Chapter 17

It had been weeks since Lexa saw something fall from the sky, but she hadn't heard anything from Anya. Then one day, Lexa had a visitor to her throne room. Indra entered the throne room with a man Lexa didn't recognize. By his dress and tattoos, Lexa immediately identified him as Trikru. He had a physically intimidating presence, but his eyes were gentle. Lexa instantly liked him.

"Heda," Indra began. "This is Lincoln. He comes with news from Trikru."

Lexa leaned in, intently. "Go on, Lincoln."

Lincoln stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Lexa. "Heda, I bring news of invaders. They fell from the sky. There were a hundred of them, but there are fewer now." He didn't need to expound upon what that meant.

Lincoln had Lexa's full attention. She said, "Are these invaders hostile? What do you know of them?"

"Some are hostile and some are not. There is one, Octavia, who showed me kindness. They captured me and tortured me for information, but she saved me."

"Tell Heda about the villages they destroyed!" Indra interjected, clearly agitated.

Lexa raised her eyes brows to Lincoln, a sign that he should explain.

Lincoln continued, "The Sky People launched rockets at night that completely destroyed a Trikru village. There were no survivors."

This was not at all what Lexa had been expecting. She was incensed.

"Why would they do this?! What provocation did they have?" She shouted.

"Anya's warriors have been attacking, picking them off one by one," Lincoln explained. "They view us as a threat. Although I'm not sure it was their intention to destroy the village."

"What other intention could there be?!" Indra said. "Heda, this is an act of war!"

Lexa's hand shot up to quiet Indra. She wanted to hear more of what Lincoln had to say.

Lincoln continued, "They were trying to contact their people."

"There's more of them?" Lexa asked.

"Yes," Lincoln said, pointing up, "Up there, in the sky. Many more."

This could be bad, Lexa thought, bad for my coalition.

"Indra," Lexa began. Indra stood at attention. "Go back to Anya. Tell her that she has my full authority to attack the Sky People at their camp. But tell her to leave some survivors. I want answers."

Indra was clearly pleased with Lexa's assessment of the situation and her decision. "With pleasure, Heda." But Indra hesitated to leave. A look passed between Indra and Lincoln.

"Is there something else, Indra?" Lexa asked, curious.

"Yes, Heda," Indra said. "Unfortunately, there is. The Mountain Men are back."

A shiver ran up Lexa's spine. The Mountain Men hadn't been seen in years, not since Lexa became commander. She heard stories of them as a young girl. They lived under the mountain and only came out to abduct people. The people they took were either never seen again or came back as reapers, zombie-like creatures devoid of all thought and humanity. The Mountain Men possessed weapons so powerful that even the strongest warrior could not prevail against them; it was why they had never attacked the Mountain Men. Legend said that once a village sought to rise up against them. The Mountain Men launched a rocket that obliterated the village and left only a crater in its place. They didn't even have to leave their mountain to do this. No one knew what they wanted or who they were. They were, quite possibly, the only thing Lexa feared, the only threat to the peace she had established. This was unwelcome news indeed.

"Explain," Lexa said, her voice cold as ice.

Indra looked to Lincoln. "It's true, Heda," Lincoln said. "They have taken many Trikru, and the reapers have been spotted again. No one has seen the Mountain Men, but who else could it be?"

Lexa was clearly troubled by this news. Invaders from the sky and Mountain Men.

Lincoln could see Lexa running through the scenarios in her head. He said, "Heda, if I may say something. What makes you a good commander is that you want peace but you also are not afraid of war. The Mountain Men are a threat; the Sky People may not be."

Indra said, "Lincoln, it is not for you to tell the commander what to do! This Skaikru must be wiped out!"

Lexa interjected, "It is not for either of you to tell me what to do, but I thank you both for your counsel. Go back to Trikru now and be my eyes and ears. Tell Anya to report back to me on the outcome of her attack and to bring the survivors to me."

Indra and Lincoln nodded and were dismissed. Lexa sat back in her throne, troubled. War is brewing, she thought.