𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒// 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟔// 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬

Will awoke to find Nico gone. He sat up in bed and looked around the empty room, then stretched and yawned.

Footsteps outside the door. Will tensed, memories of the cell flooding his mind, before relaxing; it was probably just di Angelo coming back from his duties as assassin, or some servant.

But then he heard a familiar voice.

Octavian.

Will tensed, slowly getting out of bed. Padding to the door, he pressed his ear against it.

It didn't take much to hear Octavian's shrill voice. "I don't give a damn if di Angelo isn't in the room. The king needs the prince. He needs information. Now."

Will tensed. The thought of going back into that cell, of giving the Shades more intel, left him breathless from fear. He balled his fists. He couldn't give them any more information. He had already betrayed his kingdom enough.

"I command you, guard!" Octavian snarled. "Open this door!"

He would have to fight. Will tried to summon light, but could only summon mere embers.

If he couldn't fight, he would die. Death would be more pleasant than the cell.

The door opened, shoving Will against the wall--

Bounding out from behind the door, Will dodged the hands of the guards, rushing for the balcony. He didn't think-- he threw open the door, jumped onto the railing, then leaped, as though he thought he could fly.

For a moment, he was weightless, floating in the air.

Then hands were grabbing him, yanking him back down. Will hit the balcony floor with a thud, stars exploding across his vision. He screamed, bucking against their hold.

"Enough," Octavian hissed, his mouth an inch from Will's ear. He pushed him harder into the floor. "You will come with me peacefully."

"You'll have to kill me first," Will hissed back. He surged up, only to find more hands holding him down. He roared and struggled, but couldn't break free. Chains were bound around his hands and feet.

Guards hoisted him up. Will's bare feet slid against the smooth marble as he struggled to remain standing. Octavian took a step back and studied the prince, blue eyes gleaming. Will stared him down, teeth bared in a snarl, chest heaving with each breath.

"The guards claim that when you were trying to escape, you snapped a guard's neck with your bare hands." Octavian tilted his head. "Is that true?"

A slow, viscous smile spread on Will's face. "Come closer and unchain me. I'd be more than happy to show you."

Octavian snorted, then motioned for the guards to take him away. Will strained against their grip, but he might as well have been trying to fight a steel wall. He was dragged through abandoned halls and stairways until they reached an opulent area of the palace, and came upon a set of double oak doors. The guards heaved them open, the doors creaking loudly, and led him inside.

The finery of the room took Will's breath away. In the outerchambers was a gaming room and a vast oak table, the polished wood gleaming in the light. Before he could take it all in, he was rushed into the bedroom. Will's breath hitched-- for an entirely different reason.

Because sitting on the large bed was King Abaddon.

And standing behind him were a pair of guards, holding a battered Michael Yew between them.

The Shade King gave William a lazy smile. "So glad you could join us, dear prince. I'm afraid I'm not fully finished with you or the general."

"What do you want?" Will's voice trembled so slightly. He kept his head high and shoulders back, despite the chains adorning him like ribbons.