Eye For an Eye

"What part of 'No' did you not understand?" Katie marched out of the kitchen, a bowl of dough cradled at her side, as Kinzie and I chased after her in a desperate attempt to get me some food.

"You already said you had my portion ready to go. Everyone got to eat except me!"

"Yeah. Three hours ago!" Katie whirled on me and poked a rolling pin at my chest. "It doesn't take three hours to deliver a meal."

"Depends on how you prepare it," Kinzie remarked.

Katie gave her a deadpan glare. Her shoulders slumped. "Look, I'm glad you aren't in the curse's crosshairs anymore. Really, I am. And I'll definitely get you an extra dessert portion to celebrate it. But you couldn't do all of that after you came to pick up your food?"

I scratched the back of my head. "All things considered, I'm not sure I would have kept it down. Especially after that wrestling match. She gave me a few good shots to the stomach."

"Guilty as charged." Kinzie sauntered up to Katie and tried to grab the bowl, which resulted in her almost getting cracked on the knuckles with a rolling pin. "Okay. Fine. What will it take? A night with him? It's his birthday, so that's a pretty generous deal for you."

"No. That's not…" Katie groaned and set the bowl on a table. "Let's make something clear: the fact that I want to ride you halfway to the sunrise has absolutely nothing to do with this. We made a deal. You broke the deal, but you still want me to hold up my end of the bargain. How do you expect anyone to follow you when you won't even take your own word seriously?"

"I do." I marched right up to her and looked her in the eyes. In spite of being one of the taller girls, she still had to tilt her head back. "And you're right. I should have at least come back to keep you in the loop. I keep getting swept up in the moment."

My stomach growled in protest. Meanwhile, Katie pursed her lips and glared at me with her hands on her hips. With the flour covered apron and rolling pin in hand, she looked like some sort of medieval baker about to run me out of her shop. Tapping her foot on the ground, I half wondered if I should get a head start and run before she snapped and chased after me. I've already seen what she could do with a frying pan. The last thing I wanted to do was test my luck against her rolling pin of death.

"And?"

"I'm sorry. I can't promise it won't happen again. But I'll try to do better."

She huffed and turned to her bowl. "Better. But a few words isn't going to teach you anything. You're still waiting until dinner. Speaking of which, it would be nice if you let me finish with this. They shouldn't take long but po—"

CRASH!

All heads turned to the kitchen, where the telltale shouts of a scuffle told us just enough to leave us wanting to know more.

The door to the kitchen swung open, and Julia tossed one of her workers out on her face. Snarling and brandishing a saucepan, she glared down at the young Amazon while she tried to crawl away.

"You ever show your face in my kitchen again, you won't have to worry about the queen's justice. I'll finish you off myself. This is a place for cooks! Not assassins!"

No sooner did she say that did a unit of guards rush in. The Amazon tried to pull herself up, but her crooked ankle stopped her before she could get anywhere. With blood leaking from her mouth, she gurgled out a panicked yelp. Not that the guards cared. They rushed her and had her on her feet in a few heartbeats, each one locking her arms with their own.

"Funny."

I just about jumped out of my skin and whirled around with Riptide in hand when I realized Theora was right beside me. Even Kinzie leapt back. While Katie went straight to Julia, who was in a heated discussion with another guard.

"For all of my resources," Theora said, ignoring my initial panic, "the one thing I seem to make a mistake on is assuming my target is competent and won't out themself."

"What are you…?"

She marched toward the downed Amazon. Kinzie and I shared a look before following.

"... nothing to gain by staying silent. But talking might just save your…" Theora narrowed her eyes. "Wait."

She reached out and tapped the Amazon on the side of her face. Another gurgle, with a hint of a squeal, is all she could muster.

"Dammit."

Theora huffed and made her way over to Julia and Katie, who both shied away from her. They exchanged a few words, with Katie raising her hands and shaking her head part way through. Julia held out her hand and gave something to Theora, which seemed to satisfy her. She nodded her head and turned back to the muted Amazon.

"Overplayed your hand," Theora said. "One attempt wasn't enough, so you thought you'd go for a second."

Sweat beaded down the woman's pale skin. The area around her cheek and jaw began to darken. She tried to pull away, but the guards held her steady as her pupils shrank to pinpricks in the otherwise icy expanse of her blue eyes.

"Consider yourself lucky." Theora turned to me. "Looks like the queen was never the target. You were. Or at least your group."

A chill went down my back. "Wait, so the—"

"She's the one who poisoned the food. Julia caught her attempting the same thing with your chicken in there. If only she didn't break her jaw. I'd love to get some answers."

The glare she levied against the poisoner was met with one of equal ire. She may not have been able to talk, but the vitriol in her eyes reminded me of many I'd seen in the heat of combat. Especially Clarisse when she faced down the Lydian drakon.

Not going to lie to you, I was tempted to end things right there. This woman tried not once, but twice to kill the people I loved. I already had Riptide in hand. It would be so easy. The guards were focused on keeping her from running. Not on me. All I'd have to do is give a quick thrust…

But the sheer thought of killing an unarmed woman made my stomach turn. In her angry eyes, I saw the black tears of Akhlys. On her bloody lips, I saw the clawed and poisonous cheeks of the primordial goddess.

And with that came the terrified gaze of Annabeth. Locked in the shadow mist. Half decrepit. But so much life and fear and her eyes that they'd likely haunt me for years to come. Ending this Amazon's life may be easy, but that doesn't mean it was right.

"She needs medical attention. Then you can get your answers when her jaw heals up."

"No point." Theora turned to me and slipped the small bottle into her pocket. "Not only would someone likely kill her before she had the chance to recover, but the queen's justice needs to be mete. Lucky for us, she just woke up about twenty minutes ago."

While I've definitely rushed to reach recovered loved ones, I honestly didn't know the meaning of "fast" until I got to see Kinzie in action. She dashed like a Fury out of Hades in the direction of Hylla's room. Even the guards didn't bother chasing after her. Not only did they know she wasn't a threat to the queen. But honestly, none of them stood a chance at catching up.

The same went for me. Though I stuck around long enough to mull things over with a furious Katie, I made the wise decision to leave before she went nuclear on the Amazon who tried poisoning her food… along with everyone else in the vicinity.

By the time I managed to catch up, the guards were already holding open the door. A pretty solid improvement over the last few times I visited.

Kinzie had Hylla coiled in a hug capable of making an anaconda proud. Meanwhile, the queen simply let it happen with a resigned smile on her face. The medics were gone, though the guards looked more vigilant than ever. Those who stuck around to study surrounded Hylla's bed, where it looked like Kinzie all but stole the queen from her sister.

"Take it easy," she gasped out. "Hug me any tighter and I'll be back in the ventilator."

Kinzie pulled back. A slight glisten showed in her eye, but she nodded her head and grinned all the same. "Can't have that. We need our queen."

"Not yours last I checked. Still, I appreciate the sentiment. Though I really could use something to eat."

"Hopefully, something that has a little less blowfish in it," Annabeth said.

She snorted. "Never was big on fugu, but yeah. The less poison, the better. I'll just have to make something myself."

"That won't be necessary."

All heads turned to the entrance, where Theora and two guards brought in the battered suspect. Tears streamed down her face, but otherwise she looked the same. Still the same crooked jaw and bleeding lips. Still the same busted ankle dragging on the floor.

"Nimh? Wait, what's…?"

The question died on her tongue as the truth settled in.

Theora had her dragged before the queen and dropped to her knees. With her hands cuffed behind her back and a guard to either side of her, she wasn't in any position to make a move; either for escape or to attack Hylla.

"Seems our chef managed to catch her in the act. She almost framed one of his harem members in the process." She held out a small bottle with even smaller words written across it. I didn't need to be all that literate to guess it was poison.

All of the others frowned and looked at me.

"Wait, Katie?" Thalia said. "Anyone who knows her could tell you in a heartbeat that she'd never sink that low. Especially with food."

"Irrelevant," Theora said. "Your character statements wouldn't have meant much, but we're not stupid enough to think she'd poison you all here. Especially in bulk with food that she's eating from as well."

Reyna knelt down in front of Nimh and brushed her dirty blonde bangs out of her eyes. "She needs medical attention. And fast. We'll have plenty of time to hold a trial, but without—"

"Trial?"

The succinct disbelief and finality in that one word stopped Reyna in her tracks. Our attention turned to Hylla, who stood from her bed, took a deep breath, and levied a stone faced stare at the woman.

"Do you know how we choose a queen here?"

Reyna flicked a glance at Thalia, then me. "Um… It's a fight. Anyone can challenge you at any time."

"A fight to the death." Hylla rested her hand on the pommel of her sword, which lay on the stand by her bed. "You see, my life is in constant danger. But it's something I understood when I first decided to take the throne. And though I've never lost in the past couple years I've been queen, I still respect those who try their luck."

"It's a risk everyone understands," Theora said. "Ambition without competence is suicide. For the would-be queen. For the women she's supposed to lead."

"Exactly. So if you came up to me, challenged me for my throne, and did things the right way, I could at least admire your courage." Her fingers wrapped around the hilt of her blade while her other hand gripped the links of her belt, the sign of her authority. "But no. You had to be underhanded. You had to use deception, and twist what was supposed to be a celebration into an attempted assassination."

"Hylla," Reyna said, her voice low and measured. "Don't."

"Amazonian law would dictate an eye for an eye. If you challenged me with steel, I would have met you on level ground, blade for blade. By all rights, I should return the favor. Poison you and let you attempt to survive it."

Even Theora, who initially bore a stoic calm, narrowed her eyes at Hylla's statement.

"But you didn't just try to poison me. You tried to poison my guests. You tried to poison my sister."

Nimh gulped as well as she could, averting her eyes from Hylla's steely glare.

"Look at me."

She ducked her head, sweat running down her neck.

Hylla took matters into her own hands, literally. Trapping Nimh's neck in a deathly grip, she lifted her to her feet and then a few inches more. The young woman squealed and gurgled, thrashing and throwing pathetic kicks at her gut.

"Your queen gave you an order."

"Hylla, enough." Reyna grabbed her shoulder, but Hylla didn't so much as acknowledge it.

Nimh let out some distorted noise, almost like she was trying to talk. Apparently, Hylla thought so too. She grabbed her jaw with her other hand and, with a great deal of screaming and thrashing on the part of her victim, forced a sickening pop in the woman's jaw.

I had to turn away. When all went quiet, I risked looking back, to find Nimh with her jaw more or less back to how it should be.

"Care to say that again?" Hylla whispered.

Nimh shivered and wept, a series of tears running down her cheek and over Hylla's fingers, which remained tight around her throat.

"She can't breathe," Thalia said.

"Neither could I," Hylla snapped. "Not without this damned machine doing the work for me." She let out a soft huff, then dropped Nimh in a heap on the floor. "You're right though. A dying woman should at least have the dignity of some last words. So if you're going to say them, now's your chance."

"No!"

Reyna forced her way between the two of them, tears streaming down her face as well. Her arms spread out, she glared up at Hylla as if she were trying to calm a rampaging bear.

It also had both guards rush her from behind, but a raised hand from Hylla stopped them before they got their hands on her.

"She tried to kill all of us. Why are you defending her?"

"Because even the worst deserve a fair trial. Even if we all know how it will end, there has to be rules to this. You don't think it's even remotely suspicious that they dragged her in shortly after you woke up? All we have is hearsay."

"Wrong," Theora said. "We have an eyewitness who managed to get evidence off of her. Not to mention she has an extensive amount of footage dating back almost a year of her researching poisons in the archives. This is beyond incriminating. But we don't arrest people for suspicious behavior alone. Not to mention her history as one of the…"

She paused, sharing a look with Hylla. In the span of a second, they seemed to share a silent conversation before Theora bit back her comment and took a breath.

"All evidence points to her as the assassin."

Nimh growled and glared daggers back at Theora. The guard returned to her sides and pressed her down until her forehead was almost pressed to the ground.

"If you're worried about the truth, I can help," I said.

When everyone turned on me, I almost shrank away. Even Annabeth eyed me with a perplexed expression.

"You mean Thŷella can help," Thalia said. "Huh. That's not a bad idea."

"Who?"

"One of my handmaidens. She's incredible really. A one of a kind nymph, from what I've been able to see. But she can tell whenever a person is lying just from touching them. There are all sorts of electrical signals and other body reactions that she can pick up on."

"With all due respect, we can't use her," Theora said. "She's an outside source with any degree of bias. Not to mention she's in poor health. We can't consider her a reliable asset in this."

"Enough." Hylla knelt and pulled Nimh back to her feet, though the woman flinched when her bad foot had any weight put on it. "You want a trial, then fine. We'll have the trial here and now. Nimh Cotton, you stand accused of assault, attempted murder, treason, and the poisoning of food intended for guests of your queen. How do you plead?"

The woman looked just about ready to faint, but what little life she still had left in her was put into finally giving a glare into Hylla's eyes. In spite of her messed up mouth, she kept her teeth grit and forced her words out with pained groans.

"You're not my queen."

Hylla turned to Reyna, whose shoulders slumped. She met my eyes with a hopeless plea. As much as I hated to say it, that may as well have been a confession. And that meant only a single fate awaited her.

"Then by the laws of the girdle, you are sentenced to death. Theora." She held out her hand.

The spymaster handed her the bottle of poison. Nimh pulled back and wrestled her way away from Hylla, but the guards held her in place.

Reyna rushed to Thalia, and both turned away. Annabeth watched wide eyed for a moment before following suit, using me as her refuge. Kinzie watched on with a frightening rage, her fingers twitching at her side. Every guard remained stoic. Theora grimaced, but didn't turn away as Hylla pried open the jaw of the whimpering assassin.

When she said she'd adhere to the eye for an eye type of justice, I figured she'd just drip feed her the poison and let it be. Instead, she shoved most of the bottle into her mouth, and forced it shut, with the neck and lid poking out past her lips. When she was satisfied, she grabbed the collar of her shirt and tore it off in a single pull, leaving a strip of fabric dangling in her hand. That strip was fashioned into a makeshift gag, with a knot tied behind Nimh's head while the length of fabric covered her mouth completely.

"This is for my sister."

The words were so soft, I doubted the person in question even heard her. But the finality of it, the needling, haunting fate it entailed.

With a speed rivaling Kinzie, and the force of a macehead, Hylla punched up into the jaw of the woman with a sickening crack. Nimh's head whipped back, and she screamed in muffled agony as the bottle of poison shattered in her mouth. Dropping to her knees, she made her pain known to everyone, and even the guards cracked their expressionless demeanors to flinch and cringe.

Annabeth pulled at my shirt, burying her head into my chest as I hugged her tight. Across the room, Thalia had her hands covering Reyna's ears. But she was free to take in every wretched second with full clarity despite looking in the opposite direction.

"Take her to a cell to hold her in the meantime," Hylla said, her voice laden with exhaustion. "Give her all of the rites due to her when she passes."

Theora and the guards wore grim expressions, but the former nodded and ushered the latter out of the door, dragging the sobbing woman in tow. Her cries echoed down the hall for a while longer. Even when I was sure she was out of earshot, I swear I could still hear her as if she were right in front of me.

"I'm sorry you all had to get dragged into this." Hylla turned to me with a haggard expression, then to Reyna with barely held back tears. "And I know your heart was in the right place. But I couldn't let this go without sending a message."

Reyna didn't bother hiding how she felt. Cheeks stained red with tears of her own, she whirled on Hylla with barely contained fury. "It wasn't right! She didn't have any chance to defend herself! And if you didn't notice, she never admitted to it! For all we know, she could have been innocent! But she knew you were going to kill her anyway!"

Hylla closed her eyes and bowed her head. "I gave her an opportunity to make her case. She chose to squander it."

"What has this place done to you?" Reyna sniffled, clutching at Thalia while she attempted to pull her to a seat. "Oh, who am I kidding? You've always been like this. You always put the executioner before the jury."

That seemed to be enough for a single tear to break free from the confines of the queen.

"I'm sorry you believe that. I'm sorry you only see the monster. But I have to do what it takes to keep you safe. After word gets around, no one will risk something like this again."

"If that's what helps you sleep at night." Reyna gulped back whatever words she had next. Squeezing Thalia's hand in a last act of comfort, she made her way out of the door, with her punk girlfriend right on her heels.

"Is this kind of thing normal?" Annabeth asked. She left a stain of wet marks on my shirt.

"Nothing about this is normal. From hosting you all to almost dying from breakfast… Most days are fairly stable. But… this war with the giants has brought some of the worst out in many people."

"And it took too many of the good ones," Kinzie lamented, rubbing her lower abdomen.

"Too true." Hylla straightened. "Well, as much as I want to spend the rest of the day in bed contemplating my decisions in life, I need to make myself public for a bit. No doubt my absence has been noted."

Annabeth nodded. "Right… We… we should get back to our research. But now we're down a few hands."

"Don't start counting Charon's coins just yet," Kinzie said. "Those nymphs aren't dying if I have a say in the matter. Let's get some reading done."

Annabeth squeezed me and pecked me on the lips, her eyes glassy and dark. And not in the way that indicated a fun night in bed.

"Feel free to stay here if you'd like. You're also free to return to the archives if you'd like. Wherever you feel most comfortable."

As if Annabeth needed to be told twice. She picked up a stack of books half her height like she'd practiced it her whole life. Somehow managing to balance them with a careful grace, she marched out of the room with Kinzie right behind, a bundle of scrolls under one arm and a tablet under the other.

Hylla turned to me with an appraising glance. Her shoulders sagged, and dark circles wrapped around her eyes.

"I think I owe you some explanations. Care to join me at the cafe?"

"Thank you, Sydney. And give my regards to Aaron. He truly is a master of his craft."

The barista of the cafe nodded with a broad grin. "Of course, my queen. It's always a pleasure."

"I can assure you, the pleasure is all mine. Well, and our guest now."

Sue me. I was half finished with my smoothie by the time Hylla got her order. Sure, it was probably bad form to even start drinking it before she did, but I had a lot on my mind. And you haven't tasted that smoothie!

Hylla didn't seem to mind. Eyeing me with a degree of sly mirth, she gestured for me to follow her while sipping on her horchata. A far cry from the brow beaten monarch I saw just a short while before. For a moment, she actually looked at peace. But that melted away as she led me along the various corridors and catwalks, seemingly with no destination in mind.

"Why couldn't we just stay at the cafe?"

She continued on for another step or two, turned to lean on the rails of the catwalk, and took another sip. "Catching up on making my rounds. You'd be surprised how much impact simply being seen can make. A present leader is far more likely to inspire than an absent one."

"And the fact that I'm here totally has nothing to do with it."

A wry smile stretched across her face. "I do recall that being part of the terms you agreed to. Which reminds me, Theora informed me that your companions agreed to the terms."

"Yeah." I took my spot next to her, also leaning against the rail. "They need to know what positions you're looking for, but they're on board."

"Good. There are plenty of options available to them. I'll discuss this with Annabeth. From what I can gather, she seems to be the one responsible for keeping things organized."

"I won't even pretend to deny that."

She pulled back from the rail, then took a much longer drink than before. "Though I imagine her thoughts will be on other, more personal matters."

"That's one way to put it… She didn't take all of the requests as well as the first."

"It's well within her rights to be angry." She began making her way along the catwalk as I did the same with my smoothie. "Believe me, I know I put you in an impossible situation. So it's time for me to grant you a more complete picture. After all, given recent events, there isn't much use in trying to keep things hidden from you any longer."

"Another point. Was that necessary? I'm no stranger to street justice, but traumatizing your sister in the process… Not to mention Annabeth and Thalia were some of your best picks for instructors. After that…"

"I imagine they won't be as amenable as they once were. And Annabeth most certainly was already in a poor spot." Her head lowered as she paused partway down the stairs. "Nimh was a good woman, for as much time as I'd known her. But she needed to die. Making the matter public would only invite more challenges. I've already had to deal with two other attempts in the past weeks. Why do you think I left for New Rome to begin with? If I don't have allies here, then I'm best served trying to find them elsewhere."

"And crushing a bottle of poison in her mouth? Making sure she spent her last moments alive screaming? How does that help?"

"It doesn't."

She turned around, then looked up, her grip tight on the railing of the stairs.

"The moment I felt that bottle break, I knew I made the wrong choice. I will have to live with that. But I can't second guess my own decisions in front of the very people who rely on me for those decisions. If I went back and tried to show mercy by finishing her right then and there, all it would accomplish is sowing confusion in my closest guards. Not to mention Theora."

"Then why do it to begin with? You could have locked her up. Don't get me wrong, she tried to kill my friends too, so I get why you wanted to kill her. I was tempted to do it myself. But with my sword. Quick. Simple."

She grimaced. A slow breath left her while she pieced together her thoughts. "Your mother is pregnant. You have a little brother or sister soon coming into this world. I promise you, if someone tried to hurt or kill them, you'd understand exactly why I did what I did."

Whatever argument I had left died in my throat. My thoughts drifted to all those years back. Smelly Gabe. If I knew back then what I knew now… If I could see him again. The things I'd do to him…

"Fine. But you know that won't be enough for Reyna."

"No. I don't imagine it will. Doubly so given my hopes for our future relationship."

"So now we come full circle. Why? Why me? You could have literally anyone you want."

The despair in her expression gave way to a sad smile. "Oh, if only you understood how far from the truth that statement is."

Rather than explaining her point, she turned and marched away. I stayed right beside her, not quite willing to let this topic drop. Because dammit, if I was getting roped into more Amazonian drama, I'd need to know why.

"So… so many reasons," she said, not bothering to look at me, instead marching her way towards the back end of the warehouse. "Now, something to bear in mind is that, on top of all of this, you are a fine man. A great one, by all accounts. So even beyond the myriad of points I make, both personal and professional, don't make the mistake of believing I don't have any attraction toward you. I promise you, I do."

"Okay… And?"

She rounded a corner off the beaten path and paused with her back on the wall as we entered a new corridor.

"First and foremost, in spite of your beliefs that I have a near unlimited supply of eligible partners to pick from, you couldn't be further from the truth. Whether you want to believe it or not, you present my best opportunity. My best chance to have the lover I've longed for. The only other choices are the gods; and I would sooner fall on my own sword before kneeling between Ares' legs or spreading mine for Apollo."

I reeled back and shook my head. "What are you talking about? You've got thousands of guys right here. There are more dudes in jumpsuits than Amazons. You have plenty to pick from."

"And none of them are suitable."

She pulled away from the wall and continued down the corridor. After a winding series of turns, I noted the familiar air of the maze-like halls, only to arrive at a less than happy conclusion.

"My queen." An Amazon in actual armor greeted us in front of a metal door, a wiry mesh allowing us to see into the room beyond.

"How is our new guest?"

"Not well." The guard shifted her weight from one foot to the next. "She doesn't have long."

Hylla nodded. "If you would please."

The guard wasted no time in unlocking the door and swinging it open for us to enter. She didn't lock it behind us. Instead, she accompanied us as we strolled along the large room. Riddling the walls with equal distances were cells. The very same cells Hazel and I found ourselves stuck in during our last visit. Oh, how the tides had turned.

A small group of Amazons, along with a pair of men in white jumpsuits, waited outside of a single cell. They set up what looked like a gurney of some sort. But rather than rushing to the aid of someone in need, they stared into the cell before them.

Hylla and I peered inside. There we found Nimh, shuddering and broken, still clutching to the last bit of lifeline she had left. Pale and sweating, blood and drool trickling out of her mouth, her ankle still broken and swelling with a nasty purple bruise. She didn't look at us. I'm not even sure if she could. There was so little strength left in her that it was almost as hard to watch as when she was put into that condition.

I turned away, instead focusing on the group outside her cell. Even I didn't need to ask what they were waiting for. One already had a tablet in hand, with what I assumed were funerary rites scrawled across it. Two silver drachmae were placed at the top.

Hylla grabbed my hand with a discreet tenderness before pulling me back out. What she might have masked to the others, but couldn't hide from her touch, was the ever so slight shaking.

It wasn't until the dull thud of the prison door echoed down the hall that Hylla let a fraction of her stoicism crack.

"There are people who she loved. And people that loved her."She gulped, her head twitching as she tried to force down a rising sob. "Monsters are easy. But people, people are always difficult. I've yet to kill one that hasn't weighed on me. It may not be crown on my head, but I swear this girdle grows heavier with every life lost. Be it from my own hand, or because of my error in judgement."

I let her lead. Her hand tightened around my own. As we backtracked our way through the maze of corridors and into the warehouse proper, I prayed none of the other Amazons would see us. What would they think if they saw me hand-in- hand with their queen? What would they think of her?

"How Artemis manages, I'll never know. Maybe I should take notes."

"I'll set up a meeting. Maybe you could both trade advice. Like how not every man who walks the earth is only good for target practice."

She pursed her lips. "Careful. Amazonian beliefs and those of the Hunt share a fair degree of overlap. And though I may not agree with every ideal, nor find our history free of foul deeds, one realm I will concede is that our tentative alliance with the silver huntress has served us greatly over the millennia."

We found ourselves along the catwalks lining the cages of several beasts. Down below us, Mrs. O'Leary gnawed on what I could only assume was an elephant's thigh bone. Gods help us if Hannibal ever found out. Aurum and Argentum were there as well, both of them laying their heads in the lap of none other than Reyna. She never looked up at us. Never noticed we were there. All things considered, that might have been for the best.

"Then you might have noticed something. Unlike the Hunt, you can still date. Just pick a guy. What makes them so unsuitable?"

She stared down at Reyna, then drew in a deep breath. Once she let it go, her hand did the same with mine and rested on the railing.

"Like you said, we don't swear off relationships. But the men we have on offer… well… they fit a certain category."

"Slaves?"

"Not quite, though admittedly, not far off. They're subservient. They're followers. Many of them may have strong bodies, but their spines didn't quite match up. Granted, some are happy just to have options. It's complicated overall."

"All a fancy roundabout way of calling them slaves. A person in my position understands that better than most."

"I'm sure you do. Though is a slave by choice still a slave? Food for thought.

Granted, it wasn't always like this. Tell me, have you heard of the Gargareans?"

I shook my head.

"Didn't think so. They were what you could consider our equivalent. Our opposite. An all male tribe. We shared the same region. They were a peaceful people, but arguably weak. There once existed a time when the Amazons would invade their village, copulate with them, willing or not, then birth their children. The girls, they kept. The boys were delivered to their fathers."

"You're not exactly painting yourselves in a very good light," I growled. "Having experienced that myself."

She froze. "You… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. What I was getting to is that the practice of seizing men in such a manner has long since been considered taboo among the Amazons. I certainly wouldn't stand for it if I heard about it. Many men here are descendents of the Gargareans. Our tribes had to mix in a rather desperate attempt to survive as both were targeted by many groups, namely Dionysus and his followers.

"For centuries, both tribes became one, though of course, the Amazons took charge of things. And so, the Gargareans slowly lost their influence, what little they had at least. The tribe migrated through the ages, eventually crossing the Atlantic. And now here we are, a world dominating empire."

I let the pause speak my disdain. "You really aren't good at selling your points."

Her eyes narrowed. "No history is perfect. I think it would be rather useless to judge past societies using modern values. But I digress. As you can see, the men here fit a very specific type. For many Amazons, that works. They're happy to claim their boyfriends in any way they want. But once someone gets any sort of status, politics get involved. In the world of ruling Amazons, submissive men make for a glaring weak point.

"They're too easy to manipulate. Too easy to reach out and kill or control them. That only becomes more dangerous the higher up the ranks you get. By the time someone has a proper following, and perhaps hopes of being queen, the thoughts of having a relationship are all but extinguished."

I mulled over on that thought. "Why not go for someone more confident then? I mean I just met a guy a little bit earlier today. Thaddeus. The man has multiple girlfriends. All of them are Amazons."

She snorted. "If you think choosing a stud is any better, then you have a lot to learn. Think about this. In that scenario, I'd be just one of multiple girlfriends to someone on one of our lowest rungs. They're my subordinate by several calibers, but yet I'm just another person dangling on his arm. I'd be just as much a laughing stock."

"Then someone outside of your control then. Someone that the others can respect. A soldier. A general. I don't know. Maybe a surgeon of some sort. The director of the FBI!"

In spite of the nearby Stymphalian birds cawing in their metallic orchestra in response to my rising voice, Hylla just levied an amuse stare. A few seconds, but gods it seemed longer than that. Then…

"Hahaha!"

She doubled over, joining the chorus of jeering beasts, though her voice sounded more powerful than all of them combined. Clutching at the railing, she dropped to her knees. Tears managed to escape her and dropped onto the catwalk. As the seconds drew on, she clutched at her stomach and twitched while trying to calm her breathing.

"Never," she sucked in a breath. "Never did I think a man would fight so hard to avoid getting involved with the queen of the Amazons. The nerve. The gall! Here we are, in the heart of my empire, and you still stand your ground." She peered up at me, eyes glistening, but with a grin almost as bright as Apollo. "Can't you see why I know you're my best option?"

It took a moment for me to think of a response, still on the back peddle from her outburst. "You honestly think I'm the only one stubborn enough to resist?"

Wiping her eyes, she grinned down at the people bustling about below. For better or worse, Reyna didn't seem to notice us. Or simply refused to acknowledge the noise coming from above her.

"I'm sure if I tried to look hard enough, I'd find someone. But good luck finding a man with your specifications."

"What are you—"

"Tall, handsome, built like a god. And based on what Kinzie told me this morning, you apparently fuck like one too." She smirked. "Though I'll have to test that out for myself."

That left me with a frown. "But Kinzie and I didn't…" The realization hit me. "You… she told you…"

"That you left my dear little sister catatonic alongside her sparky girlfriend? Yeah. I know. Keeping secrets from her friends isn't her strong suit."

"Apparently not… In that case, I might as well let you know, we sealed the deal not long before you woke up. She's curse free."

While the sagging of her shoulders gave credence to her relief, the way she wrung her hands over the railing left me a bit perplexed. Wasn't it good news?

"It's about time." She lifted her eyes from the activity below. "And I guess that leads me to another… more personal point. You see, Kinzie was more than just our head of security."

"She was your girlfriend."

If she snapped her head in my direction any faster, she would have broken her neck and tumbled over the catwalk. "How did…? Right… It's a bit more complicated than that." She scanned her eyes around us, even taking the time to examine each of the nearby cages, as if the animals themselves were listening in. Once she finished, she stepped closer to me and whispered. "We were lovers in secret. We started off well enough when I first joined. But by the time I became queen, she was one of my closest friends."

"Is there something wrong with that? Can't Amazons just date each other?"

"They can, and some do. Of course, not everyone plays for that side. My time working under Circe sparked my interest in other women, but acting on it is something I've kept very controlled. But that's not the issue."

I nodded for her to continue.

"Disregarding the massive security breach that our entanglement could result in if discovered, the nature of our relationship was… delicate. In spite of my role as queen, the truth is that I found myself at the lead too often. Always the one to take charge. Kinzie… helped with that."

"She took control," I said, trying desperately not to think about the intricate collar I had her in just a short time ago. "And because you're the queen…"

"Now you're starting to understand. Imagine that. The queen of the Amazons, a woman who wants to be controlled… dominated in her private life. If that kind of information was leaked, I'd be laughed out of my own throne. Especially if that individual happened to be a subordinate of mine. Or worse, a man under my control. Forget a duel to the death, I'd have an outright revolt."

"But you can't expect for that to stay secret forever. You just said Kinzie isn't good at keeping quiet."

"When it comes to her friends," she corrected. "She's incredibly charismatic. A pretty face for the front doors. And she can get along with almost any of the others. But her circle of friends was very small. It only ever got smaller as she climbed the ranks with me. Until, ultimately, despite her popularity, despite how much the others love her, she really only considered me a friend. By that time, we were already on our way to becoming lovers."

She leaned once more on the railing and buried her face in her hands. "Lovers who were separated because of a war. Reunited by the most unlikely of sources. Yet still, despite her drawing breath again, I can't have her back. Instead, she's yours."

Talk about twisting the knife. I tried to put together any words, but at the end of the day, I really couldn't. If Annabeth had died in the war, I don't know how I'd react. But if someone brought her back to life only to claim her for themselves… The gods would have to kill me. The fact that Hylla even considered talking to me spoke volumes about her self control.

"You ask 'why you.' You ask why I don't simply try another man. It's because you're the best chance I have at getting to have a taste of the relationship I once had. Through you, I might be able to get Kinzie back. Even if only for a short while."

Only at that point did the ground below us seem to get further and further away. The dizziness that followed left me unstable and clasping for a rail.

"What's stopping you from throwing me over the edge? You could kill me, then have her back."

"Why does everyone think killing people is my first option?" Her knuckles turned white from her grip on the rail. "The last thing I'd want is for you to die. Not only would Kinzie turn her back if I did something, but the moment that gets out, I'd have the Olympians themselves busting my door down!"

"Okay. Okay. Fair. But given what just happened…"

She buried her face in her hand. "I won't pretend like a part of me didn't want to. But it was necessary. Let's not forget that she went after you too. I couldn't risk it. All of you are way too important for me to just let her sit in a cell."

Given the strained nature of the conversation, I figured extending an olive branch was the best choice.

"Thank you."

When she glanced up at me, confusion wrought on her face, I leaned my back on the railing and crossed my arms.

"You've protected us more than almost anyone else has. Literally put yourself in harm's way. Granted, you didn't know it until it was too late."

She snorted. "You really know how to make a woman feel appreciated."

"It's one of my best traits. Right up there with my great sense of humor. Just ask Ares. Seriously though, I appreciate it. And I know I've been hesitant about the last part of our deal. But I want you to know I'm on board. For the most part anyway."

That sent her quiet. She pursed her lips, then stood back from the railing. "What do you mean? I can't agree to help you out if I'm getting the short end of the deal here."

"I know a good woman when I see one, and though Reyna can't see past her grudges, you are a good one. If you still want someone to keep you… occupied in your personal life, I think we can work something out. But on one condition."

"Name it."

With how fast she responded, I almost fell back over the rail. "No children until after we get Annabeth to agree it's the right time, along with my mistresses."

A slight wince in her eye told me that it hurt her more than I intended. Another detail she hadn't mentioned. But before I could remark on it, she set her lip and extended her hand.

"Deal. And… one more thing. I know that we didn't agree to it, but I'll even throw in another favor. Your choice. But now that you know the truth, I also hope you don't mind if I see Kinzie in private."

I almost took her hand, but a gnawing doubt crept into the back of my mind. "What are we doing?"

She faltered, pulling back her hand. "What are you…?"

"You want a trophy husband to show off. You want to get back together with Kinzie. You want a kid at some point. Why are we even talking about sleeping together? Just keep things going with Kinzie. No harm, no foul. We do a few walks like this, and no one's the wiser. And I'm sure you can spare a turkey baster or something. So why bother—"

She reached out and grabbed my shoulders, her mouth set in a firm line, though it twitched every few seconds.

"Do you really think I'd even consider asking you to share my bed if I didn't actually want that? Do you think I'm just trying to get to Kinzie through you?"

"Aren't you? You literally just—"

"Is it too much to believe I want you both? Kinzie is incredible. One of the most loyal people I know, not to mention she can brighten up almost anyone's day. But you, infuriating beautiful man that you are; you've had my attention for a long time. A man who managed to topple a sorceress in her seat of power when he was just a child. A warrior, a hero, a legend!"

Her hands crept to my face, her thumbs gliding over my cheeks while she glanced down at my lips.

"There were times I wanted to kill you. I won't deny it. But for as much rage as you filled me with from our first meeting, the time I've spent learning about you and actually seeing you for myself… Fuck…" She turned away, bracing herself with a hand on the rail, though her other went squeezing my shoulder, her short nails grazing my neck. "Were we back in my office, I'd kiss you if it meant convincing you. I'd climb over my desk and straddle your lap, then tell you to simply relax as I… as I showed you just how much I want you inside of me."

I gulped, unsure if I should brush her hand off, hold her, or act in her stead and try to kiss her.

"Where was all of this a moment ago?"

She bowed her head. "We're in public. The last thing we need is for the others to see their queen groveling before a man, begging him to fuck her. And after today, it's taking all of my willpower to not drag you back to my bedroom. At least something could go right."

I glanced down. "Right…"

"It's no coincidence that I brought you here. Anyone can look up and see us. But the noise of all these animals keeps them from listening in. But I can't get careless. I can't…" She blinked hard, gripping tightly at my shirt. "I can't act on every impulse. Every desire. As much as it hurts."

I grabbed her wrist, which only left her tightening her grip on my shoulder. "So what if I kissed you?"

Eyes wide, what strength she used holding herself up in spite of the day's events left her, leaving her almost dragging me onto the floor.

"Don't tease me like that. Gods know I've gone too long without it."

I leaned her on the railing, though she slouched her way onto me.

"For what it's worth, I'm sure Annabeth will love this. It gives her one more reason to… how does she say it? Pop my overinflated ego."

"At this rate, we'll have to keep a pallet of pin needles nearby. I intend on blowing your ego up to the fullest, among other things."

"Assuming you don't keep yourself preoccupied with Kinzie. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't done anything so far."

"Tempting, but I've been busy." She leaned into my shoulder, creeping her hand over to mine, but never quite touched it. "You know, when I first got word about Kinzie, a part of me was tempted to try and take Annabeth for myself."

"An eye for an eye?"

"Exactly. But with what I've heard about her, I knew I'd sooner wind up with my throat slit. So I'm not too disappointed you happen to be my consolation prize."

"Gee thanks." I peered down below. Reyna seemed to have left, along with her hounds. "I always wanted to be a consolation prize. Nothing like being someone's second choice."

She recognized the playful tone in my voice and smiled with it. "I am serious though. Any favor. If it's in my power to grant it, consider it done."

I nodded, my attention on the visage of a pale woman among the hustling Amazons below us. She made her way to a cage and knelt before it, staring at the animal inside.

"Now that you mention it…"

A/N: Talk about cutting it close. This marks the final chapter of the year. Another come and gone, with this story seeming to never end in spite of it. I can still remember the very first chapter (or chapters technically) I posted. But enough reminiscing.

A dastardly plot has been thwarted, and the queen has unveiled more layers to her intentions. It begs the question of what Percy is supposed to do with all of this information. All while still juggling one responsibility after another. His birthday has sure been a long one, and it isn't even dinnertime yet.

This chapter came to fruition much more quickly than the last, and I am going to tell you now, the next one will take a while. Hopefully not as long as the chapter before this. Regardless, you have plenty of time to get ready, and I still have plenty of time for work... Yeah, we're still on that overtime mess three months later. They say we'll be done about two weeks into January, but I'm not holding my breath. I've had my hopes let down far too many times.

Enough with the personal drama. You all came for the chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. It's been long needed for Hylla to get some personal time with Percy, limited as it may be. If you did enjoy it, by all means, feel free to write about it, whether that be in a review or in the Discord server. The P atreon is always an option as well, if you want to offer more than just words.

Whatever your choice, I hope you found the read worthwhile. This is Ronin signing off.