𝙄'𝙈 𝘼 𝙎𝙐𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙑𝙊𝙍³ ➣ 𝐵. 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑘𝑒✔

15 | Naming Day

"Don't you find this all a bit overwhelming?" I asked Bellamy curiously as we walked into the tavern from the roof.

"Do you?" Bellamy asked as we walked down the stairs. He looked over his shoulder at me for a moment before looking away.

"Yeah. I do, actually. I've never seen so many people in one place this happy... It's creepy."

Bellamy let out a light chuckle as we reached the bottom of the stairs to find Echo, Clarke, Raven, and Jordan looking at us.

"Murphy and Emori?" Bellamy asked curiously.

"Went to guard the ship with the others," Jordan answered.

I let out a quiet laugh as I spoke. "Murphy missing a chance to act like a drunken fool? Now I'm worried."

Raven spoke, her eyes not on us. "He'll be fine... Maybe the rest of us should go there, too."

"What?" Jordan suddenly said, his face wearing an expression of shock. "No, I need this."

I raised an eyebrow slightly as the boy, a small smile forming on my lips. I was going to make a snarky comment, but Clarke spoke so I didn't.

"We're guests of the Primes. If we isolate ourselves on the ship, they may take offense."

"Jordan?" I heard Delilah call out. I looked to my left to see the girl looking at us, wearing a pretty pink dress. "Guys, come on."

Clarke and Jordan were the first to leave. Raven followed soon after, and I walked beside Bellamy.

°°°

We stopped at the base of the palace, an annoying buzzer going off. I waited patiently as Russell and Simone stood at the edge of the balcony, in front of a microphone. Jordan was with Delilah in front of everyone as Russell spoke.

"Welcome to naming day." Everyone around us cheered and applauded. "Today we observe the four pillars of Sanctum. They are?"

"Repent, renew, rejoice, rebirth," everyone spoke in unison. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly.

"Correct. Rebirth. Rebirth! Today we mark the return of our beloved Priya."

"Hallowed be her name," everyone spoke again in unison.

Russell nodded, a smile on his face as he continued. "Indeed. As we bequeath her name to our equally beloved Delilah."

Everyone around us cheered and applauded once again before Russell continued his speech, looking at Kaylee who was to his left. "As is tradition with every naming day, I will begin the process of making amends. As your leader, it's my job to keep us safe during the red sun. Kaylee... I failed you in this when I realized you and your family didn't make it to Ryker's keep before the eclipse. I closed the door. I kept it open as long as I could until the life of everyone else was at risk. It was a decision with tragic consequences. I know the heartbreak you feel. I know your pain. I miss Josephine every day."

I crossed my arms over my chest as I continued listening to Russell.

"And the fact that I'm the cause of this pain for you..."

Just then, Kaylee turned and pulled the man into a hug. Everyone applauded.

"And now it's your turn," Russell concluded once he had gone back to the microphone. "Tell your neighbor that you love them. Make amends for those you've hurt. Free yourselves."

°°°

I thought hard, trying to think of something I could've done. The people of Sanctum does this thing where they make a lantern and tie a piece of paper to it with something they regret written on it. Apparently, the lanterns are supposed to float, but I don't know if I believe it.