𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒛𝒆 - pjo x hp [₂]

xlvi. the sun and the star

𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘. As she and Kayse made their way through the back corridors of the hotel, she realized that besides the odd employee whistling to themself, there was no one around. No guards, no one with any sense of real authority.

No one to kick them out.

It felt a little too much like a trap. At this point, Raya wasn't even sure if she was overthinking it or not.

"I feel like there should be a security guard or something up ahead," she whispered to Kayse, moving quickly. Getting closer to where Regulus Black was being held.

Hypothetically, of course.

Kayse shrugged, walking alongside her. Kayse seemed just as relax as Raya was tense. "They rely on the Lotus gas in the hotel. We're the exception in here, the only ones who're unaffected by it. Can't forget that."

Raya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true. Still feels insane. Too good to be true."

Based on the other cameras, Raya and Kayse were able to deduce where Regulus was likely to be held. After looking through the surveillance room, Raya found some prints of the building, which they used to check their estimates. They were right. He was being held in the Southern end of the building, main floor.

No guards, no one stationed nearby.

It felt too easy. Raya despised it when things were easy. It was why she trained how to use a sword rather than relying on her natural ability with a bow and arrow. It was too instinctive to her.

They continued their way down the corridors, turning a few times, backtracking to shake off other employees, until they reached a dead end. A long hallway, with no way out except the way that they just came in. On the other end of it was a single door, and behind that door, they would find Regulus.

Hypothetically, of course.

Raya gripped Kayse's hand, reminding herself to stay in the present. Not to get her hopes up. She'd been let down too many times when it came to Regulus. It was better to keep her hopes low.

For all she knew, he was still dead.

"This is it," Kayse whispered, squeezing her hand gently. 

The two of them walked towards the end of the hallway, towards the door. Kayse twisted the door knob, which was unlocked. Raya's heart began to beat in her ears, some part of her wondering once more if this was a trap. If it was a way for some mythical enemy to capture her. If she was going to bring Kayse down with her without even realizing.

Kayse opened the door slowly, revealing a room with minimal furnishing. The walls were white, but bare. There was nothing inside the room except a single chair.

And in that chair, sat Regulus Black. 

Just like he'd been on the cameras. Strapped down at the wrists and ankles, a VR headset over his eyes and a few needles poking into his arm.

Raya blanched at the sight, her ears feeling very hot. The camera in the surveillance room hadn't given them a good enough angle to see that. If the Lotus Hotel was drugging Regulus—

Kayse's arm shot out, stopping her from going any further in. He motioned to the camera in the upper corner, reminding her not to get caught. With a flick of his wrist, Kayse shot a nonverbal concealing spell, ensuring that the room would look the same to the camera, even after they entered it. 

"Now we can go ahead," he whispered to her.

The two of them slowly stepped into the room, careful of where they were going. Trip wires or alarms were unlikely to be found, but they would still take the proper precautions. Raya turned one of her knife charms into a real knife, holding it out as she approached Regulus.