𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄─𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞¹ (𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠)

104. death row

When I was returned to lockup, I had been informed that Kane had been sentenced to death. I felt like I was going to be sick even hours later as the rest of us awaited our fate.

"This can't be happening." I muttered, nervously tugging at my fingers as paced back and forth.

"Avery," Kane called, "You need to sit down, you're going to wear yourself out."

I stopped my pacing and turned to look at him, "How are you not freaking out?" I demanded, my voice rising in worry, "He's going to kill you, Kane."

It was Lincoln who answered my question. "We're not giving up." he promised, shooting Kane a comforting nod. But despite Lincoln's optimism, I could tell he was worried. If they were willing to sentence Kane to death, what was going to become of the rest of us?

I let out a defeated sigh, dropping into the empty spot on the bench beside Lincoln. Everyone remained silent as I pushed my hands to my face, a million thoughts running through my mind. We were too far gone, and I really didn't think we could figure out a plan that saw all of us escaping alive.

And then, my mind went to my brother. What would Finn think of all this? Would he find a way to get us all out? Would he reprimand me for even getting involved in the first place. I felt tears brim in my eyes at the thought of him. I wished he was here. I wished he was here to tell me how stupid I was for getting caught, or perhaps how proud he was that I stood up for what was right. But I knew I would never hear any of that. I would never hear my brother's voice again- Pike's speech to me earlier was a dark reminder of that.

My thoughts of my brother were interrupted when footsteps approached lockup. I pulled my head from my hands, quickly wiping the tears from my eyes just in time to see Pike and his men appear in front of the cell door. My eyes quickly found Bellamy, and when they did I noted that he looked just as distraught as before.

I tore my eyes away from him and watched as Kane stood, expecting to be whisked away to his death. However, Pike denied him and instead looked to the rest of us.

"Each of you," he began, his voice carrying across the cell "Is guilty for the same crimes as Kane, and as such, you will share the same fate. Death"

It felt like I had been shot in the stomach as it seemed like the room was spinning. We were going to die.

One of the Grounder women stood, asking something in Trigedsleng. Lincoln stood as well, putting out a hand to calm her.

He then approached the cell door, and Sinclair and I both stood as well. My heart thudded in my chest, my knees weak beneath me as I listened to Lincoln explain that his people were innocent in all of this. And he was right, they were. They did not deserve to die here.

Bellamy, surprisingly piped in from behind Pike, "Lincoln's right Sir. All they did was run through an open door, same as we would have if we were in there."

My eyes flickered to his for a brief moment, he met my gaze, his eyes steady.

Pike thought for a moment, his eyes scouting the Grounders for a moment before he nodded, "I believe that to be true."

His eyes remained locked on Lincoln the entire time, "Kane, Sinclair, Lincoln and Avery, as the leaders of this coup, you will pay for your crimes with your lives."

It felt like the air had been knocked out of me. I was going to die. This time there was no getting out of it.

"Sir!" Bellamy argued, his eyes ablaze, "Avery wasn't a leader in this, she wasn't even-"

"Your girlfriend," Pike announced, cutting Bellamy off with force, "Has had much more of a role to play in this than she would like you to think." he shot back.