TW: Mention of Death, Abuse, Manipulation, Alcohol Abuse/ Alcoholism, Self Harm, Suicide
I'm not sure what might be triggering to any of you so I'm putting it out there. Read at your own risk.
The next chapter will have a recap of what happened without the triggers so you can skip it without missing anything.
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"Rose" I gasped.
Rose used my shock against me and twisted out of my grip grabbing me and throwing me into a wall.
My head hit the stone with a thud, not causing any brain damage but hard enough to make the room spin.
"Well we'll well Anniebell. It took me having to grab and attack you for you to figure out I was the mole, and they call you the smart one. I'm sure you have some questions, gods knows you always do; never shutting up, always having to prove you're smarter than everyone in the class! It's annoying, it's infuriating, and it ends today. I'll answer what I want because Chase I'm the one who's in control."
My vision started going on and out and I was losing focus but I knew I couldn't just stand their and do nothing.
My gut was telling me Rose had pulled me aside but wasn't the mastermind behind all this. Someone else had made this plan which meant she was just buying time for whoever that was to get here.
"Why?" I questioned.
"Why? Why?! I'll tell you why Chase! You have the perfect little life, a Prince who's in love with you, a loving family, a cushy life, and a position in the Royal Court that you didn't even earn! My whole life I struggled, my parents didn't want me, I was a girl, a disgrace, they wanted a son who could carry on the family name. ⚠️My mother was so sickly that after she gave birth to me she died. My father blamed me day in and day out for it constantly beating me telling me how horrible I was! I had no one! I was alone in the world until she came along. I would cut myself and think that if I did it just one more time, if I just cut a little bit deeper than I could handle the pain. I could fix myself when I realized it didn't work I tried to kill myself, it was that day when she came along and found me by the river holding a knife ready to end it all. ⚠️ My saving grace, my muse, my reason for living. She gave me a purpose told me all of what the Royals do. How they use and don't care about us. She promised eternal glory by her side if I joined her. I accepted of course, how could I not. When I saw her she was the most beautiful person in the world. My lady has an army you would not believe, her supports range in the thousands! You think these petty little attacks are anything, just wait until the time finally comes. The Royal Guard won't stand a chance. My lady will rise up and we will rule together. And you will help us."
The listen in stunned silence. Rose's life was a nightmare she was so brave, but how could I let all the things she caused go.
I still felt terribly light headed and like I was about to pass out but I knew I couldn't.
Whatever the rebels had planned for me wasn't good and passing out would just make it easier on them.
I forced my self to stay present.
My eyes were barely open so I could only make out movement though the slits. My hands grasped at the wooden dresser keeping myself upright hoping to not fall over.
I had to fight back but in my current state that wouldn't be possible. I needed her to keep talking long enough to gain my strength. I prayed to every god there was from Zeus to Jesus but especially to my mother, praying to regain my strength before the other rebels come.
"I'm sorry." I croaked out shutting my eyes and counting back from ten, grounding myself, stating in the present moment.
"Sorry, your sorry! Oh of course you are, I mean that's what you Royals do! You treat people the way you want! You discard them like trash, but the second it comes to nip you in the bud you are suddenly so apologetic. If i wanted I could have killed you, but unlike you filthy rulers I keep my promises."
"I'm not one of them. I'm not a Royal." Breath Annabeth breath, you need your strength. Some one is going to come for you.
But even as that thought crossed my mind I knew I was only kidding myself.
By now everyone would be in a safe room hiding out the attack.
If Rose wasn't lying, there are thousands of Northern Rebels which meant there were probably tons in the castle.
"Well," she laughed a cold and dry laugh "you might as well be, I mean the way they treat you as if you are family. We all the Persus is going to pick you, and if those others girls don't then they are just as foolish as I thought and will just end up collateral damage."
"Those girls are real people, how could speak as if they were any less than." I raise my head slightly and pry open my eyes a bit more to see her already angry face turn into one of fury.
"Are they though! Don't you see Chase, we are all just pawns in the royals game. I already told you. They. Don't. Care. For. Us. Des immortals how many times do I need to keep telling you!"
She was about to begin yelling at me again when she suddenly quieted.
I knew she heard something, so I strained my ears to listen. There it was, the pounding of feet that I was dreading. I knew I had to act quick or I was a goner, but I didn't have anything.
"Do you hear that. That's the sound of pick up coming. Once they get you I'll run away and find a guard. I'll tell them how they kept us trapped in a room together and threatened our lives before someone came to get you. I'll shed tears and put on an Oscar worthy performance. While you will be taken to the base and forced to help."
The foot steps were getting closer and my heart was pounding louder. I wondered if you're heart could beat out of ones chest. I knew that was impossible but right now I had to form a plan.
I was never good at this stuff. I needed time and preparation. Percy was always the think of it as you go.
He would figure out a plan in the heat of battle while I would spend hours, days, sometimes even weeks coming up with the right strategy.
But right now I didn't have that luxury. It was time to do the one thing I never did.
I thought 'What would Percy do' and I did it.
Just as I had pushed off the wall and lunged at Rose the door blew open and in came the person I least expected.
Piper held a gun in her hand, one she must have acquired from Coral, and without hesitation shot Rose.
"Annabeth" she cried running over to me as Rose crumbled on the floor.
"Piper! Oh my gods! You saved me, you shot her! You shot. Oh my gods Piper you shot her!" I exclaimed gripping her arms.
This wasn't good, not good at all. Sure Rose did terrible things but she didn't deserve to die. She could have been useful she could have helped us.
But now all that was left of her was her corpse and a pool of blood spilling out from her.
"I know Annabeth, I know, but if I didn't she would have killed you! I'm so sorry, I had too." She gripped my equally as tight and held me.
More footsteps sounded and before long Percy, Jason, Coral, and the Royal Guards appeared.
"What happened, is everything alright we heard a gun shot." Jason said observing the room his eyes landing on Piper and I.
"Annabeth! Thank the gods!" Percy exclaimed pushing Coraline out of the way and running over to us.
"She's fine, we're both fine. But I don't think Rose is." Piper said being helped up by Jason as Percy took her place.
"Annabeth, your head it's bleeding! We need a medic stat!" Percy said continuing to hold me and look over at his sister.
The guards nodded and two left to get one of them.
"The rebels left the castle. They came in searched around, but left soon after. It gives me a bad feeling but honestly we would have believed it were the Southern rebels if not for the trail of bodies the left in their wake." Coraline says coming forward into the room.
"They seemed to be gravitating to this general area the most, so we thought there might still be some left and when you weren't accounted for well we got worried." Jason said with his arm wrapped around a shivering Piper.
"What happened?" Coraline asked kneeing over Rose's body examine the corpse like it's something she does in her free time.
"I well I shot her. Oh gods I shot her. I came in here and saw her with Annabeth in her grasp looking ready to kill her and I didn't think. I just shot her and now she's dead. She's dead because of me. Oh gods." Piper's voice cracked as she broke into sobs clutching Jason's shirt.
He rubbed circles on her back trying to console her but whatever he said must have made it worse for she started crying even harder.
Just as Coral was about to say something Will and one of the other doctors burst into the room.
"Where is she." was all he asked before seeing me and rushing to my side.
"What happened Annabeth, did you get cut, hit your head, what and where."
I tried to speak up but I was losing consciousness faster by the second.
The amount of blood I must have lost contributed to this because as I opened my mouth to speak I was spots and the world go black.