Not What It Seems | Octavia Blake [2]

Chapter 17

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    Liam

"What do you mean, 'we don't know'? What the hell happened at the dropship?" Liam averted his gaze elsewhere —he ran. But he had to. It was either that or die. "She didn't make it to the dropship, did she . . ."

  "She did. I know she did. Raven's the only one that knows, and she was barely alive when we left," replied Liam, a wave of unsettled nerves coursing through his veins. With all that's happened since he and the others snuck out the remains of his home station to find their friends, he forgot about Raven's state. "But I talked to Raven. And the way she spoke about Addison, she made it inside. I told her to run for it when the Grounders surrounded us because I went back for your brother." Liam paused. He licked his lips and continued, "That was the last time I saw her, Octavia." He studied her sharp features that saddened, then hardened, and saddened again. "Octavia, I'm sorry."

  She merely nodded and blinked multiple times, clenching her sharp jaw as she did so, before she went over to Monroe, to help with the arrow that protruded out her thigh.

  Finn copied the map the one-eyed Grounder drew before he ended his life, while Bellamy fixed Mel's arm into a sling out of scavenged navy blue material that looked to be from an old shirt. Murphy was crouched not far from Octavia and Monroe, by himself doing whatever it is he does.

  Liam walked up to Callie. "How are you doing?"

  "Considering the circumstances .  .  ." her bright blue eyes surveyed the others, then landed on Octavia.

  "Ye-Yeah, that's—that's good. That's good."

  "Thank god you came when you did," Monroe said to Octavia, as she applied pressure to Monroe's wound.

  "I was going back to camp when I heard shots."

  Murphy stood, looking at Octavia's bag. "Nice foghorn. What happened to your Grounder friend?" he bent over, took hold Lincoln's foghorn, and examined it.

Octavia snatched it from him. "He's gone."

  "Right," he muttered, under his breath. Then spoke louder, "The same thing that happened to your girlfriend."

  Octavia whipped around, braided hair moving with her, hands frozen atop Monroe's freshly "bandaged" thigh, green eyes cold and jaw clenched. Liam was already on his feet to breakup an unwanted brawl. He quickly came between Murphy and Octavia, hand out by his hips and palm to the ground, "Murphy, stop."

  The corner of Murphy's lips upturned into a smirk. He shuffled by to where he was prior to his comments.

  Bellamy slowly approached his sister, crouching behind her when he reached her. "Hey. I'm sorry about Lincoln, O. But I know for a fact Addison's with the rest of our friends, waiting for you."

  Octavia looked at him. Their eyes met and she allowed her neutral, impenetrable expression falter before she nodded twice, stood, and buried the feelings she felt. Liam's brows scrunched slightly; she's not the same carefree delinquent that did as she pleased without consequence.

  Callie limped to Liam as Octavia urged, "The Grounders will be back, so we need to go. Now."

  Finn looked at the others, specifically the Blake's and Liam, agreeing with Octavia. "Yes, we do."

  Bellamy and Octavia walked to Finn while Liam stayed where he was by Monroe, Mel and Callie. "Octavia says the arrow might be poisoned. And Callie's stitches tore. I have to take them home," brother Blake told Spacewalker.