RYDER ▸ BELLAMY BLAKE

27 | end of us

BODYGUARD OF LIES

I had shuffled around, finding a seemingly comfortable spot by the log Octavia sat on, against her leg. She quietly ran a hand through my short hair, sighing deeply as the minutes passed by excruciatingly slow. They seemed to melt into one another, the uneven crackling of the fire remaining the only constant change. My eyes were trained on the flames, head deep in thought.

This was actually happening. We were bringing war to the Mountain, to save our friends. We were totally badass!

On the other hand, a missile had just hit Tondc and killed tens of Trikru, the event probably being the cause of the deathly silence around where we had made camp for the night.

Only when Clarke's foot stepped on a twig, snapping it, did my eyes dart away from the fire and up to her figure. She took a seat on the log across from Octavia and I, the fire separating us from her. The blonde noticed the solemn look on our faces, quickly asking if everything was okay.

Of course nothing was okay, but we couldn't afford to focus our attention on the casualties of war when it was needed to execute the master plan to free everyone from Mount Weather. My lips remained sealed but Octavia's parted to speak up.

"I've been going over it and over it in my head, just trying to figure out how you're still alive."

Clarke shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you in Tondc before the missile hit. I know you, Clarke. Something's wrong. And then you and Lexa and Ryder disappear and just happen to survive. Ryder's still shaking so I don't believe that she knew about it..." The brunette paused a moment, squeezing my shoulder before continuing, her head snapping up to Clark. "Tell me you didn't know it was coming..." she pleaded with her friend.

Clarke's eyes faltered from their contact with Octavia's. Her thumbs fiddled with each other as her hands clasped. "Octavia..." she started, never exactly knowing how to continue her sentence.

"You let all those people die," Octavia gasped, glaring at the blonde before her. From her voice, I could tell she had lost some of the trust she had placed in Clarke's hands, if not all. She quickly stood from the log, causing me to reach my hand over to balance myself. She trudged over to Clarke as the blonde stood too. "You were gonna let me die. Ryder would've came back if she knew. You didn't tell her either, did you?"

I sighed, getting up to my feet, knowing that a fight could've very well have broken out. "I did it to save Bellamy," Clarke informed, "so that we could win this war. Don't you see that? If we'd evacuated Tondc, Mount Weather would've known that someone tipped us off. They would've found your brother."

Octavia shook her head, whispering back just as harshly. "No. Bellamy would have never told you to do that. He would've found another way. Ryder?" The brunette turned to me for confirmation.

As much as I hated going against either of my friends, I had to agree with Octavia. "She's right, Clarke. He would've."

Clarke's nostrils flared as she let out a deep breath. "I couldn't take that risk."

"Right. Because you're in charge now, and you decide who is disposable. You'd have fit right in on the council," Octavia snarled as she pushed past Clarke.

The blonde reached a hand out to hold Octavia in place. "Octavia. You can't tell anyone. If people found out that we—"

"The alliance will break. I'm not an idiot, Clarke."

"And he's not disposable, blondie," I commented, "so you better hope nothing happens to him."

Clarke turned to me then, taking my hand. "I didn't send him as our inside man because I think he's disposable. I sent him in cause he's the best chance we've got."