Fire And Ashes

Katerina pov:

We returned from the woods to silence.

"Where is everyone?" Octavia asked.

Then we heard it.

"Bellamy! Bellamy! Bellamy!"

We ran — and what I saw stopped my heart.

Murphy.

A noose.

Bellamy, standing beside him.

"STOP!" I screamed, forcing my way through the crowd.

Bellamy looked at me, shaking his head once—then kicked the chair.

"No!"

My scream tore the air apart. Hands held me back.

Then a voice, small but sharp: "It wasn't Murphy! It was me!"

A little girl — Charlotte.

I grabbed Bellamy's axe, swung it high, and cut the rope. Murphy fell hard, gasping, coughing, alive.

"That was stupid, Bell," I said through my teeth, then dropped to Murphy's side.

He looked up at me, eyes wet. "You saved me... again."

I laughed once, broken. "Told you I can't leave you alone."

He coughed blood. I turned, spotting Charlotte.

Before I reached her, Clarke stepped in front.

"Move, princess."

"No," Clarke said.

"The little brat killed Wells," I hissed. "She deserves to pay."

Bellamy appeared, pulling Charlotte behind him with Clarke and Finn at his side.

Rage boiled in my chest.

I turned back to Murphy. He met my eyes.

"They'll pay," he said darkly. "All of them."

I nodded. "Start with the girl."

He smiled. "Already planning to."

They ran into the woods after her. I stayed.

Octavia came up beside me. "He'll be okay."

I nodded, but my fists clenched. "Where's Bellamy?"

"He's gone after them."

"Of course he has."

Octavia touched my shoulder. "You're the only leader left here now."

I shook my head. "I'm no leader. I trust no one — except you."

She smiled faintly. "And I won't turn my back on you. Not like my brother."

Hours passed. The night grew heavy.

When Bellamy finally returned, he was alone.

"Where is he?" I demanded.

His eyes were hollow. "The Grounders took him. He's gone."

My body went cold. "You're lying."

"I'm sorry, Kate. I think he's dead."

The world tilted. I turned away, tears burning down my face.

He reached for me — and I slapped him hard.

"How dare you call me that! You betrayed him! He was your friend!"

Clarke flinched as I pointed at her. "You listened to her. You let them kill him!"

A tear ran down Bellamy's cheek.

"This isn't over," I said, voice shaking with fury. "Not even close."

I left him standing there, went to the tree where Murphy had hung.

Something glinted in the dirt — his knife.

I picked it up, traced the initials with my thumb, and sat down on a fallen stump.

For the first time since the Ark... I cried.

I'd lost the only person who made me feel alive.

And I swore I'd find him — dead or not