𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭︱raven reyes, book 1

xliii. endure

"I need that bottle," Clarke ordered. "Stop!"

The dagger pressed against June wasn't given a chance to cut at Lexa's signal stopped them before she nodded to her guards. "Let her pass."

"What the hell are you doing, Clarke?" June demanded through gritted teeth. She wanted to scream, wanting to know why they weren't running and preparing for war because someone poisoned Lexa to break their alliance, but June struggled to spit out any other words from the agony she was in.

"Saving you," Clarke stated simply before directing her attention to the Commander. "One of your people tried to kill you, Lexa. Not one of mine."

"You should have run," Indra sneered.

"I can prove it!" Clarke exclaimed. Nyko, who had fetched the bottle given by Kane, handed it to her. June watched, seeing the cork be yanked out and the rim brought to her lips. She takes a few gulps before bringing it back down. Everyone is stunned when nothing happens.

Lexa stared down Clarke angrily, but just as astonished that Clarke didn't fall over choking. "Explain," she commanded sharply.

"The poison wasn't in the bottle," Clarke answered. "It was in the cup."

Leaning forward, Gustus spoke in a low mumble to Lexa something in their language inaudible to June from where she was. But Lexa nodded, gesturing to June with one hand. "She confessed," she reminded them but there was a confusion in her tone.

Squinting, Bellamy's gaze landed on Gustus and a looked washed over his features that June had seen one too many times. He put the pieces together and solved the puzzle. "It was you," he accused. "He tested the cup. He searched Raven. June was just trying to save her."

Almost offended by the accusation, Lexa replied darkly. "Gustus would never harm me."

"You weren't the target," Bellamy declared boldly. "The alliance was." June was shocked but was too tired from the pain she endured to react or say anything. She knew there would be issues with the alliance, but June couldn't imagine one of Lexa's people going against her orders to break it.

"June didn't do this," Clarke added in hopes to convince Lexa further, who clenched her jaw, thinking it over deeply. "And you know it."

With a sharp inhale, Lexa turned to face Gustus, her head tilting back. Despite her smaller figure compared to his burly and muscular one, June could see just how intimidated he was just by the one stare. "Yu don ge finga au, Gustus. Ron ai ridiyo op," Lexa said in a demanding voice. (You've been accused, Gustus. Speak true.)

The quietness is heavy before Gustus finally answers. "This alliance would cost you your life, Heda. I could not let that happen," he admitted, though June was sure she could sense the regret.

An even dark, colder look is brought to Lexa's expression. "This treachery will cost you yours," she whispers before calling out. "Taik em set raun ona tri!" (Put him on the tree!)

The two grounders that had taken June barely have Gustus in their clutches before her friends are racing to her. She feels like she could sleep for years as Bellamy and Clarke rush to untie her bounds, her blood smearing their hands. June's arms drop as soon as her wrists are free, draping over their shoulders, letting out a soft groan as Bellamy weaves an arm around her hip to steady her. "It's okay," Clarke said, soft and reassuring. "You're safe."

Even for a second, June believed her.

Raven can't meet June's eyes while Gustus endured her earlier suffering, and she can't understand why. She continues to take small looks at the mechanic when Abby patches up her deep cuts with medical supplies, only to see Raven is staring straight ahead, at Gustus. June tries to understand why, especially after she just offered her life for her. But she stays quiet, observing in stillness as each villager takes their turn in leaving a cut on Gustus until the injuries aren't visible due to all the blood.