XX

[PREVIOUSLY: The gang comes across a river. Sparks fly between Octavia and Aidan. The moment is ruined, though, when they hear a terrified yell and realise that Murphy's life is in danger]!

"Help me! Octavia plshmuswling!"

The grounder dug his blade deeper into Murphy's throat, preventing him from finishing his sentence. His sharp, beady eyes bounced from Aidan to me then back to Aidan again.

"So, it is you," the intruder growled, piercing Aidan with a furious glare. "The traitor. The one who tried to kill our Heda. The bastard who has a bounty on his head. I could get a pretty penny for you."

"Tristan," Aidan breathed.

"What?" I glanced at him in horror. "You know this guy?"

Aidan nodded as he flung out his hand, warning me from saying anything else. Clearing his throat, he straightened up to his full height before snapping, "Let him go, Tristan, and I'll let you live."

The huge, burly warrior, whose armour was lined with bones and skulls, let out a deep, throaty laugh. "I'd like to see you try and take me down."

Aidan's hands balled into fists and his jaw tightened. "I'm not going to ask you again."

Tristan rolled his eyes. "Please. I'm the one with the sword here. I won't kill him," he shoved at Murphy's shoulder, "if you take his place."

"W-why do you want him?" I blurted out.

At this, Aidan stiffened.

Tristan threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Oh, so he didn't tell you, did he?" he cackled.

I frowned, anger building up within me. How dare he laugh!

"I'll take that as a no," Tristan sneered. "Our Mister Aidan here was more concerned about saving a ditzy Skai Gada than protecting the life and soul and blood of our queen. Once Heda faced his betrayal, she sent out a troop of soldiers to find him and bring him back to Polis to die the death of a hundred cuts; a suitable end for a traitor! However, he escaped and his failure to show up to his own execution resulted in his immediate banishment. There's signs for his capture all over Polis and most of the countryside."

My mouth dropped open as a sudden realisation hit me. "Y-you didn't just want to take us to the Ark!" I cried out as I turned to Aidan. "You wanted to make sure we got there via a different route so that we wouldn't see the reward posters!"

Aidan glanced sideways at me and heaved a deep sigh. "That is partly true, yes. Look, I didn't want to burden you with such information, okay? I-I didn't want you to think that it was your fault that it happened."

I backed away from him, shaking my head. "You have to be joking. You could be tortured, killed, even, and you didn't say anything?"

"Oh whoops, did I upset your girlfriend?" Tristan butted in mockingly.

A low growl rose up in the back of Aidan's throat. "Shut-up, Tristan, before I end you."

A menacing look passed over Tristan's features as he, tugging roughly on Murphy's hair, forced him to stand up. Murphy let out a yelp of pain, his pleading eyes wide with terror.

Please, don't let him kill me, he mouthed.

For a moment, I hesitated. I had no trouble in admitting to myself that I hated Murphy, with every fibre of my being. Even still, no one deserved to die the death that this Tristan was about to inflict. My eyes darted to the line of swords and daggers lying on the ground near the water. Why the hell did I ever take mine off?

"You have three seconds to comply, natrona!" Tristan scowled, addressing Aidan. "One ..."

Aidan didn't move.

"Two ..."

Aidan stepped forward. I grabbed his arm in protest. "No," I whispered.

"Three ..."

BANG. BANG.

At the sound of the gun-shots, I froze in shock.

It took me a moment to notice, but when I did, I nearly vomited.

Tristan had been shot in the back of the head! Everything that had once been inside of him was now pouring down his face in a torrent of blood and brains. It seeped down his neck and into his clothes. Dark-coloured droplets splattered to the floor, staining the very dirt he stood on.

Tristan's body staggered forward and his weapon clattered to the ground. Murphy used the opportunity to wiggle away from his captor and tumble out of his reach. Then, with a loud THUMP, the disfigured form slumped, face-first, into the water!

"Oh ... my ... god."

At the sound of Raven's voice, I whirled around, coming face-to-face with her, Finn, and Bryce who were gathered in a group right behind me. Their faces were tightened in disgust and their eyes reflected the sheer horror that I was feeling.

"Wait a minute ..." I frowned. "If none of you shot that gun ... then who did?"

Confused, we all turned and looked back towards the shore.

What we saw was nothing less than astounding!

Guards. Dozens of guards. Guards carrying guns. Guards in black uniforms, uniforms that had patches labelled across their backs, patches that clearly showed sketched pictures of ...

"The Ark," I whispered.

A man, with dark brown hair and a clean-shaven face, stepped forward and looked directly at us. "Everything's going to be okay. We're here now."

I swallowed hard as I gazed right back at him.

It was the Chancellor's right-hand man, Marcus Kane.

Accompanied by a ever-watchful pack of guards, Kane escorted the five of us over a series of wooded knolls nearby, over which lay the huge, glamorous spaceship we called the Ark.

Parts of the craft had been shattered via entry into the atmosphere while other sections, that were still attached to the main frame, were so badly splintered they were in the process of being removed.

A barbed wire fence, equipped with a gate, bars and a handful of cadets, surrounded the entire perimeter around the Ark, protecting everyone within from any forthcoming enemy invasion. Piles of scrap metal and timber lay scattered across the ground and hundreds of people, clothed in various colours, walked around performing their assigned duties.

As we approached the large gate, most of us kids hung back, looking around in awe at our surroundings.

"Wow," I murmured.

CLANG.

The gate was pushed open with a loud series of creaks and groans. As the soldiers poured into camp, a jagged stream of curious onlookers scurried forward to find out what all the fuss was about.

Hesitantly, Finn, Raven, Bryce, Aidan and I all loitered around in the gateway, not wanting to venture out into the throng encompassing us.

I gulped, my claustrophobia suddenly kicking in. It was too crowded, too suffocating. I had to get out of here! I had to get away from all these wide-eyed, loud-mouthed people who looked at me and whispered about me behind their hands. Me. The girl under the floor.

"Raven!" a shrill cry cut through the air.

Surprised, Raven lifted her head and scanned the multitude before us. "A-Abby?" she queried disbelievingly.

A woman, who looked to be in her late forties, shoved her way through to the front of the crowd. Light brown curls rippled down her back and her bright eyes, filled with hope and eagerness, looked from one to the other of us in excited anticipation.

"Abby! It is you!" Raven chuckled in relief as she stepped forward and enveloped the woman in a tight hug.

Abby nodded in return, smiling down at the younger girl as she pulled away. Then, she looked over at the rest of us and frowned "W-where's Clarke? And the others?"

Raven paused as she glanced over at me. "Uh ... that's why we're here, Abby. We need your help."

Gif: Octavia and Kane.

XX