When Songbirds Fly | Bellamy Blake

Chapter Forty-Eight: Betrayal

TW// Guns

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The clearing is almost completely deserted. Snow and grass cover the ground in a dappled carpet of grey-white and muddy green. The trees that tower above us from all sides are such a dark green that there doesn't seem to be much colour in them at all. A chill hangs in the air, the kind of chill that stings my skin and my lungs. It's a good kind of sting. At least, it feels much nicer when I'm sat in the back of the Rover with four solid walls to protect me from the late winter breeze.

'Rover's almost charged. We need to pack up. We'll be home soon.'

At the sound of Bellamy's voice, muffled by the thick layer of metal that separates us, I grab my cane from beside me and use it to help myself clamber out of the vehicle. The ground is rocky and unsteady but it doesn't hurt me anymore. I'm too used to it.

'Then what?' I hear Clarke snap as I limp over to them. 'Run away?'

'We're not running away, Clarke. We need to regroup with the others and find another way to defeat—'

'There is no other way. We need to find a Nightblood. We need to unlock the Flame. It's the only way to stop ALIE.'

Octavia and I exchange wary looks but it is Jasper who speaks up. 'What do you expect us to do, Clarke? Walk into random villages, asking for their Nightbloods?'

Her determined glare still doesn't falter. 'If that's what it takes.'

The younger Blake scoffs, 'No, Clarke. If ALIE can find us on Luna's rig, then she can find us anywhere. I won't help you destroy another innocent Grounder village.'

'If we don't find a Nightblood, there won't be any Grounder villages or a home for us to go back to.'

'That's all the more reason we go there and make sure our friends are okay.'

She turns to Octavia, then to Jasper, and finally to me. None of us make an effort to speak. Huffing, she storms away.

Bellamy meets my gaze, tilting his head slightly as if to ask me if I'm okay. I reply with a smile.

'She'll be fine. Just let her cool off.'

——————

'We were getting worried.'

Climbing out of the Rover, none of us can meet the expectant gazes of our friends. Upon seeing our disappointed expressions, Raven's smile fades. 'Where's Luna?'

'Luna said no.'

I step aside, allowing Bellamy to shove our captive further forwards. He had rescued Clarke in the woods from one of ALIE's people but, unsure of how trustworthy he is, they insisted on having him bound and gagged. He is tall and burly, with long hair falling down to just past his shoulders. Azgedan marks scar the skin of his face in jagged patterns. There's something about how he walks, how he fixates on each of us with his piercingly blue eyes. He radiates power.

'Who the hell is this?'

'He's Ice Nation.'

Barely seeming to register the fear that resides in Bryan's quivering voice, Clarke shrugs. 'King of the Ice Nation, actually. And he's our way into Polis.'

I don't know much about him to be certain of this myself. All I know is that he has promised to get us through to Ontari, the new Commander. She is our last hope to defeat ALIE.

Nudging the man forwards again, Bellamy gestures to Miller and Bryan. 'Let's go, your Highness. You two, on me. We'll take him to Lockup.'

Raven raises an eyebrow once they are out of earshot and turns back to Clarke. 'You want to use him to get to Ontari.'