The One Who's Fallen

Chapter 150

It's our last day of riding, and I laugh when I recognize the next song she's singing.

"Perfect, right?" Raven asks happily.

"It is very fitting for our lives." I admit.

"Yup. Now sing with me, Griff!" She encourages.

"Rae..." I sigh, but she shakes her head.

"Nope! You're not getting out of this! Come on!"

I groan and Raven cheers, knowing she's won. Raven sings backup for me, since I have a more fitting singing voice according to her.

"Stealing kisses from your misses, does it make you freak out?" I sing. "Got you fussing, got you worried, scared to let your guard down. Boys. Tell the neighbors I'm not sorry if I'm breaking walls down. Building your girl second story, ripping all your floors out."

Raven joins me and I grin back at her. "Saw your face, heard your name. Gotta get with you. Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new."

We go through the song, even managing to get Anya, Luna, and Lexa to mouth along to chorus.

"That is very catchy." Luna admits with a smile.

"Right?"

The closer we get to the Skaikru camp, the more somber we get. We're all stony-faced when we arrive.

"Hey, it's good to see you guys back." Bellamy greets, but it's more laid-back than usual. Jaha's execution is weighing on all of us, I guess.

He gestures for us to follow him and we do, dismounting our horses and leading them behind us. Which is a lot more difficult than you would think. When I first tried it, my horse stepped on my foot. Which was not fun.

We hand our horses off to people who have become stable hands and follow Bell to the center of the camp. Jaha is leaning back against a thick pole that he's tied to. He's standing now, but I doubt he will be for long.

We wait until everyone gathers at the center of the camp, keeping a visible circle around Jaha where no one wants to stand or be near him.

Lexa begins to explain what will happen. "What is happening today is called 'Death by Thousand Cuts' by the clans. Usually, someone close to the offender would go first and cut him. Small cuts, or he will die sooner than we want. Today, I will be the first to cut him to demonstrate. After that, anyone who wants to cuts him can. If he is alive at the end of it, it would normally be me who kills him. But as many of you know, Jaha has treated Raven horribly. So she will be the one to kill him. Understood?"

Lexa looks around but no one speaks up.

"If anyone does have questions, feel free to ask me or Lexa." I say. "And this will be graphic, so if you're squeamish I suggest you don't stick around."

A few people leave, as well as some parents who usher away their kids. Lexa waits for them to get out of sight before she nods to Anya and Luna.

They smirk and happily rip Jaha's shirt open and off of him, not bothering to even try to be gentle. I can't say I blame them. He glares at them but doesn't say a word, which is smart.