ATARAXIA • BELLAMY BLAKE

[ 4 3 ]

"How did you know it was Gustus?" I ask Bellamy from where I'm sat opposite of him at the little fire we've made.

We've set up camp in the woods just outside the walls of Tondc, and he and I lit a fire to keep us all warm. Octavia and Lincoln are cuddled together in the spot between us on the ground while Clarke is talking to Lexa, Raven continuing her work on the radio in the tent behind us.

"He'd do anything for her," Bellamy says, briefly meeting my gaze before turning away. "To protect her. It just makes sense."

"Look at the thanks he got," Octavia says, eyes on the ground.

"Guys!" we hear from behind us, and out comes Raven, radio in hand. "Listen to this."

We all gather around her, Clarke leaving Lexa to do the same. The sound coming from the radio is distorted, but the more Raven plays with the buttons, the more intelligible the words become.

"Forty-seven of us are trapped inside Mount Weather. They've taken Harper. She may already be dead. We don't know how much time we have left."

"Talk to him—say something," I say the moment I realize that the voice speaking is Jasper's.

Raven shakes her head. "It's repeating."

"Please hurry. This is Jasper Jordan. We need help. Forty-seven of us are trapped inside Mount Wea—"

"We need to do this now," Bellamy says. "We've got the alliance, now's time to use it."

Clarke takes a moment to think to herself as the message repeats on the radio. Then her face takes on a decisive expression. "First we need an inside man."

She looks at Bellamy, who I know had aired the idea to Clarke earlier when setting up our small camp. She'd rejected it much like I had at first. "You were right. Without someone on the inside to lower their defenses and turn off the acid fog, an army is useless. You should go."

Clarke pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket and hands it to Bellamy. "My map of Mount Weather. Find a way to get on that radio and talk to us."

Bellamy takes the map and looks her over. There's a coldness to her tone, a sense of detachment, as she tells him "Good luck" before walking off.

Suddenly I'm back to not liking the idea of Bellamy going, because the way Clarke gave him the map and upped and left just like that sure as hell seemed a lot like she was sending him off to die and couldn't handle another emotional goodbye.

"Bell, how are you—" Octavia starts, but Lincoln cuts in.

"I can get you through the tunnels."

"You can't go back there," Octavia tells Lincoln. "Not yet."

"Let me show you what to look for," Raven tells Bellamy once it becomes clear that Lincoln and Octavia's conversation is about to turn private, and she leads Bellamy towards her tent.

I follow after to give Octavia and Lincoln their moment to say goodbye and stop just outside the tent. I can't help but listen in on what is said and hear some of Raven's instructions.

It doesn't take long before Bellamy walks back out the tent, saying something about getting his gear when he spots me and stops.

"You're leaving now?" I ask, noticing the determination on his face, although it fades a little when he looks at me.

"Yeah. We've gotta cover some ground while it's still dark."

I nod, briefly looking over at where Lincoln pulls Octavia into a tight hug and turning away when they kiss.