My eyes slowly open once the horse slowed down to a walking pace. I blinked hard and went to rub my eyes with my right arm before hissing in pain. I had forgotten about my shoulder injury.

I looked around, recognizing the cobble path that led to the front entrance of the Olympian Palace. The tall, stone building stood stoic as ever, the purple and white flags blowing in the gentle breeze. Everything seemed so perfect, but I knew that was just an illusion.

"Percy?" I mumbled.

He was sitting behind me, his arms gently hanging around my waist. "Yes?"

"Did all the revolters make it to your village safely?" I asked him.

I felt him nod. "I made a very quick stop there to check in with them before coming here. You were still out cold, so I didn't want to wake you, but Linda said everything was going smoothly."

I smiled sleepily. "That's good."

"How are you?" he questioned.

I did my best to shrug. "Alright, I suppose. I have to go talk to my father now, yeah?"

"Maybe you should go to the infirmary first," Percy suggested. "You lost quite a bit of blood."

I giggled. "How silly of me."

Percy straightened me so I didn't fall off and urged Blackjack faster. We made our way through the first gate of the palace and to the moat without any interruptions, but the drawbridge was up.

"Oh no," I said lazily.

Twenty members of the Royal Guard sprinted out of the palace, all armed with swords and shields. Blackjack reared on his hind legs, almost booting Percy and I off, but Percy held me steady.

"Please!" he called from behind me, his chest rumbling. "We come in peace! Your princess requires medical attention!"

The guards surged forward across the now opened drawbridge and Percy dismounted, causing me to slump forward against Blackjack's neck.

"What is your business here?" one of the guards asked.

Percy held his arms up. "To do no harm. Annabeth needs to see a nurse."

Another guard held his sword to Percy's throat. "Did you injure her?"

My black-haired companion shook his head. "No, it was an Insurgent. I'll tell you whatever you want, but only after Annabeth is taken to the infirmary."

I tried to smile at his compassion, but my head hurt and my muscles weren't really cooperating. I was really tired, and the idea of an endless sleep sounded quite pleasant.

The first guard barked an order that I didn't catch and suddenly I was being lifted off of the horse. In the arms of some stranger, I was carried through across the drawbridge. Percy struggled against two guards who were tugging his arms behind his back.

"Are they going to hurt him?" I tried to ask.

The man who was carrying me said, "With any luck."

I frowned. "He didn't do anything wrong," I whispered.

"He's the one who kidnapped you, did he not?"

"But with good intentions," I pointed out. "He's a good man. Please don't let them hurt him. That's an order."

The guard chuckled. "Yes, Your Royal Highness."

With the image of Percy being shackled and harassed in my mind, I drifted off into a restless sleep.

I awoke in a completely white room. The walls, ceiling, and floor were white, as well as the cabinets, shelves, and counters. The silky sheets I was nestled in were white. The pillow below my head was white. The dress of the lady staring at me was white.

I jumped. "What are you doing?" I spat as the woman shoved a plastic tube at my face.

"Taking your temperature," she hastily explained. "Say 'ah.'"

I opened my mouth hesitantly and the woman inserted the thermometer in my mouth. Once it had taken my temperature, she removed it from my mouth and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"What happened?" I asked after a long moment.

"You disappeared for seven days and came back with a healing leg injury and a festering arm wound. You've been passed out for about twenty-four hours."

I blinked. "So it's Sunday now?"

She nodded. "Yes. Would you mind telling me what happened?"

"Concerning my wounds?"

The nurse pursed her lips. "Yes, dear."

I bit my lip, recalling all the events of the past week. "Well, the leg wound happened last Saturday. I stumbled and fell on my dagger because it was strapped to my thigh. It got bandaged immediately and the dagger was taken out by a professional the next day. My shoulder was stabbed yesterday by an Insurgent. It wasn't dealt with at all before coming here."

She smiled tightly. "I can tell. The blade was poisoned, I'll have you know. It just about drained the life out of you, but thanks to my medical expertise as well as a concoction made by King Apollo's son, we kept you alive."

I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Thanks," I said.

The nurse nodded. "Your version of the story matches up with the boy who brought you in, which is good for both of you. Your memory is intact and he won't be accused of lying to the king."

I perked up. "Percy?" I asked. "Is Percy okay?"

She shrugged, walking over to a cabinet and searching for something. "I suppose. The guards dragged him down to one of the cells as soon as you two arrived. He's been out once, as far as I know, to be interrogated. He wasn't wounded at all, although he was quite distraught with not being able to see you." With that, she gave me a pointed look and stormed over with a pill in her hand. "Take this," she ordered, popping my mouth open and dropping the tablet on my tongue.

I swallowed the medicine and tried to force down the blush rising on my cheeks. "Painkiller?" I asked.

The nurse nodded. "I figured that shoulder was hurting by the look on your face."

"Thanks," I told her. "When will I be able to get out of here?"

"I'd like you to spend the night, and then you're free to go."

I frowned. I wanted to go see Percy as soon as possible. I also wanted to rush to my father and make him promise to get rid of the council and treat our people fairly. I didn't want to wait until the following morning.

I had woken up a little before dinner time, so my nurse brought me a tray of food. The flavorful chicken, carrots, and mashed potatoes were such a change from the bland Insurgent meals that I scarfed it down within minutes. My nurse gave me a strange look, causing me to sink back into my bed. I much preferred Linda to this harsh lady tending my wounds.

The clock on the wall read that it was a little past seven o'clock. I was bored, restless, and desired to go visit my friend.

I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, and waited until the nurse left the room. About three minutes had passed and she hadn't come back, so I called for a guard. Luckily, one was standing right outside of my room.

"Yes, Your Highness?" the guard said. He was on the younger side, meaning he was newer and probably more gullible.

"Could you help me out of bed?" I asked him.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not sure that's what Ms. Rachel would want," he trailed.

I scoffed. "You're more willing to listen to an old nurse than your Princess?" I spat, cringing at the way I used my title for authority. "Get me out of this bed this instant or I'll have you hanged."

His brown eyes bulged and he rushed over to my side. With a little finagling and a few curse words, I was upright and standing.

"Thank you very much," I told him, raising my chin and pointing my nose in the air.

It was at that moment I noticed I was dressed in a backless dressing gown and my undergarments were exposed. My cheeks heated up and I immediately ordered the guard out of the room. I searched around for another option of clothing and found the linen top and trousers I had worn on my way to the palace on the counter, freshly washed. I carefully slid my dressing gown off and my old clothes on.

Once I was dressed, I tied up my hair and rushed out of the room, sending my bemused guard a look of appreciation before speeding down the medical ward hallway as well as I could with a busted thigh.