OUT OF MIND² ━━ Bellamy Blake

𝐗𝐗: E for Execute

     "Before you say anything, remember, I saved your life by taking you out of Mount Weather," she begins lowly, her eyes dead set on Bellamy. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you to bring the girl. But I was following orders, Bellamy."

     He stares at her flatly. "That's not good enough."

     "Still," says Echo steadily, glancing over at Lyra. "She seems to have handled herself well."

     Lyra remembers the explosion. She remembers how frightening it had been up close, how the air had been thick enough to choke on. How her hands felt like they were on fire.

     And everything that happened after. . .

     "I know how it feels to lose someone you care about to war, but we do what we do for our people," says Echo boldly. "You slaughter us, we slaughter you. That all went away in the City of Light, but it's back now, so here we are."

     Lyra wishes Clarke and Abby would hurry up. How long does it take to remove a bullet?

     Echo eyes them again. "What are the terms of your surrender?"

     "We recognize Ice Nation rule," says Lyra. She tries not to show how intimidated she is by Echo ━━ she feels a like a three year old standing in front of an adult, that's how much taller Echo is than her. "Yu chomokh Lexa's komgeda. Athchomar osir ven jin 13nth kru."

     You honor Lexa's coalition. Respect us as the thirteenth clan.

     She hopes using Trigadasleng will help.

     Echo seems almost amused. "No."

     Lyra's heart starts to beat a little faster. She really hopes Clark and Abby hurry up. "We'll give you guns and show you how to use them."

     From the edge of the crowd, Lyra can see Indra tensing. Echo notices this as well, and her gaze is riddled with suspicion as she regards Bellamy and Lyra. But there is something else there, too. Intrigue. Lyra tries not to grin at the tiny victory; Echo has not flat out said no yet. And that means she is thinking of saying yes.

     "Trikru accepts this?" Echo questions.

     Bellamy isn't even doing a good job of making it look like he accepts it. He barely manages a nod. "They're not happy about it."

     "Not much they can do now though, is there, without an army," says Echo arrogantly.

She's referencing the massacre. Lyra glances sideways at Bellamy.

     Shifting his weight from foot to foot, Bellamy swallows thickly and a bead of sweat trickling out from underneath his dark, tousled hair. His eyes are glassy.

Echo picks up on his weakness immediately and makes the obvious conclusion. "You were there. Then you know why everyone hates Skaikru and why we can never accept your terms."

"The alternative is war!" Bellamy's voice is loud, frenzied. There's an almost manic glint in his eyes now. "Is that what you want?"

"No one wants war," Echo retorts. "Lay down your guns, and we'll let your children live."

Lyra stares at her. "Your alternative to war is killing us all?"