Our People (the Third Book of the Her Weakness series)

Chapter 30

Lexa's POV

It takes a shorter amount of time than usual to get ready to go. Clarke's frustration seems to have made her friends work faster. The horses seem to pick up on our want to get to Polis, and canter most of the way.

I ride alongside Clarke again with Nix in front of us. Almost the entire ride, I am watching Clarke from the corner of my eyes. She always knows when I am looking at her and she decides to torture me further by taking her bottom lip between her teeth. I shift on Malachi, recalling biting her lip this morning. She releases her lip and smirks. Even if we have not made love until recently, by now Clarke knows what she does to me.

The ride seems to take forever while I ache for Clarke's touch. I let out a relieved breath when I see the gates of Polis. Clarke looks over at me and I remember my promise that she would love Polis. I mentally scold myself for my distraction and take a moment to calm my body enough so I can ignore my desire.

The warriors guarding the entrance immediately yell, "Heda!" as the gates creak open.

I get down from Malachi and the others do so as well. The Polis guards wordlessly take the reins of the horses, nodding in respect to me and Clarke.

I walk into Polis with Clarke next to me, smiling. It has been too long since I have last been here.

"This is Polis." I murmur, gesturing.

Clarke turns her loving gaze away from me and gasps. "It's so big. Is that a skyscraper?"

"It is the largest city. The first Commander landed near here and it has since become the capitol of the clans. I assume you mean the tower when you said skyscraper, yes?" I wait for Clarke to nod and confirm before I continue. "That tower has withstood the past century. It is now the tower of the Commander. It is where the meeting will take place."

"Do you have a throne in there?" Raven asks, but I think she is being sarcastic.

"Yes."

Raven gapes. "Shit. Sometimes I forget how powerful you are. You're like the Queen of your people."

I frown, "I suppose so. However, from my understanding Queens inherit the throne from their parents. I was chosen by the spirits."

"You're the Chosen One?" Raven questions, nudging Octavia. They seem amused by something.

"I could be considered so." I answer.

Clarke takes my hand and gives our friends a look that makes them immediately stop laughing.

"Are we going to be staying in your tower?" Clarke asks.

"Yes. I sent a messenger ahead and there should be rooms prepared for you all." I say as I begin walking, leading them through the streets of Polis.

It is midday, the busiest time of day, and people call out their greetings to me. I respond to as many as I can, using the names of those I can remember.

"Wait. Hold up. Does that mean we're sleeping in the tower too?" Octavia's eyes are wide when I look briefly back at her.

"As long as you would like to, yes. If you would rather sleep elsewhere, there are good hotels that will give you a good rate."

"I would so give you a hug right now if I didn't have a badass reputation to keep up." Raven sniffs and I turn and am surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Raven, we all know you're a softy underneath your tough exterior." Octavia teases.

"Well so are you!" Raven retorts.

"You love it." Octavia says and Raven has no response to that.

Clarke notices as well and decides to spare Raven the shyness of the silence. "Raven's reputation is her ability to blow things up."

I nod, "it is true. We do not have many words for such things in Trigedasleng, but some call you faya raunon, which translates to fire person."

Raven grins, "that's awesome. Hear that, O? The Grounders gave me a cool nickname."

"They call her plangona." Clarke says and I raise an eyebrow. I did not expect her to know that. "What? I listen. It means warrior woman."

"You're the new Xena." Raven laughs.

"What is this Xena?" I question.

"I'll tell you later. If you're still awake, of course."

I do not understand how Clarke can turn a simple sentence into something that makes my heart pound.

"Very well. However you may not be able to stay awake either. Come, the tower is not much farther."