The Trials of Aphrodite: Righting the Wrongs

Please Don't Kill Me Twice, Queen Hylla

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.