It took Raven nine days to figure out how to physically replicate the chip carried by Titus and Ontari. She refused to ask Abby about the Latin terms she jotted down while reading the first heda's notebook. Frustrated, she walked to the library and found Marcus Kane at his regular table. Together, they puzzled out the correct pronunciation and meaning of the other code phrase.
That evening, Raven explained to Ontari what she needed to do. Clarke sat across the table from them, watching as Raven found words to simplify what had to be done without speaking as if Ontari couldn't understand.
"You will remove the Flame," Ontari repeated back to her, "and somehow copy what it holds before returning it."
"Yes," Raven said.
"Without the Flame, I am not heda."
"You are heda," Clarke insisted. "With or without the Flame. We can start with Titus, but you cannot be there when we remove the chip from him."
"Without it, he has no power," Ontari said.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Clarke answered.
Ontari looked at Raven. "I trust you to do this."
Raven smiled at her with relief. "Thank you. That means a lot."
"You will take Titus' power from him," Ontari instructed Raven. She looked at Clarke. "I do not like that I cannot be there to protect both of you from him."
"It won't be necessary," Clarke said. She paused. "Do you wish us to return it to him?"
"No, it will go to my new Fleimkepa. He will be moved to the dungeon until Heda Leksa returns and decides his future."
"Until she puts him on the tree," Clarke said.
"That is the most likely outcome," Ontari agreed. "If that is her choice, one of you will make the final cut."
Clarke nodded. She was tired of death, but would make an exception for Titus. Jus drein jus daunwas all he understood, and any punishment other than forfeiting his life for the one he took was beyond his comprehension.
"Tomorrow?" Raven asked.
"For Titus," Clarke agreed.
Ontari nodded.
"After we remove the chip, you can watch what we're doing," Clarke offered.
"I will not disturb Raven during such an important task."
"I'd kinda like you to be there so you know what's gonna happen while you're out," Raven said.
Ontari smiled faintly. "If that is what you want."
"Sha, Heda," Raven said, her tone almost teasing.
Clarke looked at them and smiled. "I'm gonna talk to Miller," she said.
Neither Raven or Ontari acknowledged her exit.
100 – 100 – 100
Murphy waited a few days before he went down to speak to Emori. He stood in the corridor and looked into her cell. Emori sat on the bed, back to the wall, knees held to her chest. After observing her for several seconds, Murphy said, "Hey."
Emori looked at him but otherwise didn't move.
"I don't know what happened to you after I got picked up, but I don't think it was good."
"It was not. I learned of my brother's death."
"That why you took the chip?"
"Sha." Emori shrugged. "What did it matter?"
"You know why it mattered."
"I was happy, John."
"You were dying."
"We are all dying, every day."
"Will you help us?"
"No. I will not help Skaikru. You bring ruin and death."
He nodded slowly. "Good luck."
"I have been banished before." Emori went back to looking at the opposite wall
100 – 100 – 100
Clarke entered Titus' suite alone. He glared at her, but was still glad to see anyone after the weeks of solitude. He didn't bother to greet Clarke. "Why are you here, Wanheda?"
"It was a mistake," Clarke said. "You made a mistake when you tried to kill me. Did you really think Lexa would believe that one of Skaikru could sneak into her capital, into her home, undetected? Onto the floor with her quarters?"
"My only mistake was missing you."
"You still won't admit what you did."
"You made her weak. You would have destroyed her and the coalition."
"Yet I live, and the coalition lives despite the fact that you killed Lexa. You killed your heda, Titus. You believed that as flamekeeper, you knew better, and here we are." Clarke paused for a moment. "Ontari kom Azgeda is heda. Skaikru survives. And your reign is over."
For the first time, Titus felt fear. Clarke saw it in his eyes, but he tried to bluff her. "I am Flamekeeper until my death."
"You are Flamekeeper only as long as you hold the Flame." Clarke took a step back and rapped on the door, then took a few quick steps forward.
"You cannot," Titus began as the Azgeda warriors entered.
"Hold him," Clarke ordered.
Titus tried to avoid the many hands grasping him, but he was quickly subdued. They left room for Clarke to get between them at Titus' head. Clarke flipped his collar down and heard Lexa. Don't be afraid.She smiled faintly and spoke the Latin phrase Raven taught her, hearing Lexa say We are one as she said, "Et nos unum sumus."
She watched Titus' neck carefully so she could tell Ontari what to expect. The skin rippled before the chip appeared on the surface of the skin. Clarke could see the tendrils withdrawing. For a moment, they were a dark cloud between Titus' pale skin and the ice blue of the chip. That cloud faded quickly, as did the chip. It became gray, and Clarke carefully picked it up. She stood and took the time to tuck it into the tin with the skull on the cover. "Take him to the jail," she instructed and hurried to Ontari's suite, where Raven and Ontari waited.
Murphy trailed Clarke up the stairs without speaking. Miller nodded at them when they approached Ontari's rooms. Raven and Ontari, sitting side by side on the couch, both looked up when the door opened.
"Did you get it?" Raven asked.
Clarke nodded. Being in the heda's suite still startled her. In her mind's eye, she still saw Lexa napping on the sofa.
"Did he survive?" Ontari asked.
Clarke nodded again. "He, uh, he didn't say anything, but he probably will later."
"You should probably lay down," Raven suggested.
It took Ontari a few seconds to stand up. She waited for Raven to stand, too, and the two of them walked to Ontari's bed. Before Ontari laid down, she and Raven spoke quietly.
"Clarke will stay with you," Raven reminded Ontari. "I don't know how long it will take, but I will be back as soon as I can. You are heda, no matter what."
"It will be strange."
"Probably, but it won't be for long. Ai swega yu klin,(I promise)" Raven added and squeezed Ontari's hand.
"Ai wich yu in (I trust you)," Ontari answered.
"A kiss for luck," Raven said, and they shared a brief kiss.
Ontari laid on the bed, her arms outstretched. Raven sat on one side and Clarke on the other, and both women held one of Ontari's hands.
In the end, it was Raven who said the words. Clarke was too distracted by Lexa. I will not leave you, Klark. Soon, we we be together soon. Don't be afraid. You are nearly at the end of this journey. Ai
"Et nos unum sumus," Raven intoned, and watched the chip appear and retract the filmaments. She picked it up and looked at it before picking up the tin from the bedside table and securely placing it inside. She leaned forward and kissed Ontari's exposed neck. "I'll be back soon."
They heard her distinctive gait on the floor, heard the door open and close. Her guards, Clarke's, and Miller accompanied her. Murphy stayed in the hall with the other guards.
"It feels strange," Ontari said.
"I can't hear her," Clarke answered.
Ontari rolled onto her side in an attempt to see Clarke, who stared toward the balcony. She pulled on Clarke's hand, and when that didn't work, moved to put her arm around Clarke's waist. Eventually, Clarke laid down, her back to Ontari, and Ontari curled around her. "It is not for long," she comforted Clarke.
100 – 100 – 100
Miller stood guard beside the door while Raven worked. She was hunched over the screen on her workbench, picking her way through the code on one of the backups she made before starting. It took her an hour to see where changes occurred, and after that, it was just a matter of sorting through until she reached the most recent blocks.
Raven was certain she was in the right place when the code truncated and changed dramatically. She carefully copied the thousands of lines onto another blank chip and wished there was a way to understand it. She slid off her stool and landed on the floor with a thump and a groan.
"You OK?" Miller asked.
"Stiff," Raven answered. She picked up the tin with Ontari's chip and slid it into her pocket. "I'm done for now."
Miller nodded and rapped on the door to alert the guards. The group made their way back to the tower at Raven's speed. As they had on the trip to the workshop, the guards were more alert than usual.
Murphy opened the door just enough for Raven to enter once he verified it was her. Clarke and Ontari were still in bed together. Neither had said much all afternoon. Clarke slowly moved away and sat up while Ontari returned to her stomach. Raven laid the chip over the inifinity tattoo on Ontari's neck and again said, "Et nos unum sumus." She watched it burrow into Ontari's neck. The skin moved a bit longer than it had when it was removed as the filaments unspooled and returned to their positions.
Ontari remained still for several minutes, then squeezed Clarke's hand. "She says we are nearly done," Ontari said.
Clarke nodded. She couldn't hear Lexa, but that Ontari could meant she was still there. Clarke surrpetitiously wiped her eyes, then squeezed Ontari's hand in return and stood up. She turned around to look at Raven, who was focused on Ontari. "Are we ready?"
"Almost. I should be able to merge the code tomorrow."
As Ontari sat up, Clarke released her hand. "You should finish preparing," Ontari said.
"Can we talk about it later?" Clarke asked.
"Sha," Ontari answered slowly.
"I need to," Clarke began and drifted off as she walked toward the door. Raven and Ontari turned their heads to watch her, but neither moved.
Clarke opened the door. Before she closed it, they heard Murphy and Miller's voices, but Clarke didn't answer them. She walked toward the stairs silently and shook off Murphy's hand when he tried to comfort her.
When they reached the Azgeda suite, Clarke went into her room and closed the door. She slid down it and sat on the floor. It hadn't occurred to her that removing the Flame from Ontari would silence Lexa. She hoped that once it was back where it belonged Lexa would speak to her again. Clarke sat and waited.
When it began to get dark, she got up and lit two lamps. She went to her trunk and pulled out a sketch book and got charcoal from her satchel. Clarke sat in the light and began to sketch. Lexa in motion, her cape swirling around her, prepared to lunge forward with her sword, smiling at Clarke like she hung the moon.
Clarke stared at them for a while before setting it aside. She changed into her sleep clothes and for the first time in weeks brought one of the furs from Lexa's bed into bed with her. She was asleep when Raven and Ontari entered. Ontari carefully folded the fur and returned it to its trunk before she and Raven got into bed with Clark.
100 – 100 – 100
Raven sat on the bed beside Ontari. "How do you feel?"
"As I did before."
"You can still hear Lexa?"
"Sha." Ontari sat up. "You have more to do?"
"It has to wait until tomorrow."
Ontari nodded and moved to the edge of the bed. She sat beside Raven and rolled her neck and shoulders. "Are you hungry?"
"A little. Mostly sore."
"It is your turn to lay down." Ontari got up and went to the cabinet where she kept Raven's balm. They began their evening routine. Ontari massaged Raven's back and hip. Raven napped briefly. Ontari ordered their food and they ate.
They skipped chess that night and took the lift down to the floor where Clarke stayed. Murphy waited at the table. "Clarke hasn't been out of her room," he said.
Raven looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Ontari looked from one to the other.
"Since we got here," he added. "No food, no drink, no sound, nothing. She went in there and she won't answer when I knock."
"We will take care of her," Ontari assured him.
"I'll be up a little longer. Yell if you need me."