𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 | the 100

33 | The Ark

"My name is Amber Hale. I'm one of the 100."

‧ ✩ ｡ ✭ ° ☆ ･ _______ ･ ☆ ° ✭ ｡ ✩ ‧

In a way, the wait is worse than the pain. A sour hunger has rooted in Amber's stomach and festered its way to her brain, making her dizzy with a craving she can't quiet. Time swirls until she can't remember when she last had a thought that wasn't centered around food. Despite the pain, she can't keep herself from drifting in and out of sleep, her wounds draining what little energy she has left to heal themselves.

A distant gallop echoes through the haze clouding her mind, and she sits up straight, piercing her ears. The sound stops, then a moment later the door to her prison is thrown open.

Before Amber can gather herself, Brina locks eyes with her, hand flying to the hilt of a dagger. The glint of the blade sends panic through Amber's veins.

"Wait!" She tries to shrink back against the bedpost.

Brina marches over with three firm strides and seizes Amber's arm. The blade presses against her wrists and she jerks at the touch of the icy metal, her dulled nerves prickling with shock after hours of numbness.

"You need to go," Brina says, and starts methodically cutting through the ropes binding Amber.

"What?"

"Ago talks," she mutters. "Stupid. The village knows now, they are coming."

Amber's head spins. "You're letting me go?"

Her wrists sting as the ropes snap away and she falls forward, catching herself with trembling palms against the cold floor. Afraid to give Brina time to change her mind, she staggers up on shaky knees.

"You can not die. Not now," Brina says when Amber finally stretches to her full height above her. For the first time since she first laid eyes on her, Amber remembers that the girl is still just a child.

Distant but unmistakable shouts rise in the distance. Amber's heart bolts when Brina's wide eyes confirm that she's not imagining things. They are coming.

She instinctively flinches back when Brina raises the dagger, but this time, the blade turns inward. Without hesitation, Brina slices it across her own arm.

"What are you-"

A gritted inhale is the only sign she feels the pain Amber knows well at this point. Then she presses the bloodied dagger into Amber's hand, clutches her self-inflicted wound, and waves her off.

"They are coming. Go! Take horse."

"How do I find my camp?" Amber desperately asks as she stumbles into the adjacent room, instinctively scanning for Jules but only finding an empty table placed before a small fireplace. A thin layer of dust diminishes any remnant of warmth, muting the thick pelts, nailed antlers, and hunting bows decking the walls with gray.

Brina practically chases her out. "Go south. Now."

But Amber hesitates at the open door leading out of the cabin, its promise of freedom finally within reach, to look back at Brina. The Grounder has been her torment, but now she can't help but see the girl that she is. A scared, angry, hurt girl, who despite all of that is now letting her go, choosing the love for her brother over revenge for her father. Amber overestimated her hatred.

"Thank you."

Brina shakes her head stubbornly and pierces her eyes into her. "Ago. He is a good child."