The Commander of The Founders: Book One

Chapter Ten: Demons

Didrika had finally succumbed to sleep. She could not remember the last time she had slept. Everything had piled itself on her. If she really thought about it she had not slept since cutting Jett loose from Guardianship. That was at least a week ago. And then her warriors had been massacred, her father died, she had to attend a funeral, Lexa died, she ascended, Titus died, she killed the Royal Court, and she had saved Raven. All those things floated under her eyelids. She was lost in an endless bloodbath. Lost in the darkness that ruined her. Those faces, their agony, added to the collection of those who she had lost and killed.

Clarke looked over at the sleeping girl who had her head on her shoulder. She looked younger when she was asleep. It was like all those years of pain dissolved away. Where did they go when she went to sleep? Did she really forget everything and sleep soundly? Is that how it works? The pain just goes away while you sleep? Is that what made suicide so appealing? Didrika moved slightly on her shoulder. Clarke took her hand and rubbed her thumb across it to comfort her. Then again nightmares followed them into their sleep. Nothing could vanquish pain altogether. It would always be a part of them. There was no running from it. They just had to accept it.

Didrika felt a nudge on her shoulder. Her eyes opened into small slits. Her body was rejecting waking up. Her mind was too weak to function right now. All she wanted to do was sleep.

Clarke saw Didrika fighting sleep. Clarke herself was feeling groggy. She knew that having her body stop would make it incredibly harder to start back up again. Clarke nudged Didrika's head with her shoulder.

"Shopta, Natblida, em's taim gyon op. Gada kyon step au ou yu ste slip daun bos op. (Hey, Nightblood, it's time to wake up. Got to keep moving or you'll fall apart,)" Clarke whispered.

"Fleimkepa, ai na dula op nou kom yu mes op. Ai ste op. Ai ste op. (Flamekeeper, I can function without you bugging. I'm up. I'm up,)" Didrika whispered back.

Didrika slowly moved her head off of Clarke's shoulder. She rubbed the back of her neck. The sun caught on Didrika's scar just right to make it more pronounced. Didrika did not yawn like a normal person would. She snapped right out of sleep. Clarke wondered if that was warrior conditioning kicking in. Clarke could barely make out Raven's voice as she bantered happily about her discoveries. Clarke had not meant for her to get hold of Bekka's journal. Raven snatched it when she had fallen asleep. Clarke saw Didrika picking up on the conversation. Raven was in the middle of her description on how the Flame - Allie two - worked.

"That's why they want Didrika. She's the only one that can access the Flame," Clarke added.

The group looked at her in surprise. It was like they forgot they were in the vehicle with them. Octavia nodded at Clarke.

"Capturing Didrika is Allie's way to keep herself from getting destroyed. She can tell us how to stop Allie one," Octavia explained.

"Allie's going to have to kill me to get the Flame," Didrika said, "It's not just the Flame. It's important to the clans. If it goes I go. It'll be the end of Cavikru."

Raven nodded, "The stakes are high. It's why everything that is dangerous is escalating. Explain why the Royal Court wants Luna."

"Luna is a Nightblood and in charge of Floukru. They want her dead. Same as anyone they claim as a risk to their goal. That means Aden, Indra, Clarke, any of the Skaikru. If they get their way, war will descend on Polis and thousands will die. They'll strip the clans of their leaders and declare themselves the ruler of Polis. It's what they've wanted since Cavikru split with the other clans," Didrika explained.

"We're all in danger then," Octavia said.

"More the reason to find Luna quickly," Clarke said.

"Yes, if Floukru falls, so does Trikru and then Azgeda takes over. That's a battle I don't want to see," Didrika said.