"Okay, shooters." David Miller called through the radio. "They're moving towards the cave. Let the king go."
I let out a shaky sigh, adjusting my body so that my gun was no longer focused on Roan. Instead, I pointed it at Echo, deciding that if I got to shoot anyone, I wanted it to be her.
However, while most of us had listened to David's orders, not everyone had. A green laser still followed the king as he and Clarke made for the cave.
"What the hell." I muttered, following the laser from the king up to the rock ledge not far from where I was. My eyes landed on Riley, a determined look on his face as he held his ground.
"Damn it , what are you doing, Riley? Your target is the army. Clarke is negotiating with their king." Monty demanded over the radio, he too seeming to pinpoint Riley as the culprit despite the fact that he and Harper were across the ravine from Riley and I. "Stop targeting. Over. Riley, respond."
I watched as Riley hastily rose the walkie to his lips. "Negotiating with these people is a waste of time. We have the high ground. We have a guns. We should just take them out."
I let out an angry breath as I pulled my walkie up to my mouth. "Yeah, and they have a sword to Bellamy and Kane's throats. The minute we fire a single shot they're both dead. So stand the hell down."
"We stick to the plan." Monty ordered.
Riley was quick with his response, and he seemed increasingly angered. "You really think Ice Nation gives a damn about your plan? I have a clear shot on the king."
I looked up to where he was stationed, trying to gage how I could get to him without exposing myself to the archers below. I knew what Ice Nation had done to Riley, so it was completely understandable where his anger was coming from. But he couldn't stray from the plan...one wrong shot and everything would be ruined.
"This is a tinder box." Monty responded. "One shot and we'll be at war."
When Riley still didn't move his focus away from the Roan, Monty spoke again. "If you do this, it will be a massacre. You need to stand down right now."
I waited a few moments, my eyes flickering between the army down below and Riley. "Riley, stand down." I ordered, my heart pounding in my chest in anxiety. "Please."
After a few heart pounding seconds, Riley finally surrendered, and his laser sight was finally taken off of the king.
I let out a deep sigh of relief, thankful that we didn't have a war on our hands quite yet.
---
The sun was hot on my back as I laid against the hard stone, my muscles beginning to cramp from remaining in the same position for too long.
Clarke and Roan were bound to be close to the cave at this point, but so far we had heard nothing.
"All units radio check." The sound of David's voice coming through the walkie caused me to jump, startled by the sound for a moment.
"Unit one." he called.
"Unit one, check." Monty responded almost instantaneously.
"Unit two."
Silence.
"Unit two." David repeated more sternly. "Riley, where are you?"
It was at this point, for the first time since Clarke and Roan had disappeared from our view that I tore my eyes off of the army below, craning my neck to search for Riley.
He had been stationed slightly above me, not in my direct line of sight. But now he was no where to be seen.
"Costa," I called through the radio, my eyes scanning the area. "You got eyes on Riley?"
"Went to take a leak." Costa answered, not sounding the least bit concerned.
"How long ago?" I questioned, my worrying beginning to rise.
"I don't know. Not long."
"Did he take his rifle?" Monty cut in, concern present in his voice as well.
I looked over to where Riley had been, seeing no sign of his weapon. "Yeah" I answered, my eyes falling on a small black device. "Left his radio though."
Defeat ran through my body, as I came to face the fact that Riley hadn't left his post to go to the washroom. He had left to kill Roan.
"Monty-"
"--I know." Monty answered, his tone sounding similar to my own. "Avery, stay where you are. I'll handle this."
"No." I argued, already moving from my post. "I've got this. Monty, stay in formation, and cover me."
"Avery!" David snapped through the radio, "Avery, where are you going."
I left my gun, shoving the radio into my pocket as I made my way down the ravine, my heart hammering against my chest in fear.
"Avery, you'll never make it past the army!" Harper yelled through the walkie, her voice high pitched in terror.
I ignored her, knowing that this needed to be done in order to prevent a wide scale massacre.
All eyes were on me as I made my way down to where the army was stationed, my hands immediately raising in surrender the minute the Ice Nation spotted me making my way toward them.
All bows turned in my direction, several men yelling out that Skaikru was approaching.
Bellamy's eyes landed on me, and instantly widened in confusion and worry.
"I'm unarmed!" I called, raising my hands further into the air. "I need to speak to whoever's in charge!"
An Azgeda man rushed toward me, harshly grabbing a hold of me as he yanked me closer to the army. He stuck his hands into my pockets, depriving me of my walkie.
A grunt fell from my lips as he all but threw me to the ground, causing me to land harshly on my side.
Bellamy and Kane both attempted to lunge forward, trying to catch me.
The Azgeda man grabbed a hold of my hair, pulling me up so I was on my knees. "Do you really have to be so rough." I muttered, shooting him a glare as I rubbed my now aching side.
Bellamy leaned toward me, his eyes searching my own. "Are you okay?" he questioned quietly.
I nodded, my eyes flickering past him toward where Echo was currently dismounting her horse.
"Is Octavia alive?" Bellamy whispered, pulling my attention back to him.
"Yes." I answered, trying to keep my face neutral as to not alert the Ice Nation of this revelation.
"Speak!" Echo demanded, stopping beside us, her eyes angry.
I pursed my lips, glaring up at her for a moment. "One of our people have moved out of formation." I explained through gritted teeth. "We have reason to belief he is going to attempt to assassinate the king."
Echo's eyes darted toward the cliffs before back to me. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Why do you think she's telling you this?" Bellamy snapped. "She's trying to stop a massacre."
"Who is it?" Kane asked, leaning toward me.
"Riley." I answered.
"Riley?" Bellamy echoed. "He shouldn't even be here."
"Yeah," I breathed, "I think that's what we're all starting to realize."
Echo glared at the two of us before turning and spiting orders at her army. Two men rushed to her side, seemingly ready to head for the cave.
"Wait!" Kane called, stopping Echo and her men from moving any further. "If our snipers see archers on the move, they'll open fire." He then looked to me. "Tell her!"
I gave a small nod, letting out a shaky breath. "Those are our orders."
"I will not allow my king to be assassinated." Echo snarled.
"He doesn't have to be!" Bellamy argued. "I know Riley. Let me come with you. I can stop him."
My head shot toward him in confusion. What the hell was Bellamy doing? Agreeing to go with Echo was a recipe for disaster. But at the same time, I knew it was the only way to potentially ensure Riley's survival.
"Do you think me a fool, Bellamy?"
Bellamy gave a small tilt of his head. "You'd be a dead fool if you step out of this kill box without me."
"Use Avery's radio and let Kane tell them that we're working together to find Riley and they'll let us pass." He bargained.
Echo looked to the man who had taken my radio, giving him a small nod. Wordlessly, he tossed her my radio and in turn she passed it to Kane.
As Kane spoke to David through the walkie, my eyes landed on Bellamy, and I tried to study his face. He gave me the smallest of nods, letting me know he had this under control.
Once the radio was back in her grasp, Echo spat out another order in Trigedasleng, one that resulted in the chains being removed from Bellamy.
She then looked to me, her eyes full of hate. "...And put it on this one." she ordered.
Bellamy's head snapped toward me, and a guilty look covered his face. I sent a quick glare in Echo's direction before looking back to Bellamy with a small smile. "It's okay." I whispered, wincing as the Ice Nation soldiers yanked me from the ground once again. They pulled me to where Bellamy had been held, shoving me to my knees before attaching the chain to my ankle...looked like I wasn't going anywhere.
"If I'm not back before the sun goes past the trees," Echo announced, unsheathing her blade. "Kill the hostages."