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Reyna had not felt this much anxiety since she made the decision to leave behind her praetorship and become an immortal Hunter of Artemis; despite her newly heightened powers, Reyna shivered like a leaf as they approached the Amazon building in Seattle.
Thalia kept glancing back as they made their way to the front door. Reyna could see the Lieutenant attempting to send a telepathic message to her, but Reyna averted her eyes, attempting to muster every ounce of bravery she had. But, of course, while she could share it in masses with those she’s leading, the second she needs it, it evaporates like a puddle on a scorching summer’s day.
Reyna barely comprehended anything as the Hunters of Artemis collectively made their way through the halls, though she was conscious about the fact that she was trying her best to shrink down and hide behind the others.
Maybe that could delay the inevitable?
She probably should have realized that was wistful thinking on her part.
She’d been to the Amazonian warehouse a few times; on sister trips disguised as diplomatic missions. Nothing much had really changed since the last visit—just after the communications shut down because of the whole Harpocrates situation. Not that Reyna had expected to, since her sister ran a tough shift and with the fact that it hadn’t been too long since the last revolt, Hylla wished to keep everything similar enough to try and prevent another usurping situation. Even if some of their methods were a bit much in Reyna’s opinion.
Hylla wasn’t on her throne when they arrived in the throne room, much to Reyna’s surprise, but rather was pacing in front of it. She smiled when she saw them approaching, though Reyna doubted she specifically could be seen.
“Thalia,” Hylla said, sticking her arm out in greeting, which the Lieutenant marched forward to shake curtly. “Pleasure to see you and your girls again.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Thalia replied. “Lady Artemis—” she paused, “—Diana, as you often call her, had wanted to come as well, but she has been caught up in her brother’s reassension.”
Hylla nodded, but her nose scrunched at the mention of the sun god. “Has Lord Apollo—is he alright?”
“He is a god again,” Thalia said. Reyna noticed the avoidance of the topic; she’d asked countless times since Lady Diana had left to be by Apollo’s side, but she received the same curt answers as her sister. “Our Lady just wishes to stay by his side after his trying times. We can discuss more later, when it is just us.”
Hylla hummed in acceptance. “There is much for your girls to do while we talk. It’s been difficult since our numbers dwindled so much, it’ll be nice to have some extra hands.”
“Actually.” Thalia turned her head just enough that Reyna knew exactly what was about to happen, and it made her knees buckle beneath her slightly. “Before we have a meeting, I wanted to tell you about our newest recruit.”
Hylla’s eyebrow raised, the only indication of her curiosity. “Alright, bring her forward then.”
The only thing Reyna could equate to the situation was the folktale of the Emperor’s New Clothes. They parted, leaving her naked and exposed in front of her sister. Unfortunately, though, unlike the fable, she was fully aware her heart was on the platter and visible for the world to see.
It took Hylla a moment to respond. “Hermanita?”
“Hey, Hylla.”
Hylla’s confusion clung to every wall of the huge warehouse. “You—you joined the Hunters?”
Thalia coughed into her hand. “We’ll leave you two to speak: I’ll help get started on those packages. Send Reyna to get me for our talk after.”
Hylla nodded slowly, and waited until the rest of the Hunters were gone before reiterating again. “You joined the Hunters?”
“I did,” Reyna said.
“But you—” Hylla shook her head. “You were a praetor.”
Reyna nodded. “I left the legion in good hands, though from their tales of you, I’m not sure they’re your biggest fan.”
“Those children with Percy Jackson on that quest, I’m assuming.”
Reyna chuckled. “Yup.”
Hylla closed her eyes for a moment, before gesturing Reyna closer to her. “Why don’t we sit?”
Hylla made herself towards her throne, but instead of sitting on it, plopped herself on the stairs leading up to it, and Reyna quickly sat beside her. “What changed?”
Reyna let the question sit for a moment before answering. “A lot of things I guess, but mainly.” Her shivers returned full force, and she couldn’t have been more grateful she was sitting. “I’d been in denial for so long, Hylla. Since we were kids, really…”
“About what?” prompted Hylla.
Reyna's breath was so deep, she felt as though the whole room shook with it. “Love, I guess. Sex. Power. Everything, really. You remember what Venus told me?”
Hylla nodded.
“Problem was, everything I wanted happened to be an oxymoron; and impossible for me to have. It’s a hard thing to accept, that everything you want isn’t probably. Maybe there could be a way to achieve it: to be able to be a respected and powerful elected official while also not having a partner and not having children, but… I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am, Hylla, and it’s still not enough. I still have people trying to play matchmaker, and I was just tired. Lester—that was Apollo’s mortal name—asked me out on his quest, something about him not being a demigod or god at the moment, and something in me just snapped. I couldn’t keep the life I had, not with the world the way it was.
“So, I joined the Hunters. Maybe one day the world will be in a good enough place that I can have all I want, and I’ll leave, but as of now? I refuse to be like the suffragists who never got to see women get the right to vote. By staying immortally sixteen, I can make a difference and live to see it. Live to see a time where me being asexual and aromantic isn’t a detriment to the career that I want."
Reyna hadn’t even realized in all her ranting that she essentially came out to her sister and Hylla took her hand. “I get it, Rey. Queer women like us, we’ve got a long way to go until we’ve reached a point where we’ll truly be accepted, and maybe I won’t live to see that day, but I know that with you in it, the world will get here eventually. Even if you need to wack it a few times.”
Reyna smiled. “Thanks, Hy.”
“Never a problem.” Hylla wrapped her arms around her and they stayed there, embracing, for a while until Hylla pulled back. “Before you get Thalia, I do have one quick question: Apollo asked you out?”
Reyna couldn’t help it, she busted out in laughter. “Hylla, it was—it was so fun—so funny. Let me,” her deep breaths somehow felt lighter than before. “Let me tell you the whole story from the beginning. You’re not gonna believe this.”