unforgivable | solangelo royalty au | sequel to unattainable

Chapter Six

WPOV:

For the next few hours, I'm ignored.

Silena and Charlie whisper to each other, straining against the chains that hold them in order to be as close to each other as possible.

After a long while of trying to kneel properly, I give up and slump back against the side of the ship, sighing defeatedly.

Silena, who is between Charlie and I, shuffles closer to me.
"I'm sure it'll be alright, Will." She says gently. "They probably just want a ransom, and Drew will pay it as soon as possible." I nod, not caring about how much a ransom costs. Anything to get away from these people as quickly as possible.

Every face I recognise is like a kick in the stomach. All the people I failed to save... No, they didn't deserve saving. Low-life criminals and traitors, every one of them... I repeat that to myself like a mantra to hold on to, something to keep me sane in the suffocating darkness of my turbulent thoughts.

Silena falls asleep while I'm lost in thought. Charlie soon joins her, so I make it my job to stay awake and ensure that no harm comes to them.

~~~

I'm not sure how many hours pass before the trap door into the chamber we're trapped in is opened. Footsteps echo around us, awakening the others, then Leo approaches, holding up a new lantern, since the last one died out hours ago. Percy appears after him, and I notice that both are carrying food.

From up on deck, somebody closes the trap door.
"Okay, here's the deal." Percy says. Leo continues: "We let you off one at a time, you eat as quickly as possible, walk around to stretch your legs for a minute or two, then let us chain you up again."
"If you do this for the next few days with no resistance, we'll leave you loose after then." Percy smiles nervously. "We know it's not really fair, but it's the safest thing for everyone."

"Yes, that's fine, thank you." Silena nods quickly.
"I suppose." Charlie agreed. They all turn to me. I nod stiffly.

Silena is let loose first. Before eating, she hugs Charlie. I look away.

I'm last. I eat the gruel and fruit I'm given, walk two laps of the small area, then sit down more comfortably, glad that they now shackle my hands in front of my body. I lean against the side of the ship, the chains wrapped around my side, cold to the touch.

~~~

The next two days are the same. Percy and Leo are the only ones to come down into the hold, and they chat with us while we eat, but it's always tense. They leave us free to wander after the third day, but there's nothing of interest here, so I just use the liberty to stretch my legs when necessary, then otherwise I sit under the trapdoor, where a tiny amount of sunlight occasionally slips through.

On the fourth day, Percy and Leo aren't the ones to come into the hold. Nico is.

He ignores me completely at first, giving food and a new lantern to Silena and Charles, then he approaches me. He hands me a bowl of oatmeal and an apple. I take them from him wordlessly, then walk away and sit in the corner.

I expect him to leave, but instead he follows me.
"What are you doing? Leave me alone." I snap. He shakes his head.
"We need to talk." He says. I sit down, facing him.
"We really don't."
"We do!"

He sighs and takes a moment to decompose himself, setting his face into a beautiful expression. "Look, whether we like or or not, we're stuck together for some time. Your wife has been told to pay your ransom to Exire, which is three days sailing from our location, which we're still a day away from. That means that we're close to each other for four days at least, more of she doesn't pay immediately."

"How will you know when she's payed it?" I inquire.
"We have people in Exire who owe us a favour."

I don't know how to reply to that, so I just stay silent. Nico watches me, also silent, and he eventually sits down, opposite me.
"I'm not leaving until I say what I need to." He tells me stubbornly.

I grind my teeth, then catch myself and stop, looking around the dark hold. Silena and Charlie aren't paying attention. The trap-door has been closed and footsteps echo above us. Well, what else do I have to do?

"Then speak."