brought a flood-wave of painful memories that tore and screamed at my mind.

You're not good enough. You'll never be good enough.

"Ooof!" I let out a startled yelp as I rounded the corner, colliding, head-on, with something tall and hard.

Before I could lose my balance, though, my arms were secured in a tight, strong grip, stopping my near fall. With a sharp gasp, I glanced up ... right into the face of Lexa!

"L-Lexa," I stuttered, horrified. "O-oh. Hi."

Lexa rolled her eyes as she pushed me away from her. "Watch where you're going, Skai Gada," she hissed.

I glanced over her shoulder towards Indra, Gustus and the modest continent of guards that had accompanied their princess. I swallowed hard. Great. I definitely had a way of making a lasting impression on these grounders.

"Well, do you want to see your brother or not?" Lexa demanded as she eyed me.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Very well," Lexa waved at the others standing behind me. "They stay. Only you go."

I shot Raven a savage glare as I returned. "Sounds good to me."

"Very well, follow me," Lexa ordered as she spun around on her heel, her dark maroon robe flowing gracefully around her ankles.

Squaring my shoulders and setting my jaw in determination, I started after her, ignoring the suspicious glares of the surrounding guards.

Lexa led the way to a small wooden door situated around the other side of the tower. It opened up into a labyrinth of stone-caked tunnels, lined with the flickering light of flamed torches. Numerous passages leading off the main hallway spread out into an entire under-ground maze of family homes and storage rooms.

If it weren't for a confident and bold Lexa, who knew exactly where she was going, I would definitely have gotten lost down there.

It didn't take us long before we arrived at the dungeons that had been dug straight through solid rock bordering the very end of the tunnel.

As Lexa swirled inside, making a loud and majestic entrance, she immediately attracted the attention of the jail guards, who bowed down at her feet.

"Bring me Titus," she called out authoritatively. "Now!"

In a matter of moments, a solemn-looking man entered the room. His head had been shaved, a billowing, brown mantle was flowing around his body and a small candle was held tightly in his hands.

"Princess Lexa," he spoke as he bowed his head. "What brings you down to these lowly, dank dungeons?"

"Where is the one that you call Bellamy, son of Skikru?" she demanded forcefully as she withdrew her sword. "Speak truthfully, Titus or I shall end your life quicker than you can blow out that candle!"

Titus bobbed his head up and down. "Your Highness, you must understand, I was only trying to help Trikru..."

"Bring him out!" her voice boomed against the earthen walls and echoed throughout the tunnels. "And we shall speak no more of this. We are trying to make peace with these people. What you have done here is an act of war! I should kill you for going against my orders ... but I know that there is no Flame Keeper akin to you. Repent and you shall be forgiven and restored to your former status. This little episode shall be completely forgotten if you comply."

Titus, his eyes going between the figures of Lexa and I, nodded but I could tell, by his body movements, that he was very reluctant to obey. "As you desire, Your Highness," he drawled as he turned to a guard standing beside him. "Taturk, bring out the boy."

However, before anyone could make any further moves, a loud eruption of noise suddenly broke out right behind us!

Her eyes shooting daggers, Lexa whirled around and shouted, "Silence! What is the cause of all this commotion?"

"Y-your Highness! Please ... forgive me," a grounder, covered with piercings and tattoos, shoved his way through the guards surrounding Lexa and fell, exhausted, to the ground.

Upon recognising the messenger, however, Lexa's expression of fierce rage was instantly transformed into one of concerned worry. "Nyko!" she breathed. "What is it? What is wrong? Are you very well?"

The burly, bearded man known as Nyko glanced up at her and heaved a deep sigh. "Your Highness, a terrible tragedy has taken place."

"What are you talking about?" Lexa persisted. "What has happened?"

"TonDC has been attacked," Nyko gasped out between pants. "Men, women, children ... all have been massacred!"

"What?" I cried, horrified, butting into the conversation. "No! No, this cannot be! Who dared do such a thing? I swear to god, I shall make them pay!"

Nyko's gaze shifted to me and his eyes instantly darkened. "Skikru. Skikru did this. They have betrayed us all!"

Gif: Octavia as she hears the dreadful news.

XX