He left the room, and Aria didn't follow. She knew that he needed some time alone. He was being pulled in different directions from all sides.
He had to think about what was best for his people. What was fair. What was just.
Aria still had no idea.
A part of her had thought that she wanted revenge.
But thinking about executing all those people in the dungeon didn't feel right. And she knew she could never agree to sending that many people to their deaths.
She killed when she had to when she was fighting to survive. She'd never take a life if there was any other option.
But Katy was right; sending them back weaponless was a death sentence. They might as well execute them here and now.
At the same time, Grace had made a good point, too. If the Terra found out that Lex had sent these people back to their lands, especially with guns, they'd never forgive him, and they might be faced with another problem.
The group began discussing their options again.
Aria knew that it was pointless; that, really, Lex's final decision was to be made. He'd been gone for hours.
Aria thought about all the decisions she'd had to make up until this point. She knew what it was like, having to bear the consequences of the things she'd done so that the others wouldn't have to.
With that in mind, she left the room in search of Lex.
Chapter 50
She looked in their quarters first, and when she didn't find him there, she searched the palace. Eventually, she found him in the gardens.
It was cold; frost covered every surface. She heard the ice crunching beneath her boots as she made her way to him.
He was sitting on one of the benches, looking up at the clear night sky.
"Hey," she said, sitting down next to him.
"Hey."
"Aren't you cold?"
"Yeah," he said, "But I didn't really feel like being inside. Are they still arguing there?"
"Yeah, they are."
He smiled.
They sat in silence for a while. Aria figured that he didn't need for her to talk; she hoped that her presence alone was enough to remind him that they were in this together.
"No matter what I do," he began, "Someone will be pissed. Apart of me just...just wants to kill them all. That would be the easiest option. Get rid of them and be done with it. But I don't think I can... I don't want to be the monster that they think I am."
"Lex..."
"I've killed so many people, Aria. What's another hundred?"
"You don't mean that. That isn't who you are."
"Yeah? And who am I?"
"You're...You're a good person, Lex. You are. I've seen it. You've always done what you did to protect your people. Your sister. The ones you care about. That's who you are."
He sighed, looking back up at the sky.
"I can't send them back. I can't keep them here. What would you do?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said. For the first time in her life, she was at a loss.
"Well, thanks. You've been no help at all," he said, smirking at her.
She smiled to herself.
"I think...." he began, "I think I'd like to talk to them. To him."
"Who?"
"Warren."
"What?"
"I want to talk to him. Before I decide on anything, I'd like to talk to him first."
"Why?" she asked. Why the hell would he want to talk to Warren?
"I don't really know, honestly. I just want to."
She wasn't sure where this was coming from. Why he'd want to do such a thing. Talking to Warren was the very last thing she wanted to do.
"I'm gonna go," he said, standing up. "Can you tell the others that we'll hold another meeting in a few hours? I just...I need more time to think."
"Okay," she said.
He left after that.
After she told the group to meet back in the throne room in a few hours, she helped out around the palace. There were still a few people that were sick. Some had been injured.
And the people that had been told to stay in their rooms needed food, water. She and a few others went around and gave out rations, hoping it would keep them from wandering around the palace.
Eventually, Mara came to tell her that Lex was looking for her.
She found him in the throne room, all alone, sitting at their table.
She closed the doors behind her and made her way to him.
"I know that you think that this is up to me," he said after she sat down, "But as I've said, we're in this together. So I'd like to talk to you before we talk to the others."
"Okay," she said, feeling a little nervous.
"I've talked to him, Warren."
"Yeah, and?"
"I feel like I should hate him like I should want him dead for what he's done. But weirdly, I feel like I understand him."
"So what have you decided?"
"I think that I'll let them stay."
"What?"
"Not here, of course. I'll let them and the other people stay. Build a home of their own. Maybe across from the village below us? That way, they're close enough for us to keep an eye on them? And I have a few conditions, of course."
"What conditions?"
"No weapons, obviously. All their guns will be kept here and locked away. And we remain their leaders, seeing as I'm the king and you're the queen. But they'd need a leader among them. I believe it should be Hunt. What do you think?"
"I think...I think that's a good idea, Lex. Really."
He nodded.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why are you doing this? I mean...you were so angry when we lied to you. When the weapons went missing. What brought this on?"
"I met a girl," he said, smiling over at her. "And she reminded me of what life could be like if I chose to see the good in people. If I gave them a chance."
She could feel a slow blush creeping its way up her cheeks.
"Who knows? Maybe showing them a different way of life will change their minds. Maybe it'll
