Conflate | Bellamy Blake ¹ ✓

✯ | chapter fifteen

❝wanda, if you stay here, you'll die.❞

❝i just did. do you know how it felt?❞

-ultron and wanda maximoff, age of ultron

♛

IT FEELS WRONG TO be standing in front of a table bearing a feast when we just burned Finn's body only a few minutes ago. I have almost no desire to eat due to the memory of the fire still burned behind my eyelids. I see the flicker of flames every time I close my eyes.

We're in some sort of basement in Tondc, where the banquet room feels more like a prison cell. The walls are made of chipping stone and the air smells like rats. However, the faint aroma wafting from the numerous candles on the table helps to solve that problem.

Clarke stands directly across from Lexa, with me across from Gustus and Bellamy beside me. Kane is the last to take his place beside Abby. He holds a gift wrapped in cloth.

"Please accept this gift, Commander," he says. "We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies."

He extends a bottle of alcohol toward Lexa. She nods to Gustus, who takes it and hands it to her. She examines it for a second before speaking. "Thank you, Marcus of the Sky People."

It may be the nicest thing I've ever heard her say.

"You're welcome, Lexa," he replies, "kom Trikru."

I almost - almost - scoff at how ridiculous the words sound coming out of his mouth. He over-exaggerates the roll of their "r's," making the word Trikru sound like Trikaloo.

"Just, ah, don't drink too much of it," Kane hastily adds.

"Clarke, let us drink together," Lexa offers lightly.

"It would be my pleasure," Clarke answers with a small smile. The words sound so formal coming out of her mouth.

A man appears behind Gustus, carrying two small chalices. Gustus takes them, but before the man can leave, Clarke pipes up again. "Uh, could you - could you grab another?"

Lexa tilts her head to the side in silent questioning.

"For Fallon," she clarifies.

I choke, whirling around to face her with my eyes wide as if to say, What the hell? What is she doing? It's clear that Lexa favors her over me, and I don't mind at all. I don't want to be pulled into this mess.

But Lexa jerks her head at the servant, who quickly returns with a third tiny, silver chalice. Gustus analyzes it before passing it to her. She fills all three and hands two over to us. When I take mine and nod in thanks, my hands are shaking. I glance down at the clear liquid inside and beg it doesn't spill.

"Heda, allow me," Gustus says, even though Lexa is already handing him her chalice. It seems even smaller in his gigantic hand. His eyes stay locked on Clarke's as he takes a sip.

Nothing happens.

"Tonight, we celebrate our newfound peace," Lexa announces once he passes the drink back to her. "Tomorrow, we plan our war." She raises the chalice. "To those we've lost. And to those we shall soon find."