Against All Odds (Silent Moments Series: Book 2)

Chapter 12

 Clarke's question, laced with skepticism, was a natural reaction to the high-risk plan. "What makes you think that she'll listen to you," she asked, her eyes searching mine for an answer.

I knew I had to be convincing. "I know she'll listen to me or at the very least hear me out," I explained, my voice firm with conviction. My previous encounter with the Grounders, particularly with the Commander, had given me a unique perspective.

"Clarke, let me talk to her. If we can show her that we can cure Reapers, she'll give us a truce," I said, trying to make her understand the potential of this plan to bring peace.

Clarke's frustration was evident in her voice. "What makes you so sure!" she demanded, her worry for our safety and the success of the mission clear in her tone.

I responded with equal intensity, driven by my belief in the plan. "Because I know her. When the Grounders captured me, she was the one who took care of me. She's the one who saved me. Let me go!" I argued, revealing a part of my past I had kept hidden.

Clarke's surprise at my revelation was evident. "Why didn't you ever tell me, Kegan?" she asked, her expression one of confusion and concern.

"I didn't know. But when you were telling me about her, I put two and two together. Based on what you said she looked like anyway," I explained, hoping that my connection with the Commander would be the key to a truce.

Clarke's resolve softened, but she was determined to be part of the mission. "Okay, but I'm going with you," she said firmly. I knew there was no point in arguing; Clarke was as stubborn as they come.

Before we left, Clarke handed me a section of braided hair. "Kegan, take this with you, just in case I can't get in with you. Before Anya died, she told me to give this to her second to prove the alliance was true," she said, entrusting me with a crucial piece of evidence to support our cause.

I nodded in understanding as we walked towards the Grounder camp. At the entrance, one of the guards, spear in hand, made it clear that only I would be allowed to enter. "He goes alone," the guard stated.

Clarke and I exchanged a look. "It's okay. I'll see you soon," I reassured her, giving the guard a nod of acknowledgment.

The walk to the Grounders' camp was short but filled with tension. Upon arrival, Gustus, Lexa's right-hand man, issued a stern warning. "If you try anything, I will not hesitate to slit your throat," he said before letting me into the tent.

As I entered the tent, my steps were cautious and deliberate. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of the impending conversation. There, seated with an air of authority, was Lexa, the Grounder Commander. Approaching her, I was acutely aware of the gravity of the situation and the slim but crucial chance I had to negotiate peace. I hoped that the connection we had forged in the past, along with the evidence of a potential cure for the Reapers, would be enough to sway her. The fate of our people and the possibility of a peaceful coexistence hung in the balance.

Lexa's initial accusation, her voice laced with both anger and sorrow, set the tone for the tense encounter. "You're the one who burned 300 of my warriors alive," she said, her fingers playing with her knife in a display of controlled agitation.

I met her gaze, unflinching. "You're the one who sent them there to kill us," I countered, emphasizing the cycle of violence that had ensnared both our peoples.

Recognizing my voice, Lexa's reaction was one of surprise, albeit brief. She quickly composed herself and plunged her knife into the arm of her throne, a symbolic gesture of her authority and readiness to hear me out.

"Do you have an answer for me, Kegan of the Sky People?" she asked, her eyes piercing into mine, searching for sincerity and truth.

"I've come to make you an offer," I stated, my voice steady despite the high stakes of the conversation.