by Kass Morgan
Clarke let out a short laugh. “Unfortunately he’s right, though. Shall we?”
They made a quiet procession, considering how many of them there were, but the air around the entire group was charged with relief and hope.
Luke glanced around, eyes wide. “Where did all these people come from?”
“All over,” Glass said, her glance landing back on Anna and Octavia, walking along with a number of other girls from the dormitories. “Some were taken from their homes, like we were, and dragged here. Some are Colonists from a dropship that went off course and crashed.”
“What?” Luke’s head whipped around. “Anyone you know?” She knew he was thinking of all the friends he left behind on Walden to accompany Glass to Earth.
“No, but I haven’t had a chance to meet everyone yet.”
He swiveled his head from side to side, then let out a quiet sigh when he didn’t spot anyone he recognized.
They walked in silence around the curve of the river bend. As they went, they saw one last Protector stare after them with empty eyes.
Ahead of her, Wells shuddered to a stop.
“Do you know him?” Glass asked.
Wells nodded. “He was my trainer. Oak.”
After a long moment, Oak turned and limped back toward the Stone.
“They’ll regroup,” Luke said, his voice tight. “We should expect a skirmish as soon as we start back west—”
“I doubt it,” Glass cut in quietly. “They don’t have anyone commanding them anymore. It’ll take them longer than a few hours to figure out how to start thinking for themselves. They’ll have to find their way back to other groups of Protectors, and there aren’t any other settlements near here, at least not from what I’d gathered. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about them again.” She paused, thinking about everything they’d just experienced. “The explosions. Were those you?”
Luke grinned. Then his brow furrowed. “It wasn’t my neatest work. We only had an hour to plant the explosives and I never got a clear look at the foundations…”
“You saved all these people, Luke,” Glass said, squeezing his arm.
“I’m glad. But honestly…?” He pulled her closer. “There was only one person I was thinking about saving. I didn’t expect it to do that much damage, Glass. If you hadn’t come out of there all right… I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Don’t think about that,” Glass said quickly, pushing a curly lock of hair out of his eyes. “You did what you had to do. Now just… look forward.”
Luke’s gaze was distant as his mind worked. Glass’s heart swelled at the familiar look. It felt so good to be back by his side.
“Let’s head toward the woods at the next bend in the river and set up a camp with a well-guarded perimeter. Light a fire, get these people warm.”
Glass smiled in approval, but Luke was still thinking.
“And then we can head west, back to our camp tomorrow.” He shook his head, his eyes landing on hers. “But what about the rest of them?”
“They’ll go back to their own homes, I guess. Or make new ones.” She took his hand and lifted it to her lips. “You’ve given them that chance.”
Luke motioned to Wells, up ahead, and Wells nodded briskly, veering west.
As they reached the bend, Glass realized she didn’t have a clear picture of what they were even going home to. Had it been destroyed completely or had her people fought back? Either way, there would be some rebuilding ahead. And she would do what she could to help. She’d make this world her home.
Glass stood on the riverbank and peered up at the morning sky, searching in vain for a tiny speck of light, the place where they used to live.
Thank you, she silently called out, her eyes blurring and spilling over. I made it, Mom. I’m still here. I still exist. And I’ll never stop saying thank you.
CHAPTER 31
Bellamy
They needed to chop wood for the bonfire and hunt dinner to feed their friends and their new allies, but as far as Bellamy was concerned, all that could wait—because his little sister was telling him about her girlfriend.
“She’s from Walden, maybe you knew her. I didn’t, but it seems like we’ve known each other, like, forever…” Octavia blushed to almost the color of her hair ribbon. “She’s just ridiculously funny. I mean, even with everything that was going on, she could always find something to make me laugh…”
Bellamy couldn’t stop grinning, and it wasn’t just because of Octavia’s enthusiasm. It was the simple fact that she was here, standing in front of him, safe and sound and acting like the only thing that happened this past week was meeting Anna.
Everything that Octavia had faced over her lifetime would have broken a weaker person. But Bellamy’s sister was as resilient as steel. As ever, his pride for her verged on awe. He shook his head slightly, listening to her go on.
“And she’s got a serious knack for invention! Her brain is incredible, I’m telling you. She was training to work on the plumbing systems back on the ship, but she’s helping Luke make torches right now and I was thinking if those two get to talking, back at camp, she could make a real contribution to… What?”
Octavia put her hands on her hips. She’d finally noticed Bellamy’s amused expression—but was reading it completely wrong.
Bellamy laughed, arms wide. “I’m sold! Your girlfriend is clearly brilliant and wonderful and you are even more clearly crazy about her.”
Octavia bit her lip, looking at her feet. “I don’t know if she’s my girlfriend exactly.”
Bellamy raised an eyebrow. “Still want to play the field?”
Her smile crept upward. “No, I just haven’t asked her.”
“So ask her now,” he said, nudging her shoulder. “Seriously, go do it. Right this second. Nothing’s guaranteed down here, O. We have to seize the chances we’ve got.”
She drew a giddy breath. “I really think you’re going to like her.”
Bellamy had never seen Octavia look more nervous. He pulled her into a hug and said, “Of course I’ll like her.”
Octavia peered up at him, eyes glittering; then she darted off across the small sandy inlet to find Anna. As Bellamy watched her go, his eyes drifted over the makeshift campsite and landed on Clarke.
She was kneeling beside the bonfire, tending to one of the escapees who’d been injured by falling debris. She looked so determined, so capable, so caring, that Bellamy’s breath caught in his chest.
And right then, he knew beyond certainty that the only future worth living was one with her in it.
Wells came in from the forest, hauling branches for the fire. Bellamy shook himself out of his reverie and strode over to him. “Could you use any help?”
Wells wiped his forehead, heaving a breath. “I think we’re good on wood for now, but we’ll need to prepare one of Bellamy’s kills for dinner. Or… all of his kills,” he said, glancing around at the crowd.
Bellamy shrugged, smiling. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out as we go.”
“It’s worked out so far, hasn’t it?” Wells said, attempting an exhausted smile.
“Hell, yeah,” Bellamy said, clapping a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “You managed to rally all those recruits and saved… how many people? Forty?”
“Fifty-four,” Wells said quietly. He scratched his cheek. “I took a quick tally.”
Bellamy nodded. “That’s a whole lot of people who got out, thanks to you.”
“Thanks to both of us,” Wells said, patting Bellamy on the back. His face turned grave, and pain flickered in his eyes.
“What happened?” Bellamy asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Graham didn’t make it,” Wells said.
“They… they killed him?” Bellamy said hoarsely. There’d been a point where he’d wanted to kill Graham himself, but that felt like a lifetime ago. Graham had worked hard to become a helpful member of their new community, and the thought of his lifeless body somewhere
still in that godforsaken fortress sent a surprisingly sharp stab of pain through his chest.
Wells took a deep breath. “He… he sacrificed himself to save the rest of us. He died doing something far more heroic and brave than anything I could’ve done.”
They both fell silent for a long moment as they turned and looked over the scattered crowd. Some were clustered around the fire, soaking up the heat. Others were hard at work preparing for the road and the journey ahead of them. A few milled around the forest, looking shocked that they were able to walk around freely.
“I wonder where they’re all going to go,” Wells said.
Bellamy shrugged. “My guess would be… wherever you go.”
Wells’s eyes clouded, more thoughtful than worried. “That would be all right, wouldn’t it? If they came back with us?”
“The more the merrier, as far as I’m concerned,” Bellamy said. “But I think it’s your call to make.”
Wells shook his head. “You’re the Councilor, not me. You should be the one to decide.”
It’d mean more mouths to feed, bodies to shelter. But what the hell? This planet was big enough for all of them. He’d just have to make sure some of them actually knew how to hunt.
Clarke was standing by the fire now, dusting off her hands. He strode over to her.
“How are they doing?” he asked Clarke, gesturing to the patients.
“Okay, I think. Anxious to get going. I think we’ll all feel better once we’ve put more distance between us and…” She nodded nervously to the southeast.
Bellamy’s shoulders tensed. Following the river had already taken them several miles away from the Protectors’ fortress, but he agreed. The sooner they could get back to their own camp, the better.
“We have torches!” Octavia shouted, running in from the forest with the famous Anna trailing behind her, grinning, their arms full of mossy branches wrapped in wet cloth.
“Okay, so I do realize it’s still light out,” Anna said drily, blinking up at the cloudy morning sky. “But I thought these would be helpful once we make camp for the night, since not everyone is going to be able to sleep around that.” She motioned to the bonfire, sending nearly all the torches tumbling out of her arms. Bellamy stooped to help her gather them back up. “Gah! Coordination. Not my strong suit.”
Bellamy laughed. He liked her already.
Octavia went very red and then blurted, “So, Bellamy. I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Anna.”
Bellamy grinned and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Anna. I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
Octavia took Anna’s hand and intertwined their fingers. “I can’t wait to bring you home.”
The word home resounded like a chime in Bellamy’s chest. Despite the journey ahead of them, he somehow felt as though he was already there. Home was wherever your family was. And for the first time in a week, they were all back together. His sister was safe and happy. His brother was alive and acting more like himself than he had in a month. And Clarke…
Bellamy smiled slowly over at her, realizing he’d included her as a family member.
Then his heart started to beat, louder and louder, more and more certain.
This is what family means. The people you fight for. The people you can’t live without. Bellamy peered out over the road ahead with dawning exhilaration.
There’s something I have to do.
CHAPTER 32
Wells
They were feverish, they were muddy, they were exhausted… but there it was: the split tree that marked the path into camp.
After two days’ hard travel from the Stone, they were home.
However they did this, he wanted to make it quick. Everyone needed a fire and a meal and a good rest. Wells hoped that they’d be able to find those things here, that they weren’t about to walk into even more chaos and destruction.
Behind him, Kit and Jessa and the other Earthborns let out a happy shout, realizing where they were. Wells grinned too, but quickly raised a hand.
“We should wait here, send an advance party,” Wells called out. “Our camp will be on edge after everything that’s happened, and not everybody here is a familiar face.”
His eyes drifted over the crowd; more than half of them were total strangers to the people in their camp. Along the way, some of the escapees had veered off to go in search of their own homes, wanting to reclaim the places that had been stolen from them. Others had wanted to start fresh, and had joined their journey here.
But regardless of where they’d gone, all of the escapees were fueled by defiance and bright hope. From the ashes of the Stone, a new community had emerged, reshaped in a way the Protectors never could have imagined.
Wells drew a breath, thinking. Then he pointed to people in the crowd: an Earthborn, a rescue party member, and a new face.
“Kit, Clarke… and Cob. Come with me.”
Kit and Clarke both strode forward purposefully, but Cob glanced around as if confused.
Wells smiled encouragingly, waving him over. “Once they meet you, they won’t be worried about strangers anymore.”
The younger boy grinned and hurried to join them, while the others settled in to wait behind.
Then, united as one, the four of them strode toward the camp.
A crashing sound echoed in the near distance and Cob let out a yelp. Wells glanced over at him and realized that Cob’s ankle was wrapped around a trip wire. It must have caused that noise, sounded some sort of alarm.
“It’s okay,” Wells said to the boy as a line of Colonist guards crashed through the bushes, shouting for them to get on their knees.
They all raised their hands and obeyed, falling into the wet dirt just as one of the guards yelled, “Clarke! Wells! I can’t believe it… you made it! You freaking made it!”
Clarke peered up with a smile, exhaling slowly. “Willa. It’s so good to see you!”
Willa offered Clarke a hand up, and the other six lowered their guns, glancing around at one another with their eyes igniting.
“Just the four of you?” one of them asked.
“We’ve left a slightly bigger crowd a half mile back,” Wells said. “It’s all of our captives, our rescuers… and then some.”
The guards exchanged a wary look.
“Take us to the Council,” Wells ordered. “They can decide what we’ll do next… if we’ll welcome in these new friends.”
Willa shot him an appraising look, and shrugged. “That sounds fine to me.” She turned to lead the way. The other guards glanced at one another, then followed after her.
“You’ve got this,” Kit whispered as they started into camp. Wells glanced at him, surprised. Kit smiled. “If you could convince a bunch of terrified cult members to start a rebellion, I think you can talk our people into taking in a few refugees.”
“I hope you’re right,” Wells said, bracing himself as they came upon the first sight of the camp.
It wasn’t pretty, but there were also signs of hope. A deer was roasting over a cooking fire on one side of the camp, while men and women were hard at work rebuilding log cabins on the other. The infirmary was still intact, a comforting line of smoke rising upward from its chimney.
Clarke’s step quickened at the sight of it. He knew she couldn’t wait to get to her parents.
“Go ahead,” he told her. She grinned and sprinted toward it, her long hair flying behind her.
Kit veered off too, rushing to greet some Earthborn friends who were teaching a group of Colonists how to grind grain for bread.
That left Wells and Cob and the guards headed to the camp’s central bonfire, where two men stood in stooped conversation.
Rhodes was the first to turn, then Max. The Earthborn leader’s face went from shocked to joyous in a single blink. Before Wells could get a word out, Max crossed the space between them with his arms wide open, gathering Wells in a tight hug, a sob bursting out of his throat.
“My boy,” he said, bringing tears to
Wells’s eyes. “You made it. I hoped, but I didn’t know…” He drew back, beaming. Then he nodded, proudly. “You made it home.”
“Not all of us made it,” Wells said, swallowing down a lump in his throat. “We… we lost Graham.” He winced, imagining the look on Lila’s face when he told her. Although she played it cool, Wells knew she’d started to develop real feelings for Graham over the past few weeks.
“I brought others too,” Wells said. “Some are Colonists, believe it or not, from a dropship that landed to the south of here. And some”—he motioned to Cob—“are new friends altogether.”
Behind Max, Rhodes raised his eyebrows, disbelief apparent on his face. “New…? How many?”
“Fifty-four at last count, though a few people left in search of their former homes. And I’ll vouch for our new friends myself… they’re good people.”
Max and Rhodes exchanged a look. Then Rhodes nodded.
“If you trust them, we trust them,” Rhodes said. “And we could certainly use all the help we can get in rebuilding for the winter. Bring them in. Were you followed?” he asked, glancing at the guards. “Do we need to establish a perimeter?”
“No more than you’re doing, I think,” Wells said. “Between our uprising and everything your search party managed to do, I don’t think we’ll need to worry about the Protectors again.”
“They call themselves Protectors?” Max asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Villains always think they’re the heroes,” Rhodes said with a strained, sad smile. Then he turned to Wells, brightening. “What do you need from us next?”
“The basics,” Wells said quickly. “Food, water, rest, medical help.”
Rhodes nodded and reached out to shake Wells’s hand.
“Welcome back… Councilor Jaha.”
CHAPTER 33
Clarke
“Spiraea tomentosa,” Clarke’s mother said softly, pressing a nondescript green leaf against the flat of her own hand. “That’s my closest guess. A tea made from this one helps stomach upset, according to the book.”
