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IT SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN FOGGIER and much darker. Physically around them, and also in atmosphere. Thousands of lights shone before them while the Grounders prepared for the execution.
Taylor stood with Clarke and Raven, glancing over at the latter and knew it wasn't the time to deliver Finn's message and gift. Would there ever be a good time?
Tears seemed to have permanently welled in her eyes whenever she looked at her and Clarke had acquired a hardened expression, horror slipping through the cracks every so often.
"What is that?" Raven asked as the Grounders mounted a tall wooden post in the dirt, close enough for everyone to see.
"It's for Finn," Clarke responded in a steady voice, much effort clearly going into that. "They want us to watch."
"We're gonna get him," Bellamy assured, not taking his eyes off of the sight before them. "Get in close enough, him them hard."
Taylor took a deep breath and shook her head, looking him in the eyes and saying all she needed to wordlessly. On the other side of Raven, beside him, Kane reasoned, "Son, there are thousands of them. Even if we could kill hundreds, they'd still wipe out this camp and your friend would still die."
"We have to try," Bellamy responded earnestly, looking almost desperate at that point.
"We can't," Taylor mumbled, while Raven turned to her side to address Abby.
"Abby," she said, the tears audible in her voice. "Abby, we have to do something."
Abby paused and took her time looking up at Raven, sympathy playing on her features.
"No, Raven," she denied softly, shaking her head while she glanced at her.
Taylor looked at the people in front of them numbly, this almost being a worse fate than Finn just being killed in simple combat. Long, drawn out, ceremonial. Their shouts taunted every one of them.
Abruptly, Clarke, Bellamy, and Raven stepped away from the group and fell back further into camp. Taylor followed them in not much of a rush, listening to Clarke maintain to Bellamy that she was going to speak with the Commander.
What she was going to say, she didn't know, but everyone was getting a little desperate. She stopped next to Raven as she called out for Clarke.
"Give me your hand," she told her, holding out her own expectantly. Carefully, Raven slipped a small, sharp blade into Clarke's sleeve. "If she won't let him go, kill her."
Her tearful eyes looked at Clarke with all the seriousness in the world. Clarke gave a tiny nod, her own expression not wavering in the slightest.
