The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 23

Lexa stepped into her suite of rooms and waited for Clarke to duck out of the fireplace. She couldn't hide her smirk when the omega moved out of the hearth with a smudge of dirt on her face. Just because the fireplace hadn't been used in many years didn't mean it didn't get dusty.

Lexa would have to have that remedied. She didn't know if she or Clarke would ever need to use the secret stairs, but she did want them clean. She didn't want the omega to fall if the floor got too slippery from dust. She decided that the first chance she got, she would clean and sweep away any dirt and dust that collected on the floor after years of disuse.

She watched as Clarke's eyes took in the space before her. Lexa's rooms were larger, but not by much, and she had more of them. She could see that the omega was itching to explore them. Lexa figured she was waiting for permission from the alpha, not because she needed consent to explore, but because this was to be Lexa's private space.

The alpha longed for the day that she might get to share this space with Clarke as her mate. It was becoming more and more clear that the omega did have feelings for her, but that didn't mean that the blonde would ever agree to becoming her mate.

Clarke might have feelings, but that didn't mean she would act on them, and even if she did, she might decide to remain forever single, or she might fall in love with someone else.

Lexa's stomach clenched at that last thought, but she immediately put it out of her head. Clarke was standing right next to her, and Lexa had promised to show her all of Polis and the wonders it held. She was going to honor that promise and not worry about the what ifs.

"Do you want to look around?" Lexa asked. She was familiar with the rooms having been in them once or twice, but things looked drastically different.

Heda Malachi was a renowned hunter, and he had enjoyed looking at his trophies. While it had made Lexa a little sick to look at the stag and boar heads that had once adorned his walls, she couldn't fault the man his hobby. Everything he had hunted in his lifetime went to feeding himself and his people. Those in the clans did not hunt for sport. They couldn't afford to. All clans struggled during the winter to stay fed. Hunting for sport only would take food out of mouths, and that was why sport hunting and poaching were against the law. Anyone caught doing it was put on a tree and killed. It was a law Lexa would continue to enforce.

Lexa was pleased that whoever had furnished the rooms for her had gone for a softer look. There were bright colorful artworks on the walls, and there was at least one vase of flowers on each horizontal surface. Only those in her private circle of friends and confidants would ever know that she had an absolute addiction to flowers.

"I do want to look around, but let's do it together," Clarke replied to the alpha's inquiry, bringing the alpha's attention back to the omega.

Clarke grabbed her hand. "Can we leave the balcony for last?"

"Of course, how about you pick a door, and we will explore that room first," Lexa suggested.

The first door Clarke picked was the bathroom. It was almost identical to Clarke's except the tub was bigger. They took only a little time in there. Next, Clarke opened a door that was in the bathroom. It led to a smaller room briming with clothes and shoes. There was one wall occupied by nothing but weapons. Clarke actually had a similar room. It too was a walk-in closet. It was filled with clothing and had been of no interest to the omega while she was exploring. She's barely spent more than a second in her own closet. That was not the case with Heda's.

Lexa stood back while Clarke touched the different clothing, picked up a rather delicate pair of sandals, and then stared at the wall of weapons.

"All of these are yours?" Clarke asked. She carefully lifted a pair of wicked looking daggers with two sharp points curving out from the hilt.