"We will get your sister back, Hylla. I promise," Beleza said. She leaned back on the table and studied the group of people in front of her. Two members of the Sixth Legion, Bristol and Aquitaine, were looking over maps with Theo. They were trying to find a particular map to help them.
It was almost laughable. They were trying to find a map.
To Tartarus.
A map that would lead them to Tartarus.
Would they also like a magical lamp that would summon a genie to grant them wishes? Then, they could wish for Reyna out of Tartarus, the gods were replaced, and maybe even a lobster dinner.
Beleza knew she was being pessimistic. The others were holding out hope. She would too, but there was no guarantee they would actually get Reyna out of that literal hell hole. Let alone in one, sane piece.
"Why can't we just shadow travel there?" Hylla questioned. She had been pacing around, but she stopped to lean on the table. Her gaze moved to Camila, who was leaning on the wall and staring down at the table.
"It is impossible, Hylla. I would have to know exactly where a place in Tartarus was, and no mortal can just do that. Even if they could, you can't just travel there. My father would prevent it," Camila informed. "It would require a divine power."
"What about the doors? That's how the seven of the prophecy did it," Hylla began.
"The problem with the doors is that they are now fully under the control of my father. Inside Tartarus is a wild wasteland, but outside, it is all his domain," Zara said. She was sitting at the table and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Can his child open it?" Aquitaine questioned as she focused on Zara. "If we find the location, can we not just go there and have Zara open it?"
"I don't know," Zara admitted. Beleza focused on her sibling. Aquitaine, a child of Venus only by name really. Like the other members of the Sixth Legion, she shed her real name and took up another that signaled part of her heritage. Beleza wouldn't pretend to understand it.
The members of the Sixth Legion shed their true selves to put on a mask. Whether the rumors were true or not, Aquitaine sounded like she had plenty of masks. It was something that the children of Venus did well. Most people thought strength was having great physical or mental prowess, but that wasn't true. True strength was taking the skills one had and using them to their maximum potential.
Beleza knew that she wouldn't beat many people in a fair fight. She usually had the floor wiped with her when she sparred with her fellow peacekeepers. Being a demigod meant that she could handle mortals in fair fights, but when it came to fighting another demigod, she made sure that the fights weren't fair.
Two pairs of footsteps caused Beleza to turn her head. She studied Pia and the Sixth Legion's doctor. The doctor, Avaris, was a unique woman. She didn't fit too well in the world of a demigod.
Beleza got a warm feeling from Avaris. The doctor seemed like she would just as quickly heal a monster as she would put it out of its misery. And it seemed to be exactly the same for her fellow demigods. Beleza sensed that Avaris did care for the people she tended to. She would do everything in her power to save them.
But at the order of her imperator, the surgical knife would slit throats.
It made sense for Julius Caesar to have this power. He was one of the most prominent historical figures in the world, and the most prominent Roman. He led legions in victory more often than not, and his deeds gained him a second life that lasted long after his beloved country fell.
What didn't make sense was for Reyna to have this power. The demigod was one wrong step from snapping and destroying the world. Insane Romans were always the most fun, though. Working with one? Not so much.
"If you think it can work," Pia said after a moment. Her gaze stayed on Avaris. "I just don't want her to be in too much pain."
"She'll be in pain no matter what," Avaris stated, but there was a gentleness to her tone. "If you think that we need her, we can focus the healing on her spine and do our best to keep her on her feet. Healing will take time no matter what, but it may go quicker while she is sleeping. There are options to weigh out."
"What are you talking about?" Beleza asked. She tried to maintain her composure, but anything about Burza always made her mask slip. Avaris looked at her. The doctor's eyes were unreadable, yet it felt like she had opened a window into Beleza's soul.
"We're trying to figure out if it is best to allow Burza to sleep through this or try and wake her up. Maybe even allow her to get back on her feet," Pia said.
"Which could hurt her more," Beleza argued.
"If we focus on healing her spine, she'll be able to walk without hurting herself. Her spine should hold up," Avaris said.
"Should?" Beleza repeated.
"We don't know if it will or not," Pia answered. "We were just talking about it and have not made a decision yet."
Beleza nodded slightly and watched Bristol stand from the map. There was a frown on his face, "We're not going to find a map that will help us."
Bristol stood like a leader. He had clearly seen many things in his day, and that marked him as someone who could walk through the fire and bring a squad through safely. It made sense that he would step up in the absence of their imperator.
"What the hell are we going to do then?" Hylla muttered to herself. She pressed her fist against the table, and there was pure anger in her eyes. Desperation even.
"We'll figure something out, Hylla. I promise," Zara said. She stared down at the table and seemed to be lost in thought. No one had an answer to give.
The ringing of a phone cut through the silence. Hylla's eyes shot up, and a frown came to Bristol's face. Zara froze, as did Pia. Theo scowled and slowly looked up.
Beleza studied her friends and grabbed the phone from her pocket. She turned and walked out of the room. As she left, she heard Camila comment on the phone, "I thought she got rid of it."
"I wish she did," Theo muttered. Beleza left them behind and walked down the hallway. Her gaze studied the flip phone, and she opened it.
"Hello," Beleza said. Her eyes stared at the wall in front of her, and she found a smile come to her face. Beleza kept this phone for a long time, knowing that one day it would ring again. One day, she would be called to do what she did best.
"Beleza," the man on the other end greeted. He sounded surprised that she answered, but he shouldn't have been. She always told him to call if he needed help with special cases. As long as the pay was good, she would listen.
Beleza remained silent, waiting for him to talk. Did he want some kind of warm conversation, as if they were old friends catching up? They were nothing more than boss and employee, and well, Beleza wasn't sure she would call him a boss. More of a middle man. A barely competent one at that.
"A new contract has been signed," James said. Beleza heard the crinkling of paper in the background, and she could feel his fear. "We didn't know who else to go to."
"You're wasting time," Beleza stated.
"It is a demigod," James continued, still dragging out this conversation. A scowl came to Beleza's face. She hated to be toyed with. All she needed was details, and that was it. "A high profile one."
"As are all of my targets, James. Just give me the name," Beleza ordered. "I know the other severions play in the shadows with messages hidden throughout the world and placing assassination contracts out in the open like we are playing a child's game. If you want the target dead, give me their name."
"You're right, Beleza. I'm sorry for doubting you," James said. "The woman is a prominent demigod. Her name is Hylla Ramirez-Arellano."
Beleza stiffened. She kept emotion out of her tone as she spoke, "Hylla Ramirez-Arellano? Any other information about her?"
"She is the queen of the Amazons," James answered. "Her sister is even more prominent, but apparently, she is out of the country or something. You just have to get past her Amazons."
"Who would want to kill the queen of the Amazons?" Beleza asked as she allowed amusement to enter her tone.
"Well, I normally don't divulge who put out the hit, but considering the reward involved, you might want to know," James began.
"And the reward is?" Beleza prompted.
"A billion dollars in whatever currency you desire, a bit of land where no one will bother you, and a... weapon from his armory? That's odd," James commented.
"With a billion dollars, this person could just buy Amazon itself and dispose of the queen," Beleza commented. She felt a pit form in her gut as she had a good guess of who put out the hit on Hylla.
"He requested my best assassin," James said. "But, uh, it's the big guy. Zeus."
"Don't let anyone else take this contract. It's mine," Beleza said. She heard James breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank you. I can't imagine who else I could call for something like this," James said.
"You have a list," Beleza stated. James hummed in confirmation. "You were just worried about having to tell them they would need to split the reward because no one can do what I can."
"It's always a pleasure talking to you, Beleza. I'll let the big guy know my best man, well woman, is on it," James said. "Ah, he wants the head delivered to him. I'll try to keep this from appearing to other severions, but you know how impatient the gods can be."
"I know," Beleza agreed. She heard James hang up the phone. Beleza slipped it back into her pocket and then walked back towards the other. A billion dollars sounded tempting. It was the biggest reward she had ever received for taking down a target.
But, taking the power of her mother would be a greater reward. All Beleza had to do was make sure that she protected Hylla from some of the greatest assassins in the world. Not as good as her of course. And to keep her protected from the king of the Olympians.
One bright side did come from all of this. Between casting Reyna into Tartarus and putting out this hit, Zeus was clearly stating his intentions. He was going to war with the daughters of Bellona. And as of now, the sisters were aligned with the peacekeepers. Beleza closed her eyes and felt a small smile filter onto her face.
She loved the smell of war in the morning.