Momentum (Completed)

Chapter Fifteen: The Lion And The Lamb

(Nephele) 

A few anxious hours after our escape, the Animus and the men who had been with them finally got back into contact. Some of the men had a few injuries, but there were no deaths and the animals were all fine. It was a relief for everyone when they could hug their Animus again. 

As for my group... Well, we escaped with little resistance and the unlucky warriors that ran into us were mowed down by Kassandra's archers, but since we'd left the walls no one had spoke to me. I think they were all afraid. I wanted to address the issue but thought better of it; if they didn't like what they saw, what could I do to change their opinion? 

'She deserved to die cub,' said Imara, 'slowly and painfully.' 

'I think so as well,' I thought back. 

'You should talk to them, Nephele... At least if you talk to them, you can set things straight and then let them make their own opinion. If you say nothing at all, they make assumptions and disagree anyway.'

I sighed; I knew he was right. I should give them a choice because even, if I had to go on my own, I was going to Russia to get Lyra. The group that had come with me and I had walked back to the place where we slept the night before the attack. Everyone felt safe there. 

I looked to the group. It was quite divided. The ones that had come with me were quiet, sombre and had their eyes to the floor, whereas the ones who had caused the distraction were high on adrenaline, joking and drinking. Taking a deep breath, I cleared my throat and stood on a small rock that placed me higher up than the other Insurgo. 

"I have an announcement to make," I said, everyone fell silent and turned to look at me. Suddenly I felt quite self-conscious, but I pushed it aside. "Everyone did a great job today... Really, everyone played an important role and better still everyone made it out alive." 

"Not everyone..." muttered Kassandra, refusing to make eye contact. I wanted to say something, to explain or to argue, but I bit it back. 

"However," I continued, "Lyra is not where we thought she was and...and she isn't as safe as we hoped." The crowd began to mutter and Felix looked really quite worried. "Lyra has been taken to Russia-" I ignored the gasps, "so, as of tomorrow we set off for the Uxor-Russia walls. This will be far more dangerous and far less planned. I can promise you that if you aren't alert twenty-four seven, you will be killed." 

'Great way to get them on side,' said Imara, who was standing behind me. 

'I have to be honest,' I thought back. As I spoke, I tried to meet the eyes of everyone looking at me. "But remember what you would be doing this for," I reminded them. "Lyra has been your leader and your protector since you left the shackles of Uxor and without her you wouldn't be alive today. I'm giving you the choice: you can leave now and return to camp, or you can come with me. I won't hold your decision against you, but I need to know by morning." I paused. "Thanks for listening... I uh...That's all." 

When my awkward speech was done I hopped off the rock and walked over to the campfire, grabbing one of the flasks of drink and chugging it back. It took a little while, but eventually people began to mutter among themselves, no doubt deciding on what to do. I wandered over to a large tree and sat down next to it, Imara quickly joining me. I hadn't been there long when Kassandra tentatively walked over to me. 

"Nephele..." she said softly, crouching in front of me. "I...I can't...I mean, Lexio..."  I met her eyes and gave a small smile. I already knew what she'd come here to tell me.

"It's okay Kassandra, I don't expect many people to come with me. Like I said, I won't hold it against you." 

"I don't want to walk away without doing something," she replied, "so my men and I will follow you for a few days, just in case the Uxors find you, but when you cross to Russia, I have to part ways. I'm worried about Lexio..." That made me feel bad. I hadn't once thought about Lexio since we left... I wondered how he was coping with no one but Aranea to keep him company. Over the shoulder of Kassandra, I could see Dimitri's men; they were jostling each other and it made me smile.