We'll Find Him

Clarke walked up and handed me my spear and my map.

She didn't try to touch me. Smart.

"Thank you," I said, and meant it. "Have you looked at it?"

She shook her head. "We'll look tomorrow. If you've really found Mount Weather, that changes everything."

"We did," I said softly. "We were out there a month and a half. You've been down here almost half a year and found nothing. We stumbled right into it."

Her face twisted — a mix of impressed and jealous. She nodded and backed off.

I stared into the fire, rolling John's necklace between my fingers. Two interlocked metal rings. One inside the other. Spinning.

Octavia leaned in. "Where'd you get that?" Her voice was soft, like she already knew the answer.

"It's his," I said. "Family piece. His mom gave it to his dad, his dad gave it to him. He gave it to me."

Octavia's face cracked into this little smile that hurt to look at. "It's beautiful."

"It means 'real love,'" I said, not looking up from the rings. "He said... I was his real love."

O didn't say anything for a second. She just squeezed my hand.

Then she said, "We're going to find him. I promise, Kate."

I nodded, closing my fist around the necklace like it was the only steady thing left on this planet.

Because losing John Murphy was not an option.

Not for me.