His jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, she thought he was going to ignore her. He blames me, she thought. Of course he does. All of this is my fault. But then he let out a long breath, nodded good-bye to Rhodes and Max, and came over to join her.
She braced herself for a blast of anger from him, but he clasped her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. The warmth of his skin, the weight of his arms, unlocked something inside her. All the fear and guilt she’d been desperately holding back came rushing forward, and soon tears were streaming down her cheeks. Once they started, she couldn’t seem to get them to stop.
“Are you okay?” Bellamy whispered in her ear.
Sobs wracked her body, and for a few moments, she couldn’t speak. Could barely breathe. She fell into him and he tightened his hold, stroking her hair.
Finally, she took a step back and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry,” she said hoarsely. “You knew, Bellamy. You knew the whole time and I didn’t listen. I wish there were better words, but all I can say is that I’m sorry. I’m an idiot. I’m—”
“No, Clarke.” Bellamy grabbed her hand. “No. This is not your fault. It’s theirs. Whoever they are.”
She shook her head so viciously it hurt. “I should have trusted you.”
“Yeah.” He shut his eyes briefly and sighed. “Yes, okay, I agree. You should have. But you know what? I’m not sure I would have either, if I’d been in the same position. We’re all just doing the best we can.”
Bellamy drew her in again, pressing his hand against her back, solid and forgiving, even when he had no reason to be.
Clarke rested her cheek against his chest, allowing herself one moment to close her eyes, but when she opened them again and peered up at Bellamy, he was looking out past her at the forest, his brow lined with worry. She could hear his heart thudding too fast.
He wanted to get out of here. To find his brother and sister, and hurt the people who took them. Bellamy didn’t have time for anger. There was only time for action.
All this death, destruction, loss could have been prevented if she’d just done the one thing she’d promised Bellamy to do: to have his back. To be his partner. To listen. But Bellamy was right. It was done. All Clarke could do now was try to be better from this point on.
She pulled softly away, wiped her cheeks with one last sniff, and nodded up at him. “What’s next?”
He pointed toward Max and Rhodes, who were rounding up a few guards and other familiar faces. “We’re about to announce our plan.”
CHAPTER 7
Bellamy
The surviving Colonists and Earthborns clustered around the bonfire, shooting nervous glances toward the woods.
We’re not safe anywhere, Bellamy thought bitterly as he joined Max and the other members of the Council in the center of the crowd. They were one short: An Arcadian woman named Fiona, who’d established herself as a wise and warm presence during her short time on Earth, was now lying in the expanding cemetery.
Max raised his hand and the murmurs died away, leaving an uneasy silence. Bellamy shifted his weight from side to side. Every minute they spent discussing the situation was another minute wasted. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to go now. He had half a mind to head out on his own, but then his eyes traveled across the crowd and landed on the group of children that had all been rescued safely, most of them clinging to Molly, who at thirteen was now the oldest of their group. They were all looking at Bellamy, eyes wide and shining with something that looked strangely more like hope than fear.
They trust me, he realized. They don’t see me as a former criminal who keeps screwing up. They’re counting on me.
Rhodes nodded to Max, stepped forward, and began to speak. The sound of his voice still set Bellamy’s teeth on edge. Though they were on the same side now, it would take more time than a couple of months to undo the bone-deep resentment Bellamy felt toward him. Still, there were more important things to focus on right now… like finding and destroying the bastards who’d taken Wells and Octavia.
“I know that you’re all hoping for answers about what happened to us last night,” Rhodes said. “I’ll start with what we do not know. We do not know who attacked us.”
The crowd grumbled, anxiety rippling through them in a wave.
“But we will find out,” Rhodes cut in, raising a hand to quiet them. “We do not know what their motivation for attacking us was, beyond stealing our supplies. But we will find out.”
His voice was firmer now, and the crowd was with him. Even Bellamy found himself nodding along.
“We do not know why they took our people, but believe me when I tell you that we will find out.” He smiled grimly, an unspoken promise of revenge lingering under his words. The crowd was hushed. “We do not know where they took our people… but we now know how to find out.” Rhodes backed up a step, motioning Bellamy forward. “My fellow Councilor Bellamy Blake led a small scouting party into the forest this morning.”