𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍─𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞²

20. natblida

I shook my head. "Of course not."

He nodded lightly. "I'm sorry." he apologized. "For locking you up."

"I get it." I answered, "My people betrayed you. You had every right."

An uncomfortable silence settled across the room for a few brief moments before I spoke again. "Are you going to tell me why you asked to see me?"

Roan sighed, running his hand over his face before meeting my eyes. "We're going to war."

I felt my heart drop at his words. I had really hoped that Clarke would have convinced them to take another route. But honestly, I wasn't completely surprised by this revelation. 

I nodded slowly, moving to lean against the table. "Winner takes all I presume?"

"Yes." Roan answered, his eyes maintaining their grip on my own. 

"I like you, Avery. I'd like to think of us as friends." he announced. "So I don't want to see you die."

I felt my breath catch in my throat...where was this going? I felt myself unconsciously shifted away from him slightly. I trusted Roan...but to what extent?

"If Azgeda wins," he began, "I will offer you refuge in the bunker."

My eyes flickered over to his. "Will you save more or my people, or just me?" I questioned, already knowing the answer. 

"The bunker will be Azgeda's, not Skaikru's. Your people have betrayed me, I will offer them no solace."

I shook my head.  "Then I don't want to be saved. I won't abandon my people." I asserted firmly. 

Roan let out a bitter chuckle. "You mean the people who just a day ago tied you up and locked you away because you didn't agree with them? Those people?"

I glared at him. "You're one to talk. I'm pretty sure you were the one tying me up."

Roan smirked, amused with my snippiness. "So you will die for people who seem to have no allegiance to you."

"They've done a lot worst to me in the past." I answered. "It doesn't mean they're not my people. I won't leave the people I care about behind."

"You mean Curly?" 

I felt my face redden slightly at the mention of Bellamy. "Yes." I replied quickly, my voice wavering. "And the rest of my friends. If they're not in the bunker, then neither am I."

Roan opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, a loud horn began to sound from outdoors. 

His face fell as he turned, rushing toward the window to try and see what was going on outside.

"What is that?" I questioned, noting the panic that seemed to overcome him. 

"Ascension Call." Echoed announced, more to Roan than to me, as she came flying into the room. 

"The Flame was destroyed." she pointed out as she joined Roan by the window. "How is this possible? You said you saw it."

"It was shattered." Roan snapped, a brief silence ensuing before he spoke again, this time in a low voice. "I saw what they wanted me to see."

He spun around, almost colliding with Echo as his eyes landed on me. I didn't shrink back at his gaze, but held it firmly. 

I knew that the flame hadn't been destroyed, but the only others who knew this were Gaia, the Flamekeeper, and a select few of our own. It didn't take much thought for me to realize who the new Commander was.