ATARAXIA • BELLAMY BLAKE

[ 6 2 ]

"I don't get it," I say, tossing a piece of wood into the fire. The flames swallow it instantly, casting flickering light deeper into the cave. "How does Jaha have the power to turn them all against us?"

"I don't understand it either. It's something about those chips," Monty replies.

"We'll know soon enough. Be ready," Sinclair says. He's been in contact with Jasper over the radio, but we still don't know much about what's happening at Arkadia, only that Jasper was shot at and is on his way here in a rover.

Next to me, Octavia stands abruptly and starts packing her things.

"O, what are you doing?" I ask, watching her. She doesn't respond.

"You can't just leave," Bellamy says.

"Watch me."

Bellamy moves toward her, crouching to her level as she shoves supplies into her pack. "You heard Jasper. Arkadia isn't safe."

"What Jasper said sounds insane." Octavia pauses just long enough to zip her pack closed. "Pike's gone. I can handle myself. Grounders burn their dead."

"I know that," Bellamy says carefully, Lincoln's memory hanging in the air between them. "And then what? Where are you gonna go?"

"You don't get to ask me that," she snaps.

"What more do I have to do to prove I'm on your side?" Bellamy asks, the desperation to reconcile with his sister evident in his voice.

"Bring Lincoln back."

Silence.

Octavia holds his stare, unflinching. When she moves to step around him, he doesn't stop her. But then she hesitates, turning back.

"Turning Pike in does not make you one of the good guys, Bellamy," she says, voice sharp. "You did that to save us. Not because you thought what he was doing to the Grounders was wrong."

Bellamy finally looks at her. "The Grounders were starving us out."

"Because you massacred an army that was sent to protect us," Octavia fires back.

"That army could've attacked us at any time, and you know it."

"But they didn't. You did that." Her voice rises. "You were hurting, and you lashed out, because that's what you do. There are consequences, Bell." Her eyes glisten, but she doesn't blink the tears away.

"People get hurt. People die. Your people," she presses on. "Monroe's dead. Lincoln is dead."

She looks like she might say more but stops herself, turning and walking straight out of the cave.

Bellamy follows, brushing past Harper and Bryan, who have the next watch. The rest of us just sit there, watching them go.

I clear my throat, shifting uncomfortably, and briefly catch Jaime's uneasy gaze. Then the sound of an engine rumbles outside. I turn toward it just as Bellamy and Octavia stop at the entrance.

"They're here," Miller says.

The rover's headlights cut through the trees before a door slams shut. Clarke steps into view. We barely have time to process that before Jasper's voice rings out.

"Help me!" He stumbles toward us, struggling under Raven's dead weight.

"What the—"

"We have to get her inside before she wakes up," Jasper says, barely holding her up.

"Were you followed?" Bellamy asks, already moving to help.

"Maybe—I don't know," Jasper says, passing Raven into Bellamy's arms.