The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 10

Clarke looked at the steps that led down to where they were to meet Heda. Her stomach was doing flip flops. She knew why Lexa needed to meet with the man, but she didn't understand why she needed to. Couldn't Lexa have told him that she was recovering at Indra and Nyko's home? Why was it so important that she be there?

Lexa stood next to Clarke at the top of the steps. The others had already gone down. Her heart was about the burst out of her chest. She was going to meet the most powerful alpha on the planet. Even if the others said he was tired and ready to give up his position, he was still an alpha. Even under the best circumstances, Clarke didn't like meeting new people, especially alphas. They were never kind to her, and more often than not they treated her like a servant or as if she weren't even there.

Lexa had assured her that Malachi was a kind man, but she had a hard time believing that. If he was so benevolent, then why did the Conclave still exist? He could have changed the rules at any time, instead, he had allowed all the omegas from the Ark, from Clarke's home, to perish. If he was so powerful, if he had ruled for twenty-four years, how was it that Clarke was the only omega to survive?

"Can you do this?" Lexa asked.

"If I say no, can I go back home?" The omega hoped she could, but she knew better.

Lexa gave her an apologetic smile. "Moba (sorry), no."

Clarke should have known. She couldn't help the resentment that started to creep in at having to stand next to the alpha. Lexa seemed supportive, and she had gone a long way toward gaining her trust earlier. Clarke was even beginning to like her, but standing at the top of the stairs, she felt like she was being led to her execution, and it was Lexa who was leading her there.

She was abruptly both furious and terrified all at the same time. Why the hell had she allowed everyone to lead her to this moment? Oh yeah, because she was an omega, and she had no choice in the matter. It was like it had always been.

She took a shuddering breath. The longer she stood there, the more she wanted to curl up in a ball and make it all go away. More than that, she wanted a hug from her dad. He had always been able to make her feel better, no matter what had been done to her.

"We need to go down, Klark," Lexa gently reminded her.

The omega kept her eyes plastered to the floor. She shifted her weight on the crutches, making them creak. They were beginning to bite into her armpits.

"Klark."

She didn't acknowledge the alpha. She moved her crutches and carefully made her way down the stairs even though her instincts were screaming at her to go the opposite direction. She trembled when Lexa put a steadying hand on her. Whatever comfort she had started to feel from the alpha was gone.

Twelve steps. That's how many she was going to have to navigate before she reached the bottom of the stairs. Below her, the room was dark, and it took her eyes time to adjust to the dim candlelight. By the time she got to step seven, she could see a few of the people in the room. She expected Anya, Indra, and Nyko, but what she wasn't expecting was for the room to be so packed. She saw a burly man standing near Indra. He seemed to be smiling at her, or maybe it was Lexa he was looking at. There was also a dour looking bald man. He made her feel uneasy.

She took another step, and the rest of the individuals came into focus, except they didn't look like people. They looked like demons. Eight heads swiveled in her direction, making her squawk out in fear. Each one wore a horrifying mask reminiscent of the scariest monsters she had seen in some of the movies she had watched with Raven. One mask looked like the head of a skeleton, only painted black. Another man looked like he wore a mask made from the skin of one of his victims. It was painted a dark grey. Yet another looked like he had spikes coming out of his head, and another mask looked to be made from the delicate bones of a human hand or foot.