Way into madness

Brand new world

Octavia's POV

The next afternoon

I walk into my quarters after finishing my meal, I have a speech later. I feel nervous about it since people haven't seen me after what happened yesterday. The last time people saw me I was covered in blood and I'd just dropped seven people.

I lay down on my bed to take a short nap, I'm so exhausted. I still feel shocked by the fight that happened last night, it had been so sudden, came out of nowhere. I never wanted to kill those people and I know it will haunt me every day for the rest of my life as I walk by that hallway to the dining room. But if it was what needed to be done to keep my people safe and united, then my own peace of mind was a price I was willing to pay.

I wake up an hour later. Shit. I'm running late. I get up and put on the commander's outfit. I walk in front of my broken mirror and look back at my own reflection. Now seeing myself with the commander's pin on my forehead, the red cloak hanging down on my left side and behind my back, I can't recognize myself. This isn't me.

I tear off the commander's pin and take my hair down from the ponytail. I take off the commander's cloak and replace it with my own armor.

I take my knife from my belt and pull it out of its case. I hold out my left arm and cut into it, blood dripping on the floor. I put the knife away and hold my hand under the trail, letting the blood cover my hand then rubbing my hands together, making sure to spread it on every inch of the insides of my hands.

I hold my hands up in front of my face and spread my fingers wide, trailing them down from my forehead to my jaw, leaving a convincing looking war paint on my face.

I look at myself from the mirror again. This is me. A red-blooded queen. Blodreina.

And this is a brand new world.