Atlantis

Chapter Ninety-Eight

Faye found Echo returning from the forging party.

"Where is everyone?" Echo asked.

"I'm guessing the tavern." Faye said. "Bellamy..." She saw him sitting alone with his head down. Everyone else was silent.

"What's going on?" Echo asked, looking at Rich.

"Hey." Rich ran his hand up Echo's arm.

"Clarke's dead." Bellamy grabbed Faye and pulled her into a hug. Faye held him tightly and let her tears soak into his jacket.

"So when do we attack?" Faye asked.

"We don't." Bellamy admitted. He sounded defeated. "We do what Clarke would have done. We survive."

Gaia stood and Faye followed her gaze. Madi was walking down the steps.

"Madi, hey..." Faye's voice broke when she saw her daughter. Faye looked back at everyone else, none of them wanted to look up. "Madi, I have something to tell you."

Fay's took her hand and they both sat at the top of the stairs.

Every word made the tears grow stronger. "I'm really, really sorry."

Faye let Madi hold onto her as long as she needed.

Faye knew Madi hadn't been raised like she was. She would let Madi cry for however long she needed, as long as she didn't keep it to herself.

Faye didn't want Madi tearing herself apart from the inside.

- - -

Faye was alone in her room.

Gaia knocked on the door before walking in. "I'm so sorry. But training will help you get through this. Heda?"

Faye stood and Gaia saw the knife in her hand.

"This is your fault." Faye said.

"I know you're upset." Gaia said.

"Upset?" Faye repeated. "They killed her, and now Bellamy says we can't get revenge." Faye gripped the knife tighter when she saw the figure behind Gaia.

"I understand why you might want that, but if revenge leads to war—" Gaia began to say.

"No more lessons." Faye cut her off.

"Do it." Sheidheda said many times, trying to get Faye to kill Gaia.

"Heda, we can get through this together." Gaia said.

"Kill her. It's the only way to get your revenge."

"No." Faye insisted. "As your Commander, you are hereby banished." Faye ordered.

"Heda, think." Gaia pleaded. "I'll have no choice but to obey your command, and you need my help now." She begged.

"I said go..." Fay's yelled. "Now... Before I kill you."

Pained and betrayed, Gaia nodded. She didn't want to leave Faye, knowing she was with Sheidheda now.

"That was weak. A Commander should never—"

"Shof op. I will kill them all. But I don't need your help."

Faye slashed the knife but all struck air. When Sheidheda reappeared, she threw the knife, which landed in the wall.

She went the retrieve the weapon. Sitting alone on the bed, Faye looked at the knife.

After everything she has done, nobody gets to call her weak. Not even someone from her own mind.

Pressing the point if the blade to her stomach, Faye hesitated to go further.

She wasn't weak, but she was being selfish. She had every right to be selfish, but she couldn't do it.

The knife clattered to the ground and the door opened. Bellamy walked in.

She couldn't leave him and Madi. She couldn't leave Wonkru without a Commander.

Leaning into Bellamy, Faye cried until they both fell asleep. Death was no better than revenge. But to her, closure was closure, did it matter how she got it.

***

Sorry this chapter is really short.