Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 87: We Did Start The Fire

"We'll go tomorrow night," Clarke says firmly.

Gustus blinks. "I thought you wished to wait for news of the Azgeda gonakru that crossed the border."

"I did," Clarke says, then gestures at him. He's got a few new bruises and burns since yesterday. "But the longer we wait, the more likely it is the guards will start inflicting serious injuries, ones that might make it impossible for you to travel. Besides, Nia should already have heard from the gonakru by now, maybe they've all been killed and can't contact her, or maybe they have contacted her and she's just not telling me. Whatever's happened at the border, it's safer to leave soon." She smiles grimly. "Curiosity killed the cat."

"I see," Gustus says, though he looks confused by the phrase. "I will be ready, then."

"Tomorrow night's best because it's the day Nia sends some of the gona to go get more food each week," Clarke explains quietly. "Most of the remaining ones will be guarding her or Titus. We can block both those groups in by making – well, basically two walls of flame. Roan can take out the rest easily." She smiles thinly. "All I need to do is get the book Titus told me to get tomorrow, set up these things tomorrow night, and then we're gone."

"Well, well," Ontari says, appearing from the shadows suddenly. Too far away to have heard anything, but Gustus and Clarke still both freeze in panic. "Talking to the prisoner, hmm?" Her eyes glitter in cruel amusement. "I knew there had to be some reason you kept disappearing on me." In a sudden, swift move, Ontari darts forward and pushes Clarke roughly against the wall, holding her by the throat. Gustus pushes against the cage door with an angry growl but is forced to watch helplessly.

Black and white spots dance before Clarke's eyes. "Let me go," she chokes.

"No, I think it's time we went to see the Azplana," Ontari says, relaxing her hand a little so that Clarke can breathe again. She smirks. "We can tell her all about what you've been up to. But first..."

She moves forward sharply, and for a second Clarke thinks she's about to hit her, but it turns out to be worse than that. Ontari moves her lips roughly over Clarke's, in a painful, aggressive kiss. Clarke struggles against her grip and Ontari bites down hard on her lower lip. Clarke can taste blood and her mouth feels bruised by the time Ontari pulls away. "Average," she says, licking her lips and tasting Clarke's blood on them. She smirks. "Looks like the Commander didn't teach you much at all."

Gustus makes a rage-filled noise and slams his hands against the bars.

"You'd be surprised," Clarke croaks, and knees Ontari hard in the stomach. Ontari makes a choked, surprised little noise, and Clarke twists away, breaking her hold temporarily.

Clarke backs away, facing Ontari, as she lets out an amused little chuckle. "You wish to fight, Destroyer of the Mountain?" Ontari draws her sword, eyes gleaming. The sword gleams as well, so Clarke can see a waving line down the centre that seems incongruously delicate for a weapon. "Then we fight. It looks like I have that excuse I asked for."

She darts in to slash at Clarke and Clarke moves back even further, just barely evading it. She considers pulling the knife out of her hair, but knows that against a sword it's not going to be much use. She could throw it, but Ontari's fast and good with a sword, Clarke wouldn't be able to kill her like that, not quickly enough that Ontari couldn't avoid it or bat it away with her blade. Lexa could, but Clarke isn't Lexa. Against a sword – what did Lexa tell her to do against a sword if you don't have one as well? Right. Get away, get a weapon. Not very useful advice in this case.

Okay. What should she do? What skills does she have that she can use? Ontari's a better fighter, with a better weapon, and if she wants she can summon lots of back-up as well. Clarke needs some kind of advantage. The only one she can think of is that Ontari doesn't know she has a knife. She needs to get Ontari to let down her guard. What skills does Clarke have? Her main skill – manipulating people using what they want.