Kane looked to Lincoln and watched as he so easily calmed the nerves of his people. A part of him wished he could so easily speak with his own.
"You inspire them." Kane complimented as Lincoln approached him.
Lincoln released a soft chuckle as he heard this. Normally, it was Nia who always did the talking. She had a way with words and could change the minds of others with them.
"You should've seen Nia." He commented taking a seat beside the man.
As Kane thought of this, he realized how right he was. Nia had always been able to speak out and stop an initial attack on them. He only wished that another could have seen this too. Then maybe they would be in the predicament they were in now.
"I'm not gonna let you give up either." Lincoln stated, not liking how this leader could go from wanting peace to accepting death.
"Chancellor on deck." Someone announced bringing everyone's attention to the group that walked in.
"I had more time." Kane commented thinking Pike was there for him.
But that wasn't the case at all. Since he had executed Alec and heard the cry of Nia, he felt accomplished that the Grounders saw what he could do to the others within their walls. But a part of him feared, he had angered a bigger demon and felt the need to make his point stand and there was only one way to prove it.
"I'm not here for you." He spoke to Kane before looking at them all. "Each of you is guilty of the same crimes as Kane and as such, you will share the same fate, death."
Someone spoke up and questioned his words and all he had to do was wait. It didn't take long as Lincoln jumped up and approached, standing in front of him, and looking through the cage at him.
"My people are innocent. They know nothing. Don't let then suffer for my crimes. Please." Lincoln negotiated.
"Sir, Lincoln's right. All the others did was run through an open door. Same thing we would do if we were in there." Bellamy supported making Pike's plan work.
"I believe that's true. Kane, Lincoln, Sinclair, as the leaders of this coup, you will pay for your crimes with your life. Execution is set for dawn." Pike sentenced, pleased that his plan had actually worked.
Killing Alec was not going to be enough. He wanted to break Nia's hold that she had over Bellamy and in order to do that, he had to break her. But little did he know that her spiral into darkness had begun and by sentencing Lincoln, he had only strengthen Bellamy's urge to make things right with her.
Since finding out Pike's intention to traitors, Bellamy and Monty had tried to find a way to get the prisoners out. But now with Lincoln's life on the line as well and the ticking clock among them, they needed to move quickly. This lead them to stand outside the door of an old friend hoping to help.
Miller answered the door cautiously. Since Kane and Sinclair had been arrested, they were on edge about who may know about their involvement. His look hardened as he saw Bellamy and Monty enter. The two were standing beside Pike, so what could they be doing there.
Both were tense when they saw the knife in Bellamy's hand. But instead of using it on them like they thought, he cut into Miller's jacket and removed a bug.
"The bag blocks the signal. Now we can talk." Monty informed after placing the bug into a cloth.
Miller wanted to know the culprit that had planted the bug but it wasn't time to discuss those matters. Bellamy informed them of the recent sentencing making Harper question his motives.
"We're here to help. I'm sure you have a plan to break them out. What can we do?" Monty asked.
"What are you talking about?" Harper questioned.
"Harper, come on." Monty insisted, they didn't have time for this if they wanted to get them all out alive.
"Look, we can help from the inside to pull this off. We need people to hand them off to on the outside." Bellamy offered hoping to get them to Octavia and Nia. They were their safest bet on the outside. A part of him told him that he was doing this to save their lives but another told him he didn't want to put Nia through what happened the night before again.
"We seriously don't know what you're talking about." Miller stated still weary on where they stood.
"You think we want them to die?" Monty asked flabbergasted that they wouldn't trust them enough.
"You know what? Forget it. If my sister wants to save Lincoln's life, you tell her to meet me at the Drop Ship in a hour." Bellamy informed before leaving. If they wouldn't trust them then he would figure out another way to get them out.
A hour later, Octavia rode to the Drop Ship and dismounted as Bellamy stood in the open.
"Glad you came." He addressed thankful to see her there. He had hoped to see Nia as well but little did he know their inner workings.
Octavia glanced around weary of her surroundings. "I'm alone, O." Bellamy tried to reassure but he didn't know about the other girl stationed in the trees.
Since being outside the walls and Nia allowing the girls a more active role, Octavia and Fox had been working together. When the information about the meeting, Nia had sent Fox along as backup in case things changed.
"I'm here to help." Bellamy offered hoping she'd trust him enough to accept it.
Octavia went in to hug Bellamy and once she was in close proximity she injected him with a Reaper dose making his body go limp. Once she had ahold of him, Octavia whistled and a moment later Fox came out. The two worked together to search him before placing him on the horse and taking him away.
Everything was hazy as Bellamy began to wake. Things slowly came into focus as he noticed the group standing in front of him.
Indra, Octavia, Nia, Jade, and Fox all but one glancing at him.
"It was a mistake to bring him here." Indra stated as she looked down at him.
"He was out the whole way. And we searched him for bugs." Octavia informed.
"You'd think I'd let them hurt you? Or Nia? Or the girls?" Bellamy asked fearful that he lost their trust after all Nia wouldn't even look at him.
The statement caused Nia to shift as a part of her still cared deeply for him. But the pain of losing Alec seemed to overcome it.
"Shut your mouth!" Indra roared as she was still angered at the fact that he killed 300 of her people, but now he had also been the cause of Nia's slip into darkness.
"Indra, we talked about this." Octavia spoke against Indra's tone.
"You waste time." Indra commented as the time for their plan was running thin.
"You should be in that camp by now." Nia spoke for the first time remembering the plan they had laid down. She knew something was changing inside her and she knew it wasn't good. And right now, she needed to get her brother out so he wouldn't suffer the same fate Alec had.
"No, it's suicide. Pike will be expecting you. You won't get close. I can. We can save them, but we have to work together." Bellamy spoke against whatever plan they may have. He didn't want his sister caught and to be faced with death as well.
"You're the reason they need saving." Octavia retorted angered at the fact that he thought his actions were not included.
"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that you need me." Bellamy tried to reason hoping she'd still listen.
"For the first time in my life, that's not true." Octavia worded strongly as she went to leave.
But before she could get far she was stopped. "Tavia." Nia spoke bring the attention to her. "Bring him back." She told her but everyone knew who she was speaking about. Octavia nodded and left ignoring the calls of her brother behind her.
Part of Nia told her she wanted Lincoln out because she was his brother. But another was scared that without she would be consumed by the monster dwelling inside her.
"Nia." Bellamy went to speak with Nia after his failed attempts to call his sister. He needed someone to listen to him. To trust him into helping, but that wasn't what he got.
As soon as her name left his lips, she turned and headed out of the cave. The girls watched her leave, concerned filled their eyes.
"She's different." Jade spoke about the change in Nia since Alec's death. Her voice was quiet but it seemed to echo off the cave walls.
"It's like that story when she lost her mother, right?" Fox questioned Indra knowing she'd have a better insight to what was happening to Nia. "She'll turn into the warrior that kills without a second thought."
"Without Lincoln or Lexa to bring her back, we may just lose the Nia we know." Indra informed worried for the girl she had watched grow.
But what they didn't seem to know was Lexa was dead and their chances of keeping Nia herself were getting slimmer by the minute.
Back in Polis, Titus stared and thought of what he had done. In his attempt to keep "Blood must have blood," he had killed the one person that meant the most to everyone. Now he had to deal with finding another commander but more importantly dealing with the Azgeda initiate.
The doors to the temple opened and Clarke and John Murphy entered. He had told them to leave wanting to keep his last promise to Lexa.
"You do not belong here." Titus announced loudly at their presence.
"Really? Unless my blood's decorating your floor." Murphy said sarcastically to the one who had tortured him.
"There is nothing left for you in Polis. Why have you not gone?" Titus questioned their motives.
"Yeah, that's what I'd like to know." Murphy wondered himself.
"We need to talk about Ontari. She wasn't trained here. Why would you let her into the conclave?" Clarke questioned the Flamekeeper not liking the idea of Ontari getting the Flame.
"Ontari has the blood of the commanders. It is her birthright to compete for the Flame." Titus informed simply.
It was quiet as they looked at the small device. "Is she really in there?" Clarke asked not truly believing that it held the spirit of past commanders.
"Of course she is." Titus agreed believing in the faith they had.
"Why does it matter who wins?" Murphy spoke to Clarke trying to see their reasoning in the whole thing. "I mean, listen to me. If your girlfriend really is in that thing, then we have nothing to worry about, right? Look, let's just get out of here while we can."
"It matters." Titus spoke after hearing Murphy speak. "I've served four commanders as Flamekeeper. None of them half as wise and strong as Lexa kom Trikru. But the truth is she was all those things even before ascension. The only one close to that is Nia. The two were one soul in two bodies. Together they held strength that couldn't be matched. They were the future of our people." Titus remembered all the times when the two thought as one and when Lexa would seek Nia's council over his. "The Flame deepens what's already there. If the Spirit of the Commanders should choose Ontari, the Ice Nation will control everything and Skaikru will face her wrath."
"Not really a silver lining type of guy is he?" Murphy noted the outcome that they might face.
"So, how do we make sure Aden wins? He was Lexa's choice, you know that." Clarke was trying to figure out a way to ensure her people's survival.
"And she will choose him." Titus stated believing in the spirits.
A horn sounded through the air making them stand still.
"What's that?" Murphy questioned not liking the sound.
"The victory horn." Titus informed before making his way out.
The sight they were met with was on that would fill their nightmares. Ontari had slaughtered the children with no regret whatsoever. Believing she had won the conclave and could begin her ascension as commander. But what no one knew was there was a nightblood hidden among them and the spirits had yet to chose the next commander.