Our People (the Third Book of the Her Weakness series)

Chapter 121

Clarke's POV

We walk cautiously into the room, our weapons drawn. They're not attacking us yet. I wonder what they're waiting for. A person steps forward but she's not Pakstoka.

"The Heda herself. Tell me, is this suicidal crusade of yours because you truly care... Or is it because couldn't kill Pakstoka the first time?" She drawls with a smirk.

"Pakstoka is dangerous to everything I have worked for," Lexa answers. "I will not rest until I know he is dead. Get out of our way and we will not kill you."

A few guards shift uneasily but everyone stays when the woman trains her death glare on them.

"Betray Pakstoka and we will kill you," she snarls.

"Is this going to be a word battle or a fight battle?" Raven asks, not bothering to be quiet. "These pirates look like they're better trained and more well disciplined than the ones we encountered before. All of them, by the way, either have fled or are dead." She tells them.

"And now you have come to the end of the line. You will all die here today," the woman declares confidently.

"Yes you will." I respond, keeping my face carefully blank to resist the urge to smile when Raven says "ooooh" quietly.

"Enough banter," the scowling woman growls out. "Kill them!" She orders.

The pirates come towards us with their swords raised and we meet them halfway. Lexa and I work together like earlier, slicing whatever pirates we can hit and watching out for each other.

The cave is filled with sound. The clanging of metal meeting metal, of a popping sound whenever Raven gets off a shot, of grunting and cries pain. The pained cries are mainly from the pirates, but I do sometimes hear a noise that concerns me.

I'm mainly worried for Raven. I know that Octavia has been teaching her how to fight but she's not as good as I want her to be. The sounds I hear her make worry me. Like the creak of Raven's brace, the scared squeak she lets out when a pirate gets too close to her. She usually shoots them but one gets too close for that and she has to stick a dagger in his neck. The shuddering breath she lets out makes me attack the nearest pirate with increased vigor.

Raven had killed before, but usually it's at a distance with a bomb or with Boomy's lasers. This is more personal, she had to see the life leave the pirate's eyes. She has Octavia to help her through this, she has us, but that moment is never going to leave her.

With renewed determination, I manage to get a pirate straight through the neck when he charges at me. I pull out my sword and slash at another one that's stumbling towards me, away from Lexa.

I meet Lexa's eyes and I see the fire in them rage. I know that she must have heard Raven as well.

We resume our deadly dance, and I have to admit, I'm better with Lexa than I expected. We work together smoothly, meticulously taking out any pirates that get too close. We move with a familiarity that only comes from truly knowing a person. It sounds really cheesy but it's true... Though I'll never tell Octavia or Raven this because I'll never live it down.

I manage to dodge most attacks but every once in a while, I'll hiss when I suddenly get cut by a blade I couldn't block in time, or grunt when I'm hit with a hilt of a sword.

The few pirates that are left gather together and charge at Lexa and I, probably hoping the numbers will overwhelm us. Octavia and Raven are tired and resting near the tunnel we came through to get here. The others don't look like they have much more energy than them, but come to our aide nonetheless.

We easily take them down, and I look around, frowning when I don't see the woman. Usually the person who we talk to at the beginning of the battle survives to see the end. Lexa nudges me and gestures to a fallen person. So that's where she went.

"Is she already dead?" I ask.

"Yeah, she was heading towards Raven so I slit her throat." Octavia responds, taking Raven's hand in hers.

"Thank you." Raven says quietly.

"Shall we rest here for a bit?" Luna suggests. "We might need our strength to fight Pakstoka."

"Sha (yes)," Lexa confirms. "Do not let your muscles lock up. Do stretches after you get up to loosen up your muscles. And Pakstoka is mine and Clarke's to fight. He will have other pirates with him, well trained ones. You will have to fight them."

"Thank fuck," Raven groans, lying on the floor next to Octavia. "Not about the fighting thing. About the finally resting thing."

Octavia runs her fingers through her girlfriend's hair, making Raven hum happily.

I sit next to Lexa on the floor, resting my head on her shoulder and letting out a breath. I take the time to run over the events of today in my head to help me process everything. Lexa and I talk about what's happened, about what we expect to happen next, about what our plan is.

There's a pause and I know Lexa will want us to get going soon, but I have one more question.

"Lexa, why did you say that  you and I are going to defeat Pakstoka? You could take him by yourself."

"I could but I would prefer to have you by my side. With you, I am all of me. If that makes sense," Lexa frowns, then speaks again in a soft tone that melts my heart. "Osir keryon ste teina (our souls are entwined), Clarke."

"I think I get it." I murmur, moving my head so I can kiss her gently. "Sap."

Lexa grins at me. "Only for you, Clarke. Ai hod yu in (I love you)."

"Ai hod yu in sentaim (I love you too)." I take her hand in mine and squeeze. "Now let's go kick your archenemy's butt."

Next chapter, they face Pakstoka! And aww, cute clexa moment :) Poor Raven, though. She'll be okay, she has her friends and Octavia to help her! But killing someone that close when you're used to doing it from a distance can't be easy... Even for someone as amazing as Raven Reyes! Thank you for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!