The Trials of Aphrodite

♦ Chapter Nine ♦

On the plane ride, I was agitated and unfocused. I constantly shifted in my seat, struggling to get comfortable. The steamy broccoli they'd served me wasn't helping.

Reyna had brought a pair of earbuds, and she scrolled through a list of songs. She told me that technology was bad to use due to the fact that they attracted monsters, but she said she could make an exception this time. "The skies are clear, so no venti attacks," she assured me. "The worst that can attack us are a flock of harpies, and they can't put a dent in a plane. We're safe."

I heard a faint "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift from her earbuds. Reyna hummed and snapped her fingers to the beat.

Funny. I'd never taken Reyna for a Swiftie. She struck me as someone who didn't have time for simple things like music. 

I kept forgetting that she was only seventeen. She wasn't a queen. She was a teen that liked the things that—well, that normal teenagers liked. As normal as she could be.

I picked at my broccoli and frowned as steam wafted up my nose. I was vegetarian, but I hated broccoli. I liked spinach and carrots much more.

Reyna sighed and tugged on the cords of her earbuds. They fell out of her ears and onto her lap. "You look bored to death, Venus. Let's talk."

I squirmed in my seat. "What about?"

I wanted to make this girl my friend, if she so inclined. It was better than having her as an enemy.

"I should probably tell you more about the Amazons, and my sister Hylla," Reyna began, stuffing her earbuds and iPhone into her purse. "You'll need to know."

I did. All I knew so far was that the Amazons were a group of women whose patron god was Ares. And that they were somewhat violent.

Reyna bit the inside of her cheek. "You see, the Amazons are the counterpart of the Hunters of Artemis. The Hunters forsake the company of men, but Amazons are permitted to date and marry and fall in love. Hunters are granted immortality, but Amazons can grow old. They like to live life to its fullest."

"Ah. Your sister is their queen?"

"Yes. They call her Hylla Twice-Kill. I'll get to that nickname later, if we have time. It's a lot to explain." She paused and sipped her iced tea. "They also run the internet shopping website, Amazon.com, which they named for their group. I believe you've heard of it?"

"Totally," I said. "I love snatching the best deals. It's a very nice site to order from."

"Anyway, Hylla looks a lot like me, but she's a little older. She has this white scar on her face, and it's so faded you'd mistake it for a worry line. She has this belt made of interlocking gold links. Much fancier than your girdle, I believe," Reyna said.

I pursed my lips. "No belt can top my girdle," I said, a finality to my voice. "It's the best."

She smirked. "Whatever you say, O goddess."

I rolled my eyes, and she lent me one of her buds so we could both listen to Demons by Imagine Dragons. I supposed the flight wasn't too boring after that.

On the outside, the warehouse was plain with glass doors that had a single word etched onto them: AMAZON.

"Are you sure that this is where we should go, darling?" I said.

"I'm sure."

Reyna pushed through the doors and strode inside the building. I blinked and followed. And I thought I was dramatic. Honestly, when I became a goddess again, I would have to recommend turning Reyna into the goddess of dramatic entries to Zeus. 

The lobby was as simple as the outside of the building. The walls were glass, the floor was a glossy black, and large-leafed potted plants stood in the corners. Other than that, nothing much. A black staircase leading up and down was set against the back wall. 

A woman in a black pantsuit stood in the center of the room, with short blonde hair and brown eyes. A silver nametag gleamed on her suit. It read: BRITTANY.

Brittany's eyes darted between Reyna and I. "How can I help you?"

"We must see Queen Hylla immediately," Reyna said. "It's urgent."

Brittany broke into a smile. "You're her sister, aren't you? Of course. This way."

"Thank you, Brittany," Reyna said.

"Please, call me Britt." The receptionist winked.

Reyna nodded as Brittany turned and walked down the staircase. Her blond hair disappeared.

"Shall we?" I asked.

"It's the only option we've got," Reyna replied, following Brittany down the stairs.

Me, being the smart person I am, went after a hostile Roman demigod and a girl nicknamed Britt.

Trudging down several flights of stairs was enough to get me huffing and puffing. We emerged inside a cavern so big it could rival Olympus. Dim fluorescent lights glowed along the ceiling. Conveyor belts carted boxes around the room. Aisles of metal shelves laden with merchandise stretched as far as the eye could see. Cranes and robotic arms whirred, packing shipments and folding cardboard boxes. The sound of ripping packing tape pierced my ears. Ladders and catwalks made it easier to access the tall shelves. Women in black suits like Brittany patrolled the catwalks.

But the most appalling thing about it was the men in orange jumpsuits driving forklifts through the aisles and delivering more boxes. They had iron collars around their necks. Like prisoners.

It was wrong. Donald-Trump-becoming-president wrong. {A/N: I'm sorry if you're a Trump supporter. Ha, no, I'm not. I'll follow anyone that doesn't like him. My own grandmother is a Trump supporter. She has joined the dark side. Shame on you, grandma!}

"Are they your slaves?" I demanded. Sure, I knew that men were idiots and needed to be restrained sometimes, but not like this. This was cruel.

"Them?" Brittany grinned, and the wild look in her eyes made me want to run away. "Those men aren't slaves. They simply know their place."

Their place.

After a painful amount of walking, we entered another cavern that was just as large as the first.

"Olympus isn't this big," I moaned, my feet dragging by. 

Brittany looked smug. "Our system is worldwide. People can browse the Internet and buy things, which means they are unknowingly profiting the Amazon kingdom. We're already richer than any mortal nation."

It took me a while to register that thought. 

"Queen Hylla will meet with you immediately," Britt continued. "She's . . . preoccupied usually, but she would love to see her sister. You may help her with her problem."

"Problem?" Reyna echoed. 

Brittany bit her lip. "You'll see."

We navigated through the forklifts, avoided the giant robotic arms and cranes, and zigzagged through the maze of conveyor belts. 

The merchandise was ultimately normal at first, but then it became a little strange. War chariots, weapons, and live animals were for sale. Pegasi, griffins, and giant eagles squawked, whinnied, and screeched in their cages. They flapped their wings indignantly.

"What a beautiful specimen," I noted, gesturing to a cream-colored pegasus in one cage. "I'd love to buy one. Which reminds me, you must lower your prices! They're much too steep these days."

Reyna frowned. "Buy a pegasus? You can . . . buy a pegasus online?

Brittany nodded and smiled at me. "You seem to like our site. We can negotiate a price for that pegasus, of course. Say, four hundred drachmas? We take denarii as well."

My eyes lit up. "I would love that!"

Reyna's head swiveled between me and Brittany, trying to keep up with the conversation.

"You can pre-order the pegasus anytime. It will arrive shortly after. Shipments are very quick."

Britt led them to the end of the warehouse. A dais constructed of hundreds of books was set against the wall: stacks of Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Divergent novels.  A young woman that looked strikingly like Reyna lounged on the odd throne.

Queen Hylla donned a black leather jumpsuit and matching black boots, and she had an air of importance around her. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her eyes were as dark as night. She wore no crown; instead, a belt made of interlocking gold links wrapped around her waist. She looked ready to leap out of her throne and take down an army of non-Twihards.

Hylla was arguing with another Amazon in camouflage. She looked exhausted. There were bags under the bags under her eyes. 

Brittany cleared her throat, and Hylla looked up, annoyed. She noticed Reyna, and her expression softened. 

"Hello, sister," Hylla said, smiling from atop her throne. "I've missed you so."

"Hello," Reyna said. "How are you, Hylla?"

Hylla climbed off the dais and embraced her sister. "Not well," she admitted. Her eyes rested on me. "Who is this?"

Reyna glanced at Brittany and the camouflaged Amazons. "We'd like to speak to you in private," she said. 

"Very well." The queen dismissed her guards and turned to us. "Tell me what's going on."

Reyna pointed to me. "This girl is actually Venus, goddess of love and beauty."

Hylla paled and made to kneel, but I stopped her. "There's no need for that, dear. I'm fully mortal. I don't know why."

Hylla frowned and rose. "Fully mortal? That isn't possible."

"It's possible now."

"Anyway," Reyna interceded, "her magic girdle has been stolen, and we're on a quest to retrieve it. The enemy is using the belt to recruit for her cause. We must get it back before she seizes Olympus."

Hylla sucked in a breath. "So that is why so many Amazons—" She stopped herself before she could say more.

Reyna's brow furrowed. "Hylla? What about the Amazons?"

"To tell you the truth . . . they've been so distant lately. So many of them have left our group for no visible reason. The remaining Amazons and I are struggling to manage by ourselves, but it's proving to be difficult. Very difficult."

Reyna set a hand on her sister's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It must be whoever's behind the belt robbery."

My eye twitched. "Call it a 'belt robbery' again and I'll smack you."

"Who are we up against?" Hylla asked.

"We aren't sure." Reyna scrutinized her sister. "And what do you mean, 'we?'"

"I'll let Brittany take my place for the time being. I can rely on her. Whoever is taking my Amazons from me will pay," the Queen of the Amazons growled.

"What?"

"I'm coming with you."

Yes! Team Hylla! She is the definition of awesomeness!

Trivia Question: Which former Amazonian Queen did Hylla battle, earning her the title "Hylla Twice-Kill?"