chapter fourty-six

─── hazel learns the art of gaslighting

          ℑf there was an award for the most intimidating woman, Hylla was competing for it. She was holding her dagger as if I was going to jump her, and she glared as if she was attempting to incinerate us on the spot.

"Forget abut escape." Hylla growled out. "Of course, we'd respect you for trying. But we'd have to kill you."

"Thanks for the warning." Hazel huffed as Hylla shrugged.

"The least I can do." Hylla agreed. "I believe you come in peace. I believe Reyna sent you."

"Really?" I snarked.

"Shut up." Hylla snapped.

"You're not going to help, are you?" Hazel moved the conversation onwards. The queen studied the ring that she had taken from me, waiting for  moment to reply.

"Amazons have always had a rocky relationship with other demigods - especially male demigods." Hylla replied. "We fought for King Priam in the Trojan War, but Achilles killed our queen, Penthesilea. Years before that, Hercules stole Queen Hippolyta's belt - this belt I'm wearing. It took us centuries to recover it. Long before that, at the very beginning of the Amazon nation, a hero named Bellerophon killed our first queen, Otrera."

"You mean the lady-"

"-who just left, yes." Hylla agreed. "Otrera, our first queen, daughter of Ares."

"Mars?" Hylla made a sour face.

"Definitely Ares. Otrera lived long before Rome, in a time when all demigods were Greek." Hylla explained, as I flicked Riptide around my fingers. "Unfortunately, some of our warriors still prefer the old ways. Children of Ares, they are always the worst for reliving old battle stories."

"The old ways..." I knew that Hazel had shot me a look. Octavian's accusations, however snarky they had been, had still given her the seed of doubt that I was sure it had given every Roman. They thought that Greeks were still out there, scheming against them, and that I was an evil Greek. "You mean the Amazons are a mix or Greek and Roman?"

Hylla was looking more cautiously at my necklace now, having slipped Reyna's ring onto her finger. I knew she was looking at the beads and the probatio tablet.

"I suppose they don't teach you about that at Camp Jupiter. The gods have many aspects. Mars, Ares. Pluto, Hades. They grow and change as the times do, as we do. Do you understand?"

"I'm not sure." Hazel admitted, as I tried to get the facts straight in my head. "Are all Amazons demigods?"

"We all have some immortal blood, but many of my warriors are descended from demigods, like your Roman legacies." Hylla spread her hands, before sighing. "Some have been Amazons for generations, others are children of minor gods. Kinzie is the daughter of a nymph. Ah, here she is now."

Kinzie returned, as I sighed. This was taking some time, but I needed them to agree, to go and help camp and everyone there. Then I supposed I could choose to be more annoyed over the fact Luke had seemingly been turned into a guinea pig.

"The prisoner is safely locked away." Kinzie looked a little sheepish as it took a moment for her words to ring in my ears. Prisoner? Were they treating Frank as a prisoner? "But..."

"Yes?"

"Otrera made sure her followers are guarding the cells. I'msorry, my queen."

Hylla pursed her lips. 'No matter. Stay with us, Kinzie.We were just talking about our, ah, situation.' 

"I'm going to ignore the fact you caged our friend." I got out through gritted teeth. "Otrera was brought back from the dead by a common enemy of ours to throw you into a civil war."

"A common enemy?" Hylla waited for me to explain.

"Names have power. I'm not calling that spirit here." I shook my head, starting to pace. I was liking all of this less and less.

"If that was the plan, it is working." Hylla exhaled. "Otrera is a legend among our people. She plans to take back the throne and lead us to war against the Romans. Many of my sisters will follow her."

I fought the urge to ask if they were stupid. Who followed someone who had been dead for years to war? That was the plot of every evil movie villain ever. 

"Not all of us." Kinzie grumbled.

"But Otrera is a spirit." Hazel looked between them. "She isn't even-"

"Real?" The queen studied Hazel carefully. "I worked with the sorceress Circe for many years. I know a returned soul when I see one. When did you die, Hazel- 1920? 1930?"

"1942." Hazel said, backing towards me. "But I wasn't sent by the patron. I came back to stop her. This is my second chance."

"Leave her be." I placed a hand on Hazel's shoulder. "Reyna vouches for her. Hazel is one of us."

"I know about second chances. You destroyed my old life." Hylla pointed me as I rolled my eyes. "You did! I had a life, and a home, and a purpose. Circe's island was a safe place for Reyna, and for me. I was trying to protect Reyna from all the violence that our mother grew up on and you unleashed the pirates."

"Your home might have been safe for you, but I don't think it was for me." I shook my head. "I have no memories, and even if I did, my apology would mean nothing. It's not going to change what has happened. I'm sorry for what happened afterwards, I am, but I was trying to save someone's life. I'm not apologising for doing what I thought was right at the time."

"For four years, I've wanted to kill you for what I had to endure, for what Reyna had to endure." I shook my head, looking away. 

"Reyna is the praetor of Camp Jupiter and you became the Queen of the Amazons." Hazel spoke up. "There were circumstances going on, and I'm sure Romy didn't mean for you to endure all of that, but Fate has led you to where you are today."

"I may not be queen for much longer."

"You will prevail." Kinzie seemed to be trying to hype her up.

"As the Fates decree." Hylla had no enthusiasm on her face. "Otrera has challenged me to a duel. Every Amazon has that right. Tonight at midnight, we'll battle for the throne."

"You're a good fighter, aren't you?"

"Otrera is the founder of the Amazons."

"She's also been dead for a few hundred years." I pointed out. "She's probably out of practice."

"This is a battle to the death, so I hope that is true." It took a moment for me and Hazel to realise the truth. The fight would never end.

"Even if you kill her," Hazel said, "she'll just come back. As long as Thanatos is chained, she won't stay dead."

"Exactly." Hylla agreed. "Otrera has already told us that she can't die. Even if I manage to defeat her tonight, she'll simply return and challenge me again the next day. There is no law to prevent it. She can insist until she wears me down. I can't win."

"There has to be a way." Hazel was trying to be optimistic. But Hylla, Kinzie and I shared a bleak look. The outcomes were not favourable at all. "Don't Amazons have special powers or something?"

"No. We are demigods of minor gods, or legacies. Just as they do not have powers, we do not either." Hylla sighed. "There is a group of archers, hunters either, but they exchange the company of men and their family in exchange for endless life. We would prefer to live our life to the fullest. We love, we fight, we die."

"I thought you hated men." Hylla and Kinzie both laughed.

"Hate men? No, no, we like men. We just like to show them who's in charge."

"Despite hating Otrera, you still live in that same age of backwards thoughts?" I shook my head.

"You demigods are always so judgemental. This is our way of life." Hylla growled, before waving it off. "If I could, I would rally our troops and ride to my sister's aid. My power is tenuous though. When I am killed in combat, Otrera will be queen and she will march to your Camp with a different goal in mind."

"Then we can help you stop her." Hazel looked between us. "We've already killed one resurrected dead, we can help!"

"You are not Amazons, you cannot interfere. It will make me look weak." Hylla spat. "Her, I'll execute. You and your other friend, will be sentenced to death, if not by me, then by Otrera."

Hazel looked heartbroken, as I shook my head. If Otrera tried to kill me, I had a feeling her patron would have some words. 

"So I guess we're all dead. Me for the second time."

This is unfair! I turned, staring at the horse in the corner, who reared, slamming his hooves against the bar. Stupid Amazons, stupid demigods, stupid cage!

The cursing and attitude reminded me of someone, I couldn't tell who, but they spoke like that. They hated someone, I knew they did, and I knew that they were always 

"The horse seems to feel your despair," the queen said. "Interesting. He's immortal, you know– the son of Neptuneand Ceres."

Hazel and I both blinked. I had a horse for a sibling? Hazel turned to me, narrowing her eyes. 

"Are you part horse?"

"Obviously not." I shot her a concerned look, wondering whether she'd hit her head. "Do you see hooves on my feet?"

Hylla was ignoring us.

"He's the fastest horse in the world," She said. "Pegasusis more famous, with his wings, but Arion runs like thewind over land and sea. No creature is faster. It took usyears to capture him – one of our greatest prizes. But itdid us no good. The horse will not allow anyone to ridehim. I think he hates Amazons. And he is expensive tokeep. He will eat anything, but he prefers gold."

Hazel knelt beside me, placing her hand against the floor. It took a moment, before the stone cracked. A chunk of gold ore was pushed out of the earth. Hazel stood back up, before approaching the stallion's cage.

"Hazel, be careful!" I warned as Hylla and Kinzie stared at her. I watched with a grin as the horse quietened, muttering about 'tasty gold', before taking it from her palm with ease. That couldn't be good for his teeth.

"Unbelievable." Kinzie seemed awestruck. "The last girl who tried that-"

"Now has a metal arm." Hylla and Kinzie shot each other a look. "Hazel, we spent years hunting for this horse. It was foretold that the most courageous female warrior would some day master Arion and ride him to victory, ushering in a new era of prosperity for the Amazon. Yet no Amazon can touch him, much less control him. Even Otrera tried and failed. Two others died attempting to ride him."

Food? More food? Feed me new child. I almost snorted with laughter

"I would feed you more, Arion." Hazel seemed to be blinking, glancing at the queen with wide puppy eyes. "I think we're scheduled for an execution."

Hazel was guilt tripping. I was so proud of her.

"Unbelievable."

"The prophecy." Kinzie and Hylla were sharing excited looks as I shot Hazel a wink. "Is it possible...?"

"You have courage, Hazel Levesque and it seems Arion has chosen you, Kinzie?" Hazel shot me a grin, and a thumbs up as I fought a chuckle.

"Yes, my queen?"

"You said Otrera's followers are guarding the cells?" Kinzie nodded.

"I should have forseen that, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine." The queen's eyes gleamed. "It would be embarrassing for Otrera if her followers filed in their duties, if for instance, they were overcome by an outsider and a prison break occurred."

Kinzie began to smile.

"Yes, my queen. Most embarrassing."

"Of course." Hylla continued, as I saw her plan clearly. This was doable and hey, I was great at destroying things. Take Hylla's first home for example. "None of my guards would know a thing about this. Kinzie would not spread the word to allow an escape."

"Certainly not."

"And we couldn't help you, obviously." The queen raised her eyebrows. "But if you somehow overpowered the guards, freed you friends, and took one of the guard's Amazon cards that opens the cells with one click. And if, gods forbid, something was to happen, you would find your supplies in the guard station next to the cells and if you made your way back to this throne room while I was off preparing for my duel...did I mention Arion's a fast horse? It would be a shame if she was stolen and used as an escape."

Hazel turned to me.

"Possible?"

"Absolutely." I hummed, looking at the cages and guards. "I'm known for being slippery to catch."

"Queen Hylla, I am not much of a fighter, bu-"

"There are many kinds of fighting, Hazel. I have a feeling you're quite resourceful and if the prophecy is correct, you will help us to achieve prosperity. If you succeed in your quest-"

"Then Otrera wouldn't come back if she were killed." Hazel agreed. "You'd only have to defeat her every night until we succeed."

"There are impossible tasks ahead of us." Hylla agreed. "The sooner you succeed, the better."

The pair shook hands, before Hylla shot me a scowl.

"I will not kill you now. Should we meet on opposite sides in the field of war, then I make no promises."

I huffed.

"This conversation never happened." Hylla turned to Kinzie. "Take our prisoners to the cells, hand them over to Otrera's guards and be sure to leave before anything unfortunate happens. I would not want you to hold blame for this."

They shot each other cheeky looks as ropes were tied around our wrists.

"If we all die tonight, I am glad I met you Hazel Levesque."

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, Andi's back and so am I. Hazel's taking after Andi, funny though, Andi's got some unresolved anger issues (funny though), the horse and Andi are about to gossip about everyone and everything, which will be really funny for everyone hopefully. Sorry this is so late.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx