I Mix Business With Pleasure

If we're going to be one hundred percent fair, nobody told us where exactly we were going to meet Hylla. So with that in mind, is it really that surprising that our escort and we were separated? While she marched off down one corridor, I blindly led Reyna towards the throne room, casually remarking on how the throne itself was literally constructed from well over a couple hundred books.

That… didn't end well. About a minute after we arrived, confused by Hylla's absence, our escort tracked us down, then, in the stoniest voice I've heard since facing Atlas, declared "Remain by my side. I would regret dragging you to our queen in binds."

We stayed with her after that.

While Reyna glared at me from my side, we followed the Amazon down a series of corridors and catwalks a little ways off the hustle and bustle of the cavernous warehouse. At the far end of one such corridor, two others stood guard outside of an otherwise unremarkable door. Our guide marched us towards them, stiffened in posture, then tapped her heel against the floor.

"The queen shall see you now."

One of the guards opened the door, her face an impassive mask, mirroring that of our guide. I simply shrugged and took a step forward.

"Wait."

Reyna stepped in front of me, shot me a warning glance, then raised her hand to squeeze my arm.

"Just give me a couple minutes alone with her. Please. I'll keep it brief."

I raised an eyebrow, then glanced over at the others around us. They offered no direction, their faces pulling off a remarkable statue impression. Hylla sat behind a rather ornate desk, her inquisitorial expression well earned.

With a nod, I took a step back and let Reyna enter the office alone. She pulled the door closed behind her, which the guard tried to resist. One word from Hylla and the guard let the door shut, closing me out with the three guards. They… didn't make for the greatest company.

"You will wait until you are summoned," she said in her deadpan tone. "Otherwise, I will track you down and bring you hogtied."

Without any further fanfare, she spun smartly on her heel, then marched back down the corridor.

Meanwhile I had to do a double take and make sure my pants were still dry.

Thankfully, my company wasn't completely silent and awkward. Okay, the guards were silent, and the tone was definitely awkward, but not because of the guards specifically. Not just them that is.

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice called. "Summoned by the queen herself! And on your first day! Such an honor!"

I glanced over my shoulder to welcome the beaming redhead. "Kinzie. How's Hazel's initiation?"

"Smoother than a greased cue ball." She held up a small packet of papers. "Just a couple things I needed Hylla to sign to expedite some of the more mundane parts of initiating her. I don't think Hazel would survive our orientation powerpoint and quizzes. Not that she needs them." Her easygoing expression was traded for one of a more sly nature. "And what about you? Waiting for a private audience?"

"Not the kind I think you're thinking of."

She didn't drop her sly smirk. Instead, it grew more intense.

"I guess we'll just have to find out. If she called for you, then there's no point in waiting. Let's just head on in."

Right as she tried to march past me, I reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Reyna wanted to talk to her alone first. She shouldn't be long."

She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, letting out a languished sigh. "Ugh, fine! I guess I can just find some other way to pass the time."

Her eyes trailed down to my hand, which still had a firm grip on her.

"Though maybe you might have a way to keep me occupied. Or maybe…" She walked her fingers along my arm, and trailed them down my chest. "I could find a way to distract myself. I haven't had dinner yet, you know. And I've had this really intense craving for—"

"If you say 'sausage,' I'll delay the time we have until we break this curse."

A flicker of concern marred her expression, but was swiftly replaced by her playful shrug.

"Dessert for dinner then? Glazed pastries are just my favorite!" She dropped to her knees and tugged on the hem of my shirt. "Though I don't mind the occasional cream filling either."

I glanced up towards the two guards, who both remained stoically still, their eyes clearly not focusing on us.

"Um…"

Kinzie picked up on where my mind was headed and jumped to her feet, circled me, and wrapped her arms around me from behind.

"The queen's guards have to remain vigilant at all times. They're not allowed to move or speak unless touched, ordered, or to protect the queen. So I could just…" She ran her fingers down my abdomen while nibbling along my neck. Before she could plunge her hand down past my waistband, I grabbed her wrist and pulled it away.

"Not here. Not now."

"Tsk. Such a tease. What'll it take for you to just give me what I want?"

"Patience, for one." My tone came out deadpanned while I let go of her hand. "You know what went down with Sierra. You know I won't let the curse hurt you so long as I have any say about it."

She huffed. "Yeah, because she was super eager to spread her legs. Come on! I'm literally draping myself over you, and yet you'll barely touch me! Is it because of my hair? Should I make it curly like Rachel? Or Annabeth? Maybe it's because my boobs aren't big enough…"

While she mockingly felt up her own chest to take mental notes, I simply groaned.

"It's none of that. Honestly, it's… refreshing that you're so enthusiastic about this. It's less I have to worry about. I just want this to go down at the right time."

"And when will that be?" She crossed her arms under her chest, trying to push out her quite modest bust, which was still tucked into her jumpsuit. "Should I rent out a private room for us? Light some candles and pull out the champagne? Maybe throw on some lacy lingerie and spread myself out on a bed of rose petals?"

It took my brain a couple seconds to catch up with the rest of my body, courtesy of the picture she just painted in my head.

"There are a couple girls I could see trying that, but I doubt that you'd be one of them."

She smirked. "Good. We're on the same page. I don't need to be romanced by you. Now, I'm not saying you should just bend me over and rail me in the cafeteria, but come on! A little reciprocation would be nice! Even just a- hnnk!"

For most girls, I'd try to shut them up with a kiss. It would work, and they'd often melt. I'm sure you know exactly who I'm referring to.

Not Kinzie though. She hadn't earned that quite yet, and my time around both her and several of the others gave me an inkling that she'd respond better to a more firm approach. Specifically, a firm grip around her throat pinning her to the wall.

"Something like this?"

Wide-eyed, she opened and closed her mouth for a couple seconds, but said nothing. Her gaze wandered down my forearm and rolled up towards my stern stare. A shudder ran through her body, and her shocked expression melted away into one of vulgar delight.

"Mmm. Tighter. Otherwise, I might just escape and pin you to a wall."

Right as I went to indulge her, the door to the office opened, and the flustered face of Reyna greeted us both. She stiffened for a moment upon seeing our position, but she seemed to read enough of the situation to know there wasn't anything to be troubled over.

"She's ready for you."

I pulled my hand from Kinzie's neck, much to her dismay, if her pursed lips and puffed up cheeks were anything to go by.

"Did you get what you needed?"

She returned my gaze for a moment, then dropped her eyes to the floor.

"No."

Without another word, she turned and walked back into the office, leaving Kinzie and I to follow behind her.

"It's great to see you both again!" Kinzie cheerfully added, grinning at both of the guards.

I decided not to comment, and simply stepped into the office with her right on my heels.

As we entered the office space, I thought I had a relatively good idea in mind about what it would look like.

I was wrong.

Hylla sat behind what looked like a fairly stereotypical wooden desk. The kind I became quite familiar with seeing during my time in school, what with my several visits to the principal's office. The only difference was the rather lavish leather desk chair behind it, along with the intricate scenes engraved around the surface, depicting what looked like a coronation in stereotypical ancient Greek artistry. On it sat a mason jar stuffed to the brim with red licorice twists.

What I wasn't expecting was the literal wall of books lining the back. I don't mean a large bookshelf nor do I mean a few stacks that were just really big. There wasn't a shelf in sight. From one back corner to the other, books piled up to the ceiling in suspiciously neat stacks, all of their spines on display, each one near identical.

Beyond that, a couple plants, very comfortable guest chairs, and even an old vinyl record player putting out some soft jazz, the office came across as rather stereotypical, though cozy.

"Percy," Hylla said, wearing a tired smile, two fingers massaging her temple. "A pleasure as always. Ah, Kinzie as well! You know you're always welcome here."

"You know it!" Kinzie said. I could all but hear her giving Hylla a wink.

Both Reyna and I took a guest chair while Kinzie handed off her small packet for Hylla to look over. Once she'd finished with that, she promptly decided, despite another chair available, the best course of action was to use me as her chair. A part of me hoped she wouldn't do that, if only for Reyna's sake. On the other hand, the physical confirmation of how toned Kinzie's butt was stirred up some feelings probably best suited for other rooms.

Reyna pretended to ignore it, but her shifted posture away from the two of us told me all I needed to know.

"This really isn't the time," I whispered into Kinzie's ear.

Rather than get upset, she simply grinned. "I know. I just wanted to see if I could get a reaction out of you." She shifted herself in my lap, grinding her butt right up against my waking loins. "I'm very happy with the results."

With her piece said, she peeled herself off of my lap and casually made her way towards the wall of books, humming to herself as she read over the spines.

"Thank you for meeting with me," Hylla said, ripping both Reyna's and my attention from the bubbly Amazon. "And though I do believe this goes without saying, you have my utmost gratitude for bringing Kinzie back. Even if she's technically part of your harem, you've given her a chance at a new life. Potentially happier. And definitely more interesting than what we have here."

"It's not really a big deal," I said. "And I'm not really the one to thank for—"

"What are you talking about?" Kinzie said, turning her head over her shoulder. "I was dead! It's about as big of a deal as you can possibly get! And yeah, technically Hades was the one to bring me back, but it was still for you! And from the first breath I took, it's been nothing but one adventure after another!

"Also, don't you sell yourself short, Hylla. We both know how interesting my life was before everything happened."

I attempted to comment and rebuttal her claim, but Reyna tapped my foot with her own and gave a short shake of her head.

"You don't need to convince me," Hylla said, a small grin on her lips. "But that's a topic for another time. I don't want to keep you here for too long, so I suppose we should get down to business."

With a cursory glance towards both Reyna and Kinzie, I offered Hylla a simple nod.

"To business then."

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk and interlacing her fingers.

"As I see it, there are currently two separate deals that can be made. One for shelter and one for resources. One allows you to stay here, so long as you don't cause any issues with any of the denizens here. The other grants you free reign over what we can provide; food, clothing, along with our various services like the training center and the archives. Are we in agreement?"

Reyna pressed her lips down in a forced flat line, her eyes hard in their gaze. Kinzie wasn't paying us any attention. Or at least, she was doing a good job at pretending that was the case.

"That seems fair. You're not going to try and strike us back for the plane incident?"

Reyna tapped my foot with her own. Another time for her to silently inform me to put my foot in my mouth.

"No," Hylla said. "The expenses were definitely higher than I'd like, but we're in no shortage of money, as I'm sure you can imagine."

I couldn't deny that logic.

"Speaking of, you can keep the items your members selected on the plane, whether or not we can agree to the terms set. Free of charge. Consider it an act of altruism."

A very lacy and risque act of altruism.

"I'm sure the others will appreciate that."

She eyed me for a second, then nodded. "With that in mind, let's start off with resources. With the girls in your harem having taken such an interest in the goods and services we have on offer, I think it's only fair that they return it with a service of their own."

The chill down my spine couldn't hide itself for more than a second or two before forcing me to shiver.

"You're not suggesting I pimp them out to the Amazons, are you? Or gods forbid, the—"

"Absolutely not."

Even Reyna choked on my exclamation, as if the idea hadn't occurred to her. Even Kinzie whipped her head around at my outlandish claim.

Sue me, I was concerned.

"Not only would that fundamentally undermine any trust we have between us, not to mention completely destroy what reputation anyone involved has left, but there are plenty of outlets available for those who need to indulge a little more."

I wasn't sure whether to sigh in relief or gape at the latter half of her claim. The image of some private glory hole booths came into mind, but I dashed those away before they could fester.

"What service then?"

She unlaced her fingers and grabbed a piece of licorice before taking a small bite.

"I think we can agree that your harem currently contains some of the greatest warriors, heroes, and all around powerhouses of the modern day."

I smirked.

Well, when you put it that way…

"That's something currently lacking among my ranks. Obviously, I can't force my warriors to start blasting people with lightning bolts or summoning precious metals to them. However, you have individuals such as Zoë and Phoebe, whose martial prowesses are legendary. Or Annabeth. Anyone who is able to garner the admiration and respect of Daedalus is certainly going to have worthwhile lessons to teach others."

"So that's the service then? You want tutors?"

"Tutors, trainers, advisors, instructors; whatever you'd like to call them. In short, yes. Anything that can be taught, we want them at the lead. They have skills that many here could only dream of. I'd like to bring that dream one step closer to a reality."

There was no point in denying the truth of those words. Just about everyone knew what we'd accomplished. We were like the most famous celebrity jugglers of the mythological world. Though I'm sure very few thought about the metaphorical broken plates we'd accumulated on the journey to attain such a title.

"Just a moment."

I turned to Reyna, who met my gaze with pursed lips.

"Your thoughts?" I whispered.

"It sounds fair enough so far, though she definitely stacked the deck in her favor for this." She shot a burning glance towards her sister.

"That goes without saying. But do you think the others would be on board?"

"For the most part. Still… we might want to—"

"That goes without saying."

I turned back to Hylla.

"I'll have to speak with the others about this first. While I doubt they'd have many problems with that kind of arrangement, I'm not going to force their hands."

Despite her sour expression at me cutting her off, Reyna softened her glare and hooked her foot around my ankle, a slight upward curve in her lips.

Hylla offered a whisper of a smile and nodded.

"Understood. Personally, I would have extended the offer to you as well. Your reputation with a sword has certainly reached our ears. Unfortunately, there are many here who would take issue with being trained by a man, despite your achievements."

"You won't find me complaining. Training others has never been easy for me."

She cracked a smirk. "I'm sure you simply need the right environment."

"And a willing audience," Kinzie added. "We can do a little one on one tutoring session tomorrow and deeply cover how well you can wield that sword!"

Reyna buried her face behind her hand, I groaned loud enough that the guards probably thought I was getting jumped… or laid. Hylla, for her part, hardly reacted. Her expression remained neutral, though I recognized the mirth in her eyes. Reyna would often wear the same expression when she knew laughing was out of the question.

"Anyway," she said, bringing us back into focus, "I concur with your decision to speak with the others regarding this matter, under the detail that such matters pertain especially to them. The same is less true for my second proposal."

"And that would be?"

"By virtue of offering to shelter you all, I have essentially become your shield from the less desirable individuals who lurk about. Not only out in the world, but here as well. I'd ask that you return the favor."

"Act as your shield? Don't you have enough guards and soldiers already?"

"To protect us from the outside, yes. It's the aforementioned individuals who lurk about here that concerns me."

I shared a bewildered expression with Reyna.

"You're going to have to elaborate."

"Well, take my recent spat with Otrera. I'm sure you remember her well."

I nodded, forcing back the groan that tried to escape.

"I'd rather not see the inside of your cells again, thank you very much."

"No need to worry about that this time around," she replied with a half grin. "But I digress. Unfortunately, the position I hold means that such matters are hardly an isolated incident. Anyone can challenge me at any time, and there's little I can do to refute that. On that front, there are no tasks I would ask of you. What I would ask is to help me prevent such matters to begin with. Or worse still, help me with those who would try to circumvent the challenge entirely."

Reyna, mastering her sphinx-like expression, froze. Even her foot pulled back on my own, though it shivered ever so slightly.

"Are you suggesting people here are trying to assassinate you?"

"There have certainly been rumors," she said after a pause. "I'm not going to ask that you investigate such claims. I have enough people for that. What I would ask is that you help act as my face. If people see us as allies, they'll be less likely to act."

"Or more likely to avoid getting caught," Reyna added. "We're not politicians. I've had my share of this backstabbing nonsense after New Rome."

"I'm not asking you to get involved with all of the cloak and dagger. We're already working as allies. I'm simply asking you to make sure people recognize our status as such. Be seen with me in public, speak well on my behalf, advertise the fact that we are actually an alliance. And perhaps, should the time come when an outside force manages to be too much for the Amazons, we could join hands and bear our arms against those that would seek to do us all harm."

"So basically," I said, "you want an alliance. More or less like what you're doing in New Rome."

Her shoulders relaxed. "Now you're catching on. I'm not interested in turning you all into spies or politicians. I simply want to formalize an alliance between the Amazons and the group of heroes who saved the world. Not only does it help shield me from those who might seek to supplant me, but it would do us all good. There is strength we lack alone that the other can offer."

I stayed silent for a few seconds. Even Kinzie, who'd busied herself by humming a tune and perusing a particularly interesting book, stopped and stared at our exchange. Reyna wouldn't meet Hylla's eyes. Instead she took to studying the grain of the wooden desk before her.

"Just like the other set of terms, we'll speak with everyone else first." I slipped a hand down to clasp Reyna's. "Forging alliances is good, but this is bigger than just me."

Hylla gave a curt nod.

"Why didn't you just say so from the beginning?" Reyna said. "Why all of the preamble?"

Hylla went to speak, but Kinzie beat her to it.

"Because she's not in a position of strength. She wants you to recognize that. She needs the help, just like us."

Hylla's fingers twitched, which told me Kinzie nailed it in one. Reyna, in turn, squeezed my hand, for a moment, her own grip trembled. Once it relaxed, she let out a breath, then nodded.

"Then we will talk to the others, then come to a decision," she said, mirroring my earlier sentiment.

"Agreed." Hylla nodded. In spite of the negotiations coming to an end, she didn't relax her posture. In fact, they tensed up. "That brings us to the conclusion of our official business. However, I'd also like to extend an additional term, unofficially."

Reyna tensed once more. "I knew it…"

"This won't concern any member of the harem," she said. "With that in mind, I'd ask that we discuss these terms privately."

The moment those words left Hylla's mouth, I could almost hear the switch flipping inside Reyna's head. Not sure what gave it away. The way she jolted upright. The snarl curling off of her lips. The fact that she was all but strangling my hand with her grip.

"No," I said simply, deciding to keep my hand from getting pulverized. "Anything you say to me, you can say in front of them."

Hylla grimaced, her eyes darting between myself and Reyna.

"I can assure you both, I am not your enemy. But… Reyna… I can promise that you'd be better off not knowing this."

"If it isn't clear by now," Reyna growled, "your promises don't amount to much. They didn't mean much when it was just the two of us. They don't mean much now."

Despite her attempt to conceal her reaction, the twitch in the corner of Hylla's lip may have all but indicated she was practically sobbing inside. Either that or she was holding back from slapping Reyna. Possibly a bit of both.

"Maybe we should just take a moment to cool down," Kinzie said. "You can always come back later to—"

"No." Hylla deflated before us. "I appreciate the gesture Kinzie, but time apart won't rebuild any trust. Or lack thereof. I made this bed, it's about time I finally lay in it."

"That's the first thing you've said since I walked in that I agree with," Reyna said, her voice chilly.

"Right," Hylla paused and took a deep breath, reaching for another piece of licorice. "As you're well aware, we currently have one of, if not the best information network in the world. As I understand, your mother is an aspiring author, living with your stepfather in a less than ideal apartment. Based on her purchase history these past couple months, I'd assume she's pregnant."

It was my turn to tense up. No one puts my mother in their crosshairs. Never again. "If you're threatening her…"

"Don't be so dramatic." She waved away my concern. "Hospital bills are expensive. And no offense, but a history teacher isn't exactly a breadwinning career. I'm willing to offer her a sponsorship with her books. The best marketing you can get, free of charge. Likewise, her medical expenses? Covered. In two months, I'll have your family set up in a comfortable middle class apartment where your new sibling can be raised."

I balked, unsure of what to say.

"Furthermore, my contacts in Camp Half-Blood tell me there is a rather large group of nymphs you rescued. Granted, some of the campers and local spirits are making their assimilation difficult. Something about them being trained sex slaves? And you've declared that they are under your protection?"

I leaned back.

"Now, I admire the gall to make such a claim, but you can't protect them on the opposite side of the country. We can. Say the word, and I'll have a detail of my own dryads and naiads move into that camp to protect them. No one will lay a finger on those you rescued."

I shivered. The sheer level of reach this woman had was awe inspiring… and terrifying. "For what? What do you want?"

She let out a soft breath and leaned back in her chair. "You."

Both Reyna and I had our share of comical reactions. Poor Reyna decided to swipe a piece of licorice for herself, but choked on it as Hylla delivered that little bomb. As for myself, I threw myself back in the chair so hard it toppled over and sent me sprawling.

While Reyna forced her way through her coughing fit, I dragged myself to my feet and sheepishly pulled the chair back into place. All the while, Hylla offered a smile halfway between apologetic and amused. Kinzie decided her book wasn't that interesting, and promptly settled herself in the final chair, vibrating as if she were about to explode. The truth may not be that far off.

"Now you understand." Hylla pulled out another piece of licorice for Reyna, given that her dislodged piece wound up on the floor. "Some privacy would have done you both better."

"Forget the privacy!" Reyna spat, swatting away the candy. "What on Earth makes you think you can just get inside of Percy's pants?"

"I don't." Hylla said simply. "Hence why I am offering something I believe to be of equal value."

She turned to me. "As I'm sure you both understand, the position I hold is rather… strenuous. Even in the best of times, managing something like this is beyond what most individuals could handle."

Standing from her chair, she made her way towards the book wall, and ran her fingers over some of their spines.

"What I ask for is that you would become my outlet, my… means of relieving that stress."

"So you want me to become your own living sex toy?"

Even in my own ears, the darker tones of my voice began to frighten me. I literally just dealt with Aphrodite pulling the same crap. And yet there we were, with history repeating itself.

"On the contrary, what I ask for is… quite a bit beyond simply that." She turned to face me, hands fidgeting, and drew a deep breath. "I'd ask that we not only become lovers, but that, perhaps, when we both deem the time appropriate, you might allow me to bear a child for you."

While my blood pressure plummeted and left me dizzy, Reyna's sky rocketed so high she jumped from her chair.

"You… you can't be serious! Of all the gods forsaken…!" She began to hyperventilate, her breaths short and choppy. Panic marred her expression, painting her a ghostly pale.

I too stood from my chair, if only to grab her and bring her back down to Earth.

"Look at me. Reyna, look at me."

She did. She looked, but she couldn't see me. Her far away gaze made that crystal clear.

"I… I need to go."

Without another word, she yanked herself out of my grip and stormed out of the office. All the while hugging herself and muttering words that likely weren't too kind.

The guards closed the door behind her, their gazes locked firmly on her, as if they realized how close she was to turning into a very lethal threat.

Meanwhile, I turned to Hylla and Kinzie. The former had it in her to look ashamed, the latter spent only a few seconds longer vibrating in her seat and grinning like a madwoman before jumping out of it with a squeal and tackling Hylla in a hug.

"Yes! We'll be sister wives! Or is it fellow concubines? Oh, gods, your babies will look so adorable!"

I needed to sit down again, lest I pass out from all the blood rushing to my head.

Children. Babies. Not even Annabeth and I had really sat down and discussed the subject with one another. Yet along came Hylla, crashing through that sensitive topic like a wrecking ball wrapped up in a jumpsuit.

"You must know, Percy," Hylla said, pushing an overenthusiastic Kinzie down and walking around her desk. "I don't make this decision lightly. I understand the gravity of what I'm asking from you. And it is that very reason I have chosen to ask you."

"I'm not some breeding bull you can just use for your own pleasures."

"No. You're not." She approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder. If not for the nausea in my head, I might have had it in me to brush her off. "You're much more than that. And I want you to understand that I have no intention of using you as such."

"Then why? Why would you even ask me this?"

She moistened her lips. "There are… so many reasons. Intricacies so complicated, I myself can barely keep up. Simply put, you are perhaps one of my only options. Should you refuse me, I will bear you no ill will, and our agreements thus far will hold. But… should you accept this proposal, I can promise that this could become so much more than a simple alliance."

I gave her a deadpan glare. "There is nothing simple about our alliance. Or any of our situations for that matter."

"And yet, what I ask from you is still so much more complicated. Unlike Reyna, you haven't walked away. Nor have you refused my advance thus far. This leads me to believe you are amenable to the idea."

She pulled away and circled back to her chair.

"I… there's so much…"

"I know. You have plenty to discuss with the others. I'd… personally wish for you to keep the latter parts of this discussion private, but I understand there are other parties who deserve to know. And by all rights, they should be made aware."

I gulped back a frog in my throat, but managed to give her a shaky nod. She in turn gave me one of her own, despite the pain carving away at her face.

Awkward silence began to fill the room. Even Kinzie, though she bounced her attention between us, kept her mouth shut. At least until…

KNOCK!

A rhythmic series of knocks and taps reverberated against the door, startling us all. Hylla managed to collect herself first, smoothing her sleeves and pulling her hair back behind her shoulders.

"Enter."

The door opened, revealing, shocker, another Amazon. Unlike almost any of the Amazons I've seen so far, she was quite short, standing maybe half a head taller than Hazel, also sharing her dusky skin, though a shade or two lighter. Her dark narrow eyes locked on me with a piercing gaze, as if ripping information from me through willpower alone; a look I often associated with Annabeth. She wore her kinky hair short, locking much of it behind a bandana pulled tightly around her head. A single scar trailed the underside of her eye.

Then there were her clothes. She didn't have a uniform. She didn't have a jumpsuit, or armor, or anything denoting her as an Amazon. Instead, she wore a baggy pair of cargo pants that still managed to hug her legs… somehow. Combine that with a white tank top covered up with an unzipped hoodie, and she could have been anyone from a warehouse worker to a junkie on the street. Even still, she managed to command respect like only an Amazon could.

"A little early, don't you think?" Hylla said, looking down at her watch.

The newcomer said nothing, but stepped into the room regardless. Only after the door was shut behind her did she relax a fraction.

"Gambling again, my queen?"

Hylla smirked. "The house just secured a high roller investment."

"Understood. Are the reservoirs untapped, and the stallion bearing blinders?" The Amazon ran her eyes over the wall of books, and even to Kinzie.

"The hallowed walls have no eyes, and the stallion is broken in."

At this point, the Amazon actually relaxed her shoulders, then shot me a smirk and cocked out her hip to one side.

"Perseus Jackson. Or would you just prefer Percy? We finally get to meet properly." She held out a hand to me, revealing a raven tattoo on her inner forearm.

"Um… Hi?"

I returned the gesture and shook her hand. As I awkwardly pulled it away, Kinzie let out a little giggle.

"There's no point in standing on further ceremony here," Hylla said, standing from her chair. "Percy, this is Theora."

"No point in sleeping with one eye open while I'm around," Theora said, popping her neck. "Argus himself would never know I was there."

"Um…"

"Theora is my spymaster," Hylla said. "All of the information I know about your recent excursions, along with your family, it's because of her network."

"I like to keep informed." Theora shrugged. "It turns out that information is a very valuable commodity."

"She's certainly proven her worth over the years," Hylla agreed.

"Speaking of which…" Theora turned to Kinzie. "When I caught wind that you were alive, I honestly thought my informant was trying to pull a fast one on me. Yet here you are all the same."

"What can I say?" Kinzie threw her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. "Death was so boring. Life is full of excitement."

"Right." Theora curled her lip. "Because I am one hundred percent sure no favors were made. What? Did you blow Hades or something?"

Kinzie shivered. "If it ever comes to that, I'll throw myself into Tartarus."

When it became clear Kinzie wouldn't spill the details of her return, Theora simply sighed. "Fine, keep your secrets. You know I'll find the truth one way or another."

"Anyway," Hylla said, taking her seat once more. "What do you have to report?"

Theora pulled out a PDA, then after a select few taps, handed it to her queen.

"A lot of the same honestly. Though we have a couple things of note. Echidna has been sighted in Los Angeles. Oh, and that one guy who made off with a semi truck full of electronics? We finally got an ID on him."

"Great," Hylla said. "That was over a million lost, so we could really use that back. Have the authorities been notified?"

"I've had an anonymous tip or two left for a certain three letter agency. He's as good as history. And I'm still working on an angle for Echidna. She slipped through our last net…"

"Gaia rising was arguably more pressing." Hylla scrolled through the PDA, then placed it down. "But I'm glad we can get back to other important tasks."

She handed the PDA back to Theora, who pulled out another device, then pressed it to the PDA, which immediately started to glow and spark before ultimately bursting into flames. Unbothered, Theora simply tossed it into a trash bin, where it slowly fizzled out.

"That reminds me. Of the dissenting factions, there's a larger number of—"

"Wait!" Hylla sliced her hand through the air, her expression mildly panicked. She collected herself, then turned to me with a strained but bizarrely gentle smile. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Percy. But you have a lot of important things to discuss with your harem, especially Annabeth. We can discuss the finer details of our agreement at a later time."

She turned to Kinzie. "Please see him safely out. And your paperwork is all cleared. Hazel should be ready to start her training tomorrow, assuming her medical evaluation goes well."

"No problem there." Kinzie hopped to her feet and all but dragged me to mine, which didn't help my fading dizziness. "Let's get moving, you big tease! Amazons to train, monsters to slay, and heroines to lay!"

Despite wanting to march out of there with a modicum of pride still intact, my head wouldn't stop spinning, especially with me back on my feet. So I was stuck using Kinzie as a crutch as we hobbled out of the office.

"And Percy," Hylla called.

We half turned to look at her.

"Please, talk to Reyna. She has every right to be angry and afraid, but I'm not the monster she thinks I am."

At her closing statement, the guards pulled the door shut. My final image of the office saw Hylla and Theora speaking, with Theora pulling out a slip of paper from her pocket.

Kinzie didn't wait for that though. Instead, she pulled me along, mocking me with a strained groan.

"Oof. You're heavy! When you're finally on top of me, make sure you don't fall, okay?"

Given that we were finally alone, I was almost tempted to indulge her.

"Keep that up, and I might just throw up on you."

"Okay! I'll just make like the French and surrender." She threw up her hands in a mocking gesture.

I just rolled my eyes.

She lowered her arms, then took my hand in her own before pulling me along. "Seriously though, are you going to take up her offer? If anyone could fill the role she needs, it's you."

"I… don't know. The help she could offer my family…"

She huffed. "You're nothing if not selfless. Just going to point out that the queen herself is literally saying she wants you. Like wants you! There is literally not a single man who has ever been given that offer by her and lived to tell the tale."

"Not helping."

She puffed out her cheeks and grumbled. "Alright, fine. Let's at least get you back to the others."

I managed to nod at that statement. At least something she said was reasonable.

"Yeah… We have a lot to tell them."

A/N: After this disrespectfully long wait, I must say I'm rather impressed with the lack of "When's the next chapter coming out?" reviews. You already know I'm in this one for the long haul. Courtesy of both the holidays and a recent internal issue regarding the editing process, things were slowed by... well, saying "a bit" seems disingenuous honestly. Either way, it shouldn't take this long moving forward.

On to the chapter, we have finally kickstarted the lynchpin of the story arc. Hylla has laid it all out on the table, and Reyna wasn't ready for the meal she offered. Percy isn't quite sure if he has the appetite for such delicacies. Gods, I really should eat something...

You've all waited long enough, so I won't keep rambling. You know the system by now. The story is available a week early on P atreon, and Discord is by far the best way to reach out to me. In spite of that, your kind words (and even those that are less than kind) are all read through and thoroughly appreciated. I look forward to seeing what you all have to say about this chapter's developments. This is Ronin signing off.