Beautiful Demon

Twenty

Kayleigh POV

I was on my hands and knees-violently dry heaving. They didn't know what he had done- didn't know what they were eating util it was too late.

Not what- but whom.

Had she had a real choice, Octavia wouldn't have turned to cannibalism. She did it solely to keep my people alive.

He did it purely out of warning. A warning to those who thought to betray or plot against him. Not lacking in his creativity of how he dealt with others, almost everyone gave him a wide birth. Only those who thought themselves brave would stand against only to be cut down swiftly. He respected them more-giving them a more honorable death than he did to the ones attempting to hide behind others.
With the flame he was able to connect with every commander before them, determined to learn how to keep himself from their same bloodied fates.
In doing that he was doing what he believed he needed to do, in order to become what he was destined to be.

A great commander with a lasting reign.

There was a darkness inside of him, one that even I couldn't describe and yet felt so familiar.

"You know what needs to be done.." her raspy voice rings softly in my ears. "To let one betray you without punishment leaves the door open for more to do the same.."

"Enough." I grit out loud, "Get out of my head."

I didn't want to hear of it- any of it. Bellamy was who he'd always been- a man that would do anything to protect his family, his friends, his people.

"I loved once." She continues as if I didn't even speak. "Thought he loved me, would do anything for me.. Protect me.. kill for me.. die for me... instead he betrayed me."

"We are not the same."

"How many times have they gone against your will unpunished? How many more times will you allow it? Our people follow strength- you are showing weakness."

"I can't kill him.. I can't." I reply broken lay knowing she was right.

How was I supposed to lead my people into a better future-a better world if those I was supposed to trust the most kept going against me?

Asher POV

That's what I told myself every waking moment of every day.

The past was broken and history wouldn't be repeated.

I said them when her mind seemed to break and the demons were unleashed. I repeated them when she finally came back to us. And for four years I believed them. The boy grew and thrived, and with each passing day, the darkness in his mothers eyes slowly left.

We were blind.
All of them..
Even me...

For it was all just a dream, and sooner or later, we'd all have to wake up. Everything would be different, now that the past had been changed, and the future was just unclear, unsteady. Who would she be once we returned the ground- to a world unknown.

"To be commander, is to be alone."

She took the flame..