The waiting was only making Lily's anxiety worse. They had been lying there for God only knew how long. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours—Lily couldn't tell. And she found the cover around them getting smaller and smaller.
She wondered how she had lived in a spaceship all her life, since now she felt absolutely crushed by that cover. But maybe it was everything outside that crushed her: the Grounders, the acid fog, the death that kept following them no matter what they did—or didn't do.
She was tired… tired and scared. And she didn't want to give up, but it felt like the end was getting closer every day and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Stay focused, Lily, she scolded herself. She couldn't be a burden to the others.
"How long are we supposed to wait?" Jasper asked anxiously, but there was no answer to that. Last time, they had to wait an entire night before the fog disappeared.
"Will this even work?" Monroe whispered, turning to Finn.
"We'll find out," the boy answered, weary.
For now, it seemed to hold. Lily wasn't feeling any pain in her body—no burns, no reddened skin. That had to be a good sign. But then, suddenly, she felt Bellamy shift beside her.
"No," he said nervously. "We won't."
Then, before Lily could grab his wrist, he moved the cover and stepped outside.
"Bellamy!" she called, her body following him before she could realize what she was doing. But as she looked outside, a confused frown appeared on her face.
"What…?" she muttered.
"There's no fog," Bellamy explained to the others.
That couldn't be possible... If not for the fog, then what was the horn about? she wondered as she stood up like everyone else. But that had to be the reason why the Grounders had left so abruptly.
"Maybe it was a false alarm," Finn guessed, just as confused.
"How could someone mistake that fog?" she asked, sharing a look with the boy. They both knew something strange was going on.
Then, suddenly, a rustling noise made them all turn toward the woods, noticing a tall, dark figure running deep into the forest.
"They're coming back," Bellamy said, one of his hands moving to the axe hanging at his side.
"He's alone..." Jasper noted, confused.
"And running in another direction," Lily added, her eyes lifting to glance at Bellamy.
There was something very strange about all of this. Why not charge at them like before? Especially if the fog was nowhere to be seen. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or more afraid. What was that Grounder running from?
"Now can we run?" Monroe asked, her eyes fixed on the Grounder.
"He doesn't see us," Bellamy said, realization in his voice. "I'm going after him."
Lily's eyes widened as her hand shot forward to grab his arm, trying to stop him from moving.
"Or maybe he knows and he wants you to follow him!" Lily said, panic rising in her voice. They had miraculously survived—shouldn't they just go back to where it was safe?
"My sister is out there," Bellamy argued. "I won't let him leave like that."
"And what do you want to do?" Finn asked, confused. "Kill him?"
Bellamy turned to him with a shake of his head.
"No. Catch him," he said. "And make him tell me where Octavia is."
Lily looked down, letting out a shaky breath. For a moment, she wished they could just turn back. But as soon as the thought came, she felt guilty. Her fear had made her forget about Octavia—and realizing that brought shame.
"And then kill him," Bellamy finished, before getting up and starting to make his way toward where the Grounder had run.
Lily watched his back; he really was going to kill him. And she didn't know how to feel about that. But on the other hand, the Grounders hadn't thought twice about killing them—first Jasper, then Mbege, Roma, and Digg... Could they really afford not to consider killing as an option?
"Come on, Lily," Finn said gently, reaching out his hand to help her up. "I don't think he's going to wait for us."
Lily nodded, taking his hand and standing up.
"How do we know this isn't another trap?" Jasper asked, moving closer to the two of them.
"We don't…" Finn answered honestly, sharing a glance with both Lily and Jasper. They all knew it was possible—highly possible—that this was exactly what the Grounders wanted. But could they stop?
"Let's go," Lily said, holding her knife tighter as she started to follow where Bellamy had gone.
They walked through the forest in silence, following the Grounder's trail. At first, the path was rough but still lit by the last pale rays of the day, thin lines of light filtering through the trees. Lily kept her eyes fixed ahead, watching the way the Grounder moved—fast, purposeful, never once glancing back. He didn't know they were there. At least, that's what she told herself.
As they went deeper, the light faded completely. The sky darkened, and night fell around them like a curtain, heavy and suffocating. Shadows stretched between the trees, twisting into shapes that made Lily's heart jump. Every step felt too loud, every snapped branch a warning she couldn't ignore.
They kept going anyway—quiet and tense. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the distant rustle of wind through the branches. Lily's fingers tightened around the handle of her knife. Her mind kept racing, searching for signs she might have missed.
No one spoke. No one dared to. They just followed.
Followed the dark shape moving swiftly ahead of them, slipping between trees with practiced ease.
Followed, even as Lily's fear whispered that this was exactly how traps were set.
And then, suddenly, the Grounder slowed—only for a moment—before disappearing into the shadows of a rocky hill. Lily's breath caught as she saw it: a narrow opening carved into the stone.
A cave.
Her stomach twisted.
"What do we do?" Lily asked, looking up at Bellamy. He seemed to think about it for a moment, but the resolution in his eyes told her everything she needed to know even before he spoke.
"We follow him," he said, his gaze fixed on the dark entrance of the cave.
"Should someone stay outside?" Finn whispered. "In case it's a trap?"
"Maybe we should stick together, then," Jasper said, trying to keep his voice steady. Lily didn't know what to think. Both ideas felt right and wrong at the same time, and all she could hope was that whatever they decided, no one would get hurt—and that they would bring Octavia back to camp.
"Let's go together," Bellamy decided. "We need numbers."
Numbers… Lily thought, tightening her grip on her knife as they followed him toward the cave.
The tunnel was narrow, damp, and swallowed in darkness, its walls slick with moisture and the ground uneven beneath their feet. They couldn't light the torches—not if they wanted to stay hidden—so they moved slowly, carefully, each step measured to avoid slipping on the wet stone. Bellamy and Finn led the group, silent and focused, while Lily stayed close behind, her heart pounding as every sound seemed too loud in the confined space.
As they descended deeper, a faint metallic sound echoed through the cave, soft but unmistakable. The clinking of chains. Lily froze, her fingers tightening around the knife as she fought to control her breathing, terrified of making even the slightest noise. Bellamy moved ahead first, peering into the darkness beyond the bend, and then they heard it—a weak, familiar voice.
"Bellamy?"
Relief flooded her chest as Bellamy answered immediately, his voice breaking. "Octavia." He rushed forward, and Lily followed just in time to see him kneel beside his sister, gathering a fallen key from the ground and freeing her from the chains with shaking hands. Only then did Lily realize she had been holding her breath, finally releasing it as Octavia collapsed into her brother's arms. It was in that moment that Lily noticed the unconscious Grounder lying a short distance away from where Octavia had been bound.
"Monroe," Bellamy said quickly, "check the entrance."
As soon as Octavia was free, she clung to Bellamy, and Lily exchanged a relieved smile with Jasper while Bellamy whispered reassurances to his sister. When he finally let her go, Octavia limped toward Jasper and hugged him too, smiling despite everything. Lily met Bellamy's eyes, and for a brief second they shared a quiet, grateful smile before Lily moved closer to Octavia.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her gaze drawn to the cut on Octavia's forehead.
"I'm fine," Octavia replied with a small smile. "It's just a scratch." Then she looked back at her brother. "How did you find me?"
Bellamy glanced toward the unconscious Grounder. "We followed him."
"We should go," Octavia said, her voice urgent. "Before he wakes up."
Lily saw something dark shift in Bellamy's expression as he stepped away, picking up a heavy piece of wood from the ground.
"He's not gonna wake up."
Lily gasped and rushed toward him. "Bellamy—"
"He didn't hurt me," Octavia said, stepping in as well. "Let's just go."
But Bellamy didn't seem to hear either of them. "They started it," he said harshly. "Finn, move."
Only then did Lily notice Finn kneeling beside the Grounder, hesitation written all over his face.
"Please, Bellamy," Lily begged, stepping in front of him. "You don't have to do this."
"After everything they've done?!" he snapped back.
"Foghorn," Finn whispered.
Lily barely had time to turn before the Grounder sprang awake and stabbed Finn in the side.
"Finn!" Lily screamed, dropping to the ground beside him along with Octavia and Jasper, while Bellamy and the Grounder collided violently nearby.
Lily barely had time to turn before the Grounder sprang awake and drove a knife into Finn's side.
"Finn!" she screamed as he collapsed to the ground, the blade still buried in his flesh. She dropped beside him, her hands reaching for his face instead of the wound—she knew better than to touch the knife. Her fingers cupped his cheeks as she tried to keep his gaze locked on hers, her voice trembling.
"Don't close your eyes," she pleaded, her breaths quick and shallow. "Please, Finn, look at me. You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine."
Octavia and Jasper crouched on either side of her, trying to help, but the air in the cave had shifted—panic and chaos coiling around them as, only a few feet away, Bellamy and the Grounder wrestled violently in the dark.
Lily glanced up and saw Bellamy thrown hard against the ground, the breath knocked from his chest. The Grounder loomed over him, his body heaving, blood streaked down the side of his face. In his hands, he held a sharpened wooden spear, and in one smooth, brutal movement, he brought it down—pressing the tip firmly against Bellamy's throat.
"No, no!" Lily cried, her voice breaking as tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Stop!" Octavia's scream echoed through the cavern. "That's my brother!"
But the Grounder didn't move. The spear hovered at Bellamy's jugular, so close that Lily could see the tremble in Bellamy's arms as he tried to push it away. His face was pale, scratched and smeared with blood, chest rising in short, desperate breaths. His eyes found hers for a split second—and for that one terrifying moment, Lily was sure it was the last time she'd see him alive.
Then—crack!—Jasper swung a rock into the side of the Grounder's skull. The impact sent him crumpling to the floor, unconscious once again.
Everyone froze. Then Lily let out a shaking breath she hadn't even known she was holding, a sob escaping her lips as she stared at Bellamy, still lying on the ground, stunned but alive.
He turned his head slowly and met her gaze again. They stared at each other through the dark, through the panic and exhaustion, and she couldn't stop the tears from rising in her eyes. He was alive.
Then Finn groaned.
The moment shattered. Lily turned sharply, just in time to see his eyes beginning to close.
"Finn, don't close your eyes!" she shouted, holding his head more firmly, her thumbs brushing his temples as panic flared again in her chest. "Stay with me. You hear me? Stay with me."
She looked up at Bellamy, her voice raw and desperate.
"We have to go back," she said as tears steamed down her face, "We need Clarke."
"Will he make it?" Octavia asked from beside her, and Lily shook her head.
"I… I don't know…" she whispered, her voice trembling like her hands. "But he'll die here."
Bellamy didn't waste a second. He stepped closer, urgency in every movement.
"I'll pick him up—come on!"
"Shouldn't we take the knife out?" Jasper asked, eyes wide with fear.
"No," Bellamy snapped. "Leave it there."
"But—"
"Help me pick him up!" he shouted, and Jasper hurried forward, helping to lift Finn just enough for Bellamy to get his arms under him.
Lily stood frozen for a moment as she watched them hoist Finn's limp body. Her hands were still trembling, her legs weak beneath her. For a second, she was afraid that if she moved, she might collapse entirely. But she couldn't afford to hesitate. She couldn't be the one to slow them down—not now. Finn didn't have much time. They had to get back to the dropship.
Finn could die…
The thought hit her harder than she expected, as if only now, seeing Bellamy carry him toward the exit, it became real. As she followed, her eyes caught a glimpse of Finn's face, and her heart stuttered. His skin was so pale it terrified her.
Could he make it home?
She forced herself to look away, to focus on the path ahead—but her gaze fell on the unconscious Grounder lying in the shadows of the cave.
It was his fault. He had taken Octavia, chained her, held her here like an animal. His people had attacked them, murdered their friends only hours ago. And yet… she had stopped Bellamy.
Why?
Why did I try to protect him?
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes as she moved, following the others up the slick, rocky path toward the exit.
I'm so stupid, she thought. If that Grounder were dead, Finn wouldn't be hurt. We wouldn't be running through the dark praying he survives.
The guilt followed her as they ran through the forest, clinging to her thoughts no matter how fast she moved. Branches scratched at her arms, roots threatened to trip her with every step, but all Lily could see was Finn—his head lolling slightly in Bellamy's arms, his face growing paler by the second. Fear coiled tight in her chest, sharp and relentless. He's dying, she thought, panic rising again. What if we're too late?
And still, the thought she hated most refused to leave her.
She didn't want to kill people. She never had. She hated the Ark for that—for its cold laws, for the way it decided who lived and who died behind the word order. She hated how the Council called it justice, how they wrapped cruelty in logic and called it necessary. She had sworn she would never think like them, never accept that kind of reasoning.
And yet… here she was.
The Grounders weren't hesitating. They weren't debating ethics or consequences. They attacked, they killed, they moved on. Jasper had been speared. Mbege, Roma, Digg—gone. And now Finn was bleeding out in Bellamy's arms. How many more would it take before she admitted that refusing to act didn't make her better—just slower?
Why can't I be more aggressive? she wondered bitterly. Why do I always stop?
The thought scared her. Not just because she was questioning herself—but because, for the first time, she was truly considering it. Considering killing someone to protect the people she cared about. And that terrified her, because it felt like standing on the edge of something she couldn't come back from.
And still, she refused to believe it was the same. On the Ark, they killed to maintain control, to preserve a system that had already failed. Here, they were just trying to survive. Trying to protect each other. And yet… the line felt dangerously thin.
I hate their system, she thought fiercely. I won't become like them.
But even as she thought it, doubt gnawed at her. What if surviving means changing anyway?
Ahead, the forest began to open, and the faint glow of the camp lights broke through the darkness. Relief crashed over her so suddenly it almost knocked the breath from her lungs. They were close—so close.
Ahead, the trees began to thin. The forest opened into the familiar clearing of the camp, and light—real, golden morning light—washed over them like a slap. The sky was streaked with soft oranges and pale blues, the sun peeking through the treetops after what had felt like the longest night of her life.
Lily's lungs burned, her legs were numb, and her arms shook with exhaustion, but still she ran.
They had made it.
Then Octavia, pushing ahead despite her limp, screamed into the quiet camp with all the strength she had left.
"Clarke! Clarke!"
Her voice cut through the dawn, sharp and desperate. Heads turned, footsteps pounded against the packed dirt as people ran toward them. Somewhere, someone shouted for help.
And Lily—her chest tight, her eyes burning, her body aching in every possible way—could only pray they weren't too late.
Lily, Octavia, Jasper, and Monroe were the first to cross into the clearing. The camp had started to stir in the morning light, but their sudden arrival, breathless and frantic, immediately caught attention. Before anyone could ask questions, Clarke came running toward them, her brow furrowed, her voice sharp with concern.
"I'm here! What's up?"
They didn't even have time to answer. Clarke's eyes had already shifted past them—her expression snapping into horror the moment she saw Bellamy emerge behind them, carrying Finn limp in his arms.
"Finn? Finn!" she gasped, rushing past the group. She reached them in seconds and froze as she saw the blood, the handle of the knife still lodged deep in his side. "Oh my god…" she breathed, but her hands were already moving, two fingers pressing to the side of his neck.
Lily felt her heart pounding painfully in her chest. At some point during the night, Finn had lost consciousness—and he hadn't woken up since. She had tried not to think the worst, but standing there, watching Clarke search for a pulse, she couldn't stop herself from holding her breath.
"He's alive," Clarke said finally.
The words hit Lily like a rush of air to drowning lungs. Her breath left her in a trembling exhale, and for the first time since the cave, she allowed herself a flicker of hope. They had made it in time.
"I told her not to pull the knife," Jasper explained quickly, his voice tight, "but Bellamy wouldn't let me—"
"It was a good call," Clarke cut in firmly, already taking charge. She turned to the small group that had gathered, voice clear and commanding. "Get him to the dropship. Now!"
Two of the older kids rushed forward to help, and Clarke turned to Lily next. Her tone softened, but the urgency remained.
"Lily, come with me."
Lily's eyes widened. Me? She wasn't a surgeon. She wasn't even a trained medic—just someone who had studied a bit, experimented with herbs, prepared a few poultices. But she was the only one Clarke had, and they both knew it.
She swallowed hard, then gave a quick nod. "Okay."
Before they could move, Raven appeared at Clarke's side, her face pale, her eyes already searching for answers.
"Clarke," she said, her voice breaking, "can you save him?"
Clarke hesitated—just a beat too long—and Lily felt her stomach twist.
"No," Clarke said finally. "Not me. I need my mother. I need to talk to her."
Lily's heart dropped. Her mother? How? They had no way of contacting the Ark.
Raven's hands flew to her head, gripping her hair in frustration. "There's still no radio!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in panic.
But Clarke didn't back down. "Raven, fix it. Go!"
Something in her tone cut through the chaos. Raven blinked, stunned—but then nodded sharply and turned on her heel, sprinting toward one of the tents.
Clarke turned back to Lily.
"I need something to ease his pain. You've got anything?"
Lily nodded quickly, already thinking through what she had. "Yeah, yeah—white willow bark, maybe some yarrow…"
"Then go grab it and come to the dropship."
"Okay," Lily said again, her voice steadier now. She turned and took off running toward her tent.
She had no idea how they were going to help Finn. Jasper had been saved thanks to the Grounders and their strange, bitter medicine. But now… Finn's life was in their hands alone.
And if they couldn't contact the Ark… if Clarke's mother never heard that they needed her…
What then?