Persphyni: I am Determined

59

"Miller!" I turned towards the entrance as I swayed from side to side with the still sleeping baby. "Miller!" I held back my groan as I realized that my silence was over.

"I'll take her back." I nodded and stepped towards Molly who gently transferred the baby. Who's hands has suddenly clamped on even tighter to me. My eyes were wide as Molly laughed gently. "She already likes you more than her own grandma."

With gentle hands I opened the clamped fists from my shirt and helped Molly adjust Spring in her hold. Only for Spring to softly cry out. Her eyes opening with her little wail.

Panicked I checked over her. Starting at her feet until I ended at her eyes. Mistakes were made as I found I couldn't look away from the pouting brown orbs. One of her hands fell from Molly's shirt and grabbed in my direction- I nearly died.

Death by baby.

Nobody saw that one coming.

"Pers."

"Pers."

"Persphyni." I shook my head, snapping out of my trance. Molly chuckling at my softness. "She'll be here when you want to come back. She is your god-baby after all." I nodded because words seemed to fail me. Especially when I glanced back down at the little one.

Damnit!

I clamped my eyes shut and turned around quickly. Clarke's voice still calling out for Miller as I blindly went towards the door.

"You better be careful. Some may say you have a heart." Molly mocked as I found the open entrance and nearly sprinted out of the building.

I switched from my frantic escape to a confident walk, mentally slapping my face to get out of it. Just barely catching Clarke and Bellamy as they ran to the building Octavia had claimed as hers. Miller just in front of them.

With a deep breath I tightened the sword belt around my torso and shouldered my pack before jogging to catch up to them.

My feet silent as I walked behind them without them knowing. And I didn't bother to inform them, they would sense I was here in a few seconds. It was a feeling I had taught them to look for.

"Pers. We have a slight problem." Clarke spoke not turning around as we walked quickly towards another building.

"Why did I have a feeling you were going to say that?" I groaned as I finally fell into step with them, moving right in between the two as the three of us formed a line. "Well. At least it's the three of us together again."

But later I found out how wrong I had been in assuming something so bold.

_______•*•*•*•_______

"Why? What are you thinking?" Indra asks as we open the door.

"My question exactly." Clarke spoke as we entered the room.

"Miller, your orders were to go-" I eyed the new lady I had never seen before. Her attitude rubbed me wrong.

"I know my orders." Atta boy! I would have shot him a thumbs up if I hadn't been watching the people around the table carefully. "I think we should listen to what Clarke has to say. And anything Persphyni has to add." I nodded in his direction out of thanks.

"You can't take the sea route." Clarke began speaking, addressing the problem.

"Why? You said the sea is gone." Indra shot me a look asking my opinion. "Is it passable or not?"

"Yes, maybe-" I cut Clarke off.

"The sea route experiences various levels of dangerous sandstorms." Octavia huffed at my words.

"It's just sand, 'maybe' is good enough for me." She went to storm passed when Bellamy shot out a hand to stop her. The sounds of guns cocking and weapons being drawn alarmed me as I bared my teeth towards the male closest to us with his weapon pointed at Bellamy.

"But the gun down. Put all of your weapons down. We did not come to fight. When that time comes you'll know." I seethed as my fists clenched around my dagger hilts. My eyes roared with fire as I turn back to Octavia who's own eyes burned with a duller flame as she held eye contact.

"Stand down." They slowly lowered their guns. Everyone had drawn a weapon except for Indra and Miller. I know where they stand in the matter.

"Please, O, just hear us out." Bellamy's voice was a whisper as Octavia and I never looked away from each other once.

"Octavia, we're all on the same team." She finally broke eye contact as Clarke spoke. "No one wants to get to that valley more than Pers and I. It has become our home. But this way is too risky."

"Risky how?" Indra asked Clarke, the blonde turning to me to explain.

"At this time of year the wind hits the sand in a way that the dunes on this path are covered in miles of storms. The sand isn't just soft beach ground from before. This has heated and is filled with shards of jagged glass that will gut a man before he even blinks." I spoke as I moved from Indra to Octavia where I held her gaze.

"It's the shortest path. We will be fine." My jaw clenched at her ignorance.

"I don't think you heard me. So what if this is the shortest path. You won't last an hour out there. Once you reach the seabed you die." I spoke like I was talking to a five year old. Slow and elaborating every syllable.

"Blodreina is right." My eyes shot to the strange woman who spoke.

"I'm sorry. We haven't met yet." I spoke sickly sweet with a grimace on my face. Trying to get her to stay out of it. Though judging by the fact she is here that means Octavia trusts her. Which may be a bad thing.

"Cooper." I rose an eyebrow.

"Who?" I asked.

"My name is Coo-."

"Asked." I finished, watching her confidence decline as I grinned devilishly. "But because we are doing introductions," I moved passed Octavia and approached Cooper with my right hand out, "You can call me Wanlida."

I didn't trust her nor like her presence. Her vibe was off and I wasn't going to act friendly.

"For your sake, I hope you stay as an unnamed character." I brought my voice to a whisper. So only she and I could hear my threatening tone. I realized my actions were uncalled for and distracting from my goal- but the fear and horror hidden in her eyes was too satisfactory to give up.

Then I turned and walked back to my spot like nothing happened. Effectively shutting up the suck-up now known as Cooper and startling the rest of the meeting attendees to silence.

"Anyways. As I was saying, by traveling this route you are committing suicide. Even if somehow you survive the glass storms, there are far worse things hidden in the sand."

The brown and red creatures come to mind as I clench my fist. I never named the spiders nor the worms but I guess now was the best time to trademark a name.

"What is hidden in the sand?" I turned my head to face Indra.

"Blind Spiders and Blood-worms. Carnivorous and deadly. To get caught would be signing your own death. Just like following this path." I turned my head back to Octavia who glared at me unimpressed.

"You do this. You die. And not even for a worthy cause." I saw the blow of the last sentence hit Octavia in the chest. Pain flaring through her eyes as she quickly masked it with anger.

I knew then that she was still the same girl underneath all of that blood. She was still Via. Just more broken.

"If you don't heed my warning, you will these people into a trap. And who knows how many will make it back."