unattainable | solangelo royalty au

Chapter TwentyNine

WPOV:

"This is ridiculous!" My mother rages at a young, obviously scared guard. "Why would anybody attack us?"
"Uh, because you started a war?" I mumble. My father casts me a warning glare, but my mother didn't seem to hear.

"And we have so little protection!" We're in a safe room, with two guards posted at the door, which is the only way in and out. " The guard, I think his name is Cecil, is keeping us updated. "Where are the other guards?"
"They are trying to subdue the escaped prisoners. Perseus Jackson and Leo Valdez are running rampage, destroying the castle." I'm glad to hear that Percy is doing his job, though I don't know who Leo is.
"And Nico Di Angelo?" She asks, catching my attention.
"The women escaped with him."
"So this was a plot to free him." She snarls bitterly. "Probably devised by his bratty sister." Well, partly. I wonder how she would react if she knew that I had a hand in it. "I want them captured! Killed, if necessary!" Well, that answers that question.
"Mother, is that really-"
"Shut up, Will. This has nothing to do with you." That couldn't be further from the truth.

"Who are these awful girls who freed him?"
"We can't be sure, but we think they are local criminals, Reyna and Hylla Ramirez-Arellano. They are wanted for multiple charges of theft... and one for murder." A false accusation, Thalia reassured me, but I'm still sceptical.
"I want them put to death" my mother growls.

"When can we leave?" I ask.
"When the risk is gone." The guard informs me. He is shorter than me, with messy brown hair. He doesn't seem to be particularly striking, but he seems nice enough. He looks around my age.
"Why would you want to leave?" My father asks. Before I can think of an answer that doesn't sound suspicious, we're interrupted by a maid being allowed in the room.
"Your highness, your majesty," she curtsies, then looks awkwardly at me, not knowing how to address me. I give her a reassuring smile, and she turns to the guard. "There's a maid working with the criminals. Annabeth Chase. I just thought you should be informed... If you were to capture her, I think Percy would surrender." She looks guilty to be telling Cecil this, but I'm not mad. She's probably terrified.
"Thank you, Lou." The guard smiles at her. She smiles back cautiously, curtsies again, then leaves.
"I want her put to death too." My mother tells the guard. "Publicly. These criminals must be made an example of!"

~~~

After what feels like hours, we are allowed out of the safe room. I pretend to want to sleep, then sneak out of my room. It takes me a little while to find Thalia's house in the village. Bianca ushers me in and locks the door behind me.

"Where's Nico?" I ask immediately, looking around the lamp-lit room. Hylla and Reyna appear to have decided to hide out here for a while. I can't see the harm; they seem to be good in combat, so if they decide to defend us, we'll have that advantage, and their presence won't make the rest of us any more wanted then we already are.

Bianca points to a bundle of rags at the back of the room. I approach it and see that it's actually Nico, curled up and wrapped in threadbare blankets. Despite the circumstances, he looks more peaceful than I've ever seen him.

I sit beside him, not wanting to wake him, then close my eyes and let out a huff of air. So I'm helping wanted criminals. Now what?