Kingdom of Rivals - The 100 [5]

Chapter 3

Liv's POV, Present Day

My name is Lena Vera Palmer, but everyone just calls me 'Liv' for short. I've never seen the sun, or a tree, or a pond of water. I grew up in an underground bunker because the ground wasn't safe. The doors were supposed to be opened when I was five-years-old. I'm six now, and the doors to the outside are still closed. I often wonder if I would ever get to see the outside world.

You are Wonkru, or you are the enemy of Wonkru. Choose. These were the words I grew up by. I was more Wonkru than anyone else could ever be – I was the only one who only ever belonged to Wonkru. Everyone else used to be in Trikru or Skairkru or Azgeda, but not me. I was different.

Down in the bunker, all of Wonkru lived together, just in different rooms. Momma and I had two cots in one of the smaller rooms. We stayed there since I was little – I think four-years-old? Momma tried to keep a close eye on me, but I was too good. Usually I was up before her and could slip out of the bunkroom without her noticing. This was one of those mornings.

I crept my way down the halls of the bunker that I knew so well. It was still early, and not many people were up yet. Perfect. I twisted down this hallway and that one until I came to where a vent opening was, the cover long ago gone missing. Looking around to make sure no one saw, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled into the vent.

I was getting bigger – I wouldn't be able to keep doing this for much longer. The top of the vent brushed against my back as I crawled by, and at some points I had to go down onto my belly to squeeze through the more narrows portions. But, finally, I made it to where I was going.

I looked through the slits of the vent cover in front of me, searching the office for any movement. When I was sure there wasn't any, I gently pushed the corner of the cover open where a screw was missing, and squeezed my way out. Glancing around me, I knew I had to find a hiding spot –fast. I couldn't use under the desk, I used that last time. Behind the door perhaps? No, she'd be expecting that. Then I realized just what she wouldn't be expecting. I pressed my back against the wall next to the door – on the side it would open on – and took my wooden training dagger out of my pocket. It was too obvious, and because of that she would never think I'd hide here. I waited silently, controlling my breathing like I had been taught to do.

I heard the footsteps first, and I imagined her walking up the ramp towards the office. My heart sped up and my breathing became shallow. I gripped the dagger tightly in my hand and stared at the door. A sliver of light entered the room and grew in size as the door was opened. She stood there, looking into the room ahead of her. Now! I let out the war cry I had been working on and sent my arm with the wooden dagger towards her stomach. I had almost reached her when her arm came down, crashing into my own arm and sending my strike wide. She grabbed the dagger out of my hand and pointed it back at me.

"No fair!"

"Anything's fair in war." I watched as Blodreina gave the wooden dagger a little toss and spin in the air before catching it, holding the handle towards me to take back. "You're getting better."

I took the dagger from her and quickly stuffed it back into my pocket. My arm was sore where she had hit it, but I kept myself from rubbing it. I was strong; I wanted Blodreina to know that. "I'll get even better, I promise!"

"I know you will." She bent down so her face was level with my own. She took my chin between her fingers to still my head and smiled at me. "Our little child of Wonkru."

"We are all children of Wonkru." The response was quick and rehearsed.

"Good girl." Blodreina released my chin and made her way over to her desk on the other side of her office. I watched her go, the door behind me still open.