Who We Are [Bellamy Blake]

Chapter 33

                An entire day passed, slipped right through; no one came to see Athena other than to give her another tray of food. It seemed that they were no longer willing to waste their strange, mushy, packaged food on her as she refused to touch it the first time, and they sent in a platter of berries, some fruit, mushrooms, and nuts. She picked out the poisonous mushrooms, hoping that some of the Arker’s ate them just in spite, and then began to feast on the small amount of food that they had gotten her. They filled her belly somewhat, but reminded her of how hungry she really was. Downing the cup of water they gave her to wash down the dry but fat-filled nuts, she decided she needed to keep up her strength.

                Whether she was trapped in here for a week, or years, she would need to remain strong. She began doing push ups, to strength her arms, pecs, and back, pulling her leg to her elbow during each down phase of the push up, she also worked her oblique’s and her hip flexors. Staying flexible, strong, nimble and energized was important, but she was working off of very little stamina.

                When the doors opened, it was early afternoon, the sun was still warm and shining bright, but it was beginning to hide behind the tree tops. The weather was getting colder, it was nearing the fall now, but the sun still offered a much desired warmth. Athena herself got a fraction of sunlight each day she was locked away, just enough to warm her skin. Gun fire had sounded only fifteen minutes before they brought him in; a Grounder, like her.

                At first she didn’t recognize him, and worried that she was suddenly and unwillingly thrown into a gladiator pit and was going to have to fight for her life. The mud and blood on his face shrouded his identity, but when he looked up and Athena saw his brilliant blue eyes, she knew it was one of her own. She felt the weight of Kira’s necklace in her pocket and her heart sunk; but at least some of her warriors had made it out alive, rather than charred.

                “Lucifer…” She spoke softly. Would he lash out at her for leaving them? Did he even know that she had slipped out, or had Aslan made sure no one found out where she had gone? She had a million questions, and his slow response made her stomach churn.

                “Athena, you’re alive?” He looked up, startled, their native tongue a strong reminder of who Athena was.

                “Obviously.” She retorted, a bit harsher than she intended. “What are you doing here?”

                “After the slaughter, I went to the commander, she instructed I get some information on these strangers. Things didn’t work out as planned.” He walked up to her, his honey skin showing through the blood and gore on his face, mixed with the black smears around his eyes. “I thought you were back with Aslan.”

                “I decided to stay here.” She said, only evading the full truth. “My work is not done.”

               

                Lucifer began to walk around the perimeter of the room, dragging his fingertips along the edges, searching for weak spots. If anyone could have broken them out it would have been Gendry, but he had died long ago now, so it felt. Every passing day felt like weeks, the terrible events of the past already forgotten, and the dread of upcoming events filled her every inch. To her surprise, Lucifer didn’t know of the events that happened before the attack on the Sky People, and so he was holding no grudge against her for now. It wouldn’t take long before he learned, she was willing to bet on that.