"...There is something seriously wrong with your family, Sir."
"You do not need to tell me, Mr. Rhys."
Lance did not really have time to rebuke Rhys's words as his eyes darted everywhere. The floor, the aged walls, the ceiling — the once overly familiar corridor to him now felt completely strange.
"Be very careful with your steps," Lance breathed out as he very slowly and gently stepped forward; sighing a relief as nothing happened. He then stayed like that for several seconds; just standing completely still.
Rhys did not really say anything so as to not bother Lance, he just focused on holding Lina over his shoulder; making sure she wouldn't be put in harm's way and that not even a strand of her hair would be lost.
Soon, however, Rhys realized that Lance was not moving at all even after several minutes had passed. Still, Rhys waited for him and did not speak at all — after all, what if he was trying to remember where the triggers of the traps were?
But after a few more minutes had passed, Rhys could no longer wait as he carefully approached Lance.
"What's your plan, Sir?" He asked calmly; his demeanor, completely changing to that of a soldier of the Underworld Corps, "I don't want to rush you, but we are in a very vulnerable position — we're trapped on all sides and have no visible exit."
"I..." Prince Lance's voice also turned serious as he glanced back at Rhys; the look in his eyes, incredibly intense, "...I have no idea how we will proceed."
"...What?" Rhys could really only blink as he heard Lance's words, "You forgot where the triggers of the traps are?"
"It is more like I do not know where they are in the first place, Mr. Rhys," Lance confidently said as he stroked his thick mustache, "This is the very first time I have ever even seen them work, I actually only remember they exist just now."
"You were almost riddled by arrows, Sir."
"I know," Lance's demeanor remained completely calm as he nodded, "You have my utmost gratitude for preventing me from becoming a porcupine, good sir."
"So, you don't have a plan at all?" Rhys could really only sigh and groan.
"Out of all the scenarios I have thought of, this is not one of them," Lance shook his head as he once again started scanning the hallway, "One thing I do know is that this trap is surely reactivated by one of Linette's cousins."
"...One of your children? I thought violence was not allowed in this place."
"Maybe," Lance cleared his throat as he looked to the side, "Violence is not allowed, yes. But like most places, that law is useless without evidence. But that doesn't matter, another thing that is certain is that they already know that their cousin is back... but how?"
"Your wife?"
"We're not going to be a part of this anymore, Ma'am," Rhys breathed out as he just casually passed by Annabeth. Everyone really just watched him, no longer knowing what to do.
"What in the bloody hells is going on here!? I have only slept a wink, and I need my beauty sleep!"
Several steps before Rhys could leave from the walls of the palace, however, a group of 7 people started appearing from inside the castle; their glowing hair, enough to almost light up the entire parking space like a powerful gaming RGB pc.
"Is there a party we're not in the know about? Mum? And is that Dad? I thought he was on a business trip."
"What is with the noise? I have already told all of you that I have a call with the people from—Is that Linette?"
And almost as if Rhys was completely invisible to them, the group's eyes went directly at Lina, who was still completely unconscious and unperturbed by everything that was going on. Their eyes squinted all at the same time as they stared at her... and very soon, their eyes started to widen.
"Why is that cunt here!?"
And almost instantly, Rhys could feel the pressure in the air suddenly become heavy as the group almost snarled as they pointed at Lina. They were not even subtle in their disdain as they started stomping their way toward her.
"Vicky, throw her out of the walls so we can kill her!"
"No! Killing the fucking cunt won't be enough, we should torture her!"
"Children, stop it!" Annabeth and Lance rushed to block them, but it was already too late as they reached Rhys and Lina first. The one who seemed to be the youngest of the group, Vicky, was about to grab Lina by the leg. Her almost rageful expression, reflected by her short red glowing hair.
"What the—"
Before she could do so, however, Rhys carefully raised his arm; making sure not to drop Lina as he grabbed Vicky's hand.
"Don't do it," Rhys's voice was not authoritative at all; the tone of his voice, almost pleading... but containing a certain sense of eeriness in it, "Although I don't like doing it... I have hurt children younger than you before."
"Wh..." Vicky stared at Rhys's hand for a good few seconds; her eyes widening even further before turning to look up at Rhys's face. And finally, Lina's cousins seemed to have noticed his presence as they all started staring at him from head to toe,
"Let... let go of my hand this instant!"
"No...
...you're my hostage now."