Cloaked Heart (Silent Moments Series: Book 3)

Chapter 30

Luna was speaking gently to a group of young children, her words a nurturing guidance. "Careful nou kom catch yourself. Osir nou fish gon children. Em's important bilaik osir hogeda work teina," she instructed them, her tone warm yet commanding.

Her attention shifted as she noticed me. "You're persistent, ai'll give yu bilaik. Osir're odon gon today. Go help Derrick kom the lamprey traps," she said, her eyes appraising my presence, acknowledging my stubborn determination.

"Were they born here?" I asked, looking at the innocent faces of the children, a stark contrast to the complexities of our world.

"A few. Most were orphaned by war. Or ran from one they didn't believe in," Luna explained, her voice softening as she spoke of the children, her protectiveness evident.

"Like you from the Conclave," I ventured, hoping to find a connection.

"What did Titus tell you about me?" Luna asked, her gaze piercing, seeking the truth in my words.

"That you were a coward. A traitor to the blood," I sighed, the words heavy with the weight of judgment and misunderstanding.

"That sounds like Titus. Lexa's death must have been hard for him; she was his favorite," Luna mused, a hint of sadness in her voice. She studied me, assessing. "You cared for her?"

"Yes, I was in love with her. She was caring for my child. She was working towards peace, blood must not have blood. You can finish what she started," I pleaded, my voice filled with a mix of grief and hope.

"I have peace right here," Luna responded, her tone dismissive yet not unkind, her gaze drifting over the calm sea that surrounded us.

"Luna... the Flame is your birthright. Take it. Please. You're the only one who can save us," I begged, the flame in my hand a beacon of potential salvation.

"How many lives would be lost to pay for those I would save?" Luna questioned, her voice steady, a reflection of her deep-seated beliefs.

"Some causes are worth killing for," I murmured, my conviction faltering in the face of her unwavering moral stance.

"Not to me," Luna argued, her resolve unshaken.

"Ascende superius," I spoke, activating the flame, a desperate gambit fueled by urgency.

In a swift, almost reflexive motion, I lunged forward, attempting to place the flame into Luna's neck. My efforts were met with swift and decisive resistance. Luna's reaction was lightning-quick; she grabbed my arm with surprising strength and flipped me over her shoulder. I hit the ground hard, the impact jarring me to my core, both physically and emotionally, a stark reminder of the futility of our situation and the lengths we were willing to go to for survival.

Luna's revelation echoed around us, her voice a haunting mixture of sorrow and bitter irony. "I didn't flee the Conclave because I was afraid I would lose. I fled because I knew I would win," she stated, her words heavy with the burden of a past marred by violence and loss. "You should be grateful, Kegan. After I was forced to kill my own brother in the first round, I was matched against Lexa in the second. Fate is funny that way, don't you think?" Her eyes, usually so guarded, flickered with a deep, unspoken pain. Turning to leave, she added, "You'll get this back when you leave," her hand clutching the Flame, the last remnant of Lexa I had, as she retreated into the fading light of the rig.

I remained rooted to the spot, Luna's words reverberating in my mind, a tumult of emotions swirling within me. After several long, contemplative minutes, I finally found the strength to move. My steps were automatic as I went to find Bellamy and Octavia, who were silently packing our meager belongings. Their movements were mechanical, each fold and tuck a testament to the resignation and unspoken sorrow that hung over us.