Copper

Chapter Thirty Nine

"Who's the bright idea was it to leave Murphy in charge? When did we start agreeing that was a foolproof idea?"

"Since the only other person I would've trusted jumped through a wormhole onto another planet. That's when."

When I first learned of the stone it'd been with Gabriel, Echo, Bellamy, and Octavia in a cave Gabriel had built his tented home above. The wormhole swallowing us I'd presumed I'd been popping out the same way I came. Just sprout right out like white-robed daisies.

Yet that's not the image I'm met with at all.

Jaw-dropping I'm quickly letting go of Raven's hand and twisting my helmet off. Instead of Gabriel's cave, the Stone's been relocated to the middle tower of the castle. What once had held a party of rejoicing was now...now it resembles what had been the throne room of the Commander in Polis. Around me I recognize the warriors of Sangedakru, my eyes carefully racking over them but my attention quickly reverts back to Russel Prime sat atop a throne of skulls. Last I'd left he'd been locked in shackles. Now he's sat on a throne placing chess with none other than Murphy shackled to his side like a pet. My attention hesitantly, flickering between the pair I feel my head shaking in awe as I gaze around. Clarke must've not left Sanctum like this. My lone clue lying in her blurting out through the absurd astonished silence "What the hell happened here?"

Shoulders slumping from where he's crouched, Murphy sighs cynically "Oh gee. Where to begin?"

"Who's the bright idea was it to leave Murphy in charge?" I quietly mutter under my breath, still trying to process and believe what I'm seeing "When did we start agreeing that was a fool proof  idea?"

"Since the only other person I would've trusted jumped through a wormhole onto another planet", Clarke mutters still gazing around utterly lost "That's when."

Suddenly we're all falling uneasily quiet as whispers trap us from all angles. Flexing my grip I'm wishing I had my daggers on me as we're eyed off like prey. But I'm also not an idiot. I know it wasn't just the seven of us who came through the stone. They created invisible suits for a reason. Catching Indra's eye across the room near the throne I tilt my head curiously towards Russel. Surly Indra could've taken him. She spoke for Trikru and Octavia's First Battalion for goodness sake. Russel's nothing more than an adept scientist who got in a way above his head. With a few swings of her blade, Indra could've easily taken him down which only begs the question. What went so wrong here that only Sangedakru occupy this very room?