virago|c.g.|

xl

"You see anything?"

Clary turned to see Enid approaching, her eyes on the other girl as she guided the horse beneath her closer to Clary. She shook her head, stroking Montu's neck as he stayed in place while Enid and her own horse stopped besides her. "It's been quiet, barely even been any walkers." As Clary looked to Enid, she saw her friend bite the inside of her cheek in thought. "Well, that's a good thing, right?" Enid asked, to which Clary shrugged before twisting the reigns of her horse to turn him around.

Side by side, Clary and Enid kept their horses at a steady pace as they headed back to the front gate. "I'm not sure. I'm just hoping it's not the calm before a storm because, if there is a storm, it'll be the Saviors." Enid nodded in agreement. "Well, let's hope it's not." The girl sighed. "But for now, all you need to worry about is that meeting with Rick. He wanted it to happen around noon."

Clary clenched her jaw, remembering the meeting Rick had called with her to discuss what being the Angel of Death meant for her and her place in Alexandria. Looking up, she saw the sun close to being at the highest point, signifying that Enid was right in that she had to go back. "Carl's worried, you know? He has to ask me how you're doing because you haven't talked to him since you left to take down the Saviors." The girl nodded, knowing the boy was worried about her. "I know he is, but I can't worry him with this. If I start something only for his father to kick me out? That's a whole world of hurt I'm not putting him through." Enid's face softened, not letting her friend know how much hurt Carl already was in as he felt the distance.

As they moved, Clary wondered if Rick would cast her out after everything. It was part of the reason as to why she had been avoiding Carl, terrified of building anything when she was on such thin ice. "Did Rick already take you in to be questioned?" Clary asked to try and deflect the conversation, to which Enid nodded. "Yeah, along with Glenn, Maggie, Carl and Daryl since we're the ones that have been vouching for you since the beginning. It'll be Rick asking the questions, but Michonne, Abraham, Sasha and Father Gabriel are going to be there to listen in and weigh in on the decision."

As they approached the gate, which began to open slowly, Clary let out a sharp breath. "Well, whatever happens, happens. Even if they decide to kick me out, I won't be far, just not here." Before Enid could say anything, they approached the home. Getting off of Montu, she passed the reigns to Enid before the girl gave her one last look and departed to take the horses to the corral. With a deep breath, Clary looked down the street to where Rick's home seem to loom before making her way towards it.

It didn't take her long to reach it, the girl looking towards the door with a clenched jaw. With Clary a deep breath, she calmed herself before walking up the porch steps. One knock was all it took for the door to swing open, revealing Rick. "Good, you actually came." Clary nodded. "You sound surprised," she said, causing the man to look curiously at her. "I've learned to not be surprised by you, Clary." She let out a puff of air that could have been a laugh before he let her in. They made their way to the dining room table, Clary seeing that Enid was right in that Michonne, Abraham, Sasha and Father Gabriel were gathered around. Sasha and Michonne sat at the table while Abraham leaned against the wall behind Sasha and Father Gabriel stood besides the window.

As Clary sat down, Rick sat across from her before leaning back in his seat. He looked at her, noticing that she didn't look nervous or scared or even worried, she looked calm. He wondered if it was an act or some kind of fake confidence to fool either him or perhaps herself. "I hate having to do this, Clary, but you left me no choice. You lied and kept a mighty big secret from us. You have to pay for the things you've done." Clary laughed. "The things I've done? Rick, everything I did, what I became? I did that to survive. What was a crime in the past is now the reason we're able to survive now. Everyone in this room has killed, the only reason this is up for any debate is because I was given a name for it." Rick clenched his jaw, knowing in some part she was correct. "You're an assassin."