PETBE

Their names were Arsu and Azizos. They came out of nowhere, between shadows, and embraced me tight with their broad arms.

‘’Welcome, ‘’they both said in a cheerful sync

I let out a scream and Minerva just blinked. She looked at me with kindness as the two men kept grinning right at me.One look from mighty Minerva and they took a few steps back.

She was far taller than me or Nezha with her silk hair straining on her shoulders like spider webs. I have seen such pretty and tall girls on one of my visits to Olympus. Two noble girls sitting to a cafe with their fancy chine and beautiful sweets on a pink tray. Father never let me go to those cafes. When you grow up he was always saying. Maybe Minerva was a noble girl once. Before…

But if she was, now her lips were dry and swollen as if she had bitten them from the day she was born and underneath her round eyes there were dark curtains, showing the lack of sleep she had over the years. She could have been fifteen but with the right green light anyone could mistake her for an older woman.

She clapped her steady thin hands, making me sort of jump.‘’Those are the twins.’’She introduced them. ‘’Twins, this is Pete.’’

They walked in front of me and took a better look at them. They were probably at the age of fourteen and yet they were two heads taller than me and twice my weight. Two giants were looking at me with surprise.

But even if they had both dark long hair and the same bronze skin and were wearing the same dark gold fabric, Arsu had dark heavy eyes and Azizos bright yellow ones.

‘’Nice… to meet you’’I stuttered.

And then, Minerva walked out and left me alone with them. And their gazes turned stiff at me. A slight panic appeared on my chest. What could they possibly ask me? I haven’t seen boys so many for years now and I have to talk to them? And having conversations as One of them?

Just then, a glimpse of hope appeared as one of the twins pointed right behind me where the food was.

‘’Can we eat with you?’’ Arsu asked. I nodded my head and sat next to me, enjoying the small meal of theirs.

I could see both of them laughing and thanking the spirits for the meal. But I couldn’t stop noticing that they were both wearing the same collar as the rest. Tight with a red piercing ruby at the top. What was that about?

Arsu noticed me staring. He laughed with a grin.’’ Don’t worry, you will get one too, sooner or later’’He sounded almost like he was trying to scare me.

Azizos laughed and pushed his brother slowly.

‘’So’’Azizos muffled the sweets. ‘’You beat Mara.’’

I looked up, trying to avoid their eyes. ‘’I wouldn’t say’’

‘’He didn’t’’ Arsu reassured his twin. ‘’Mara is a beast.’’

‘’A beast?’’ That drew my attention to it.

‘’You must see her fight.’’Azizos laughed. ‘’She is terrifying.’’

‘’Well, I made her fall,’’ I admitted, trying to prove that I could be strong like her, even if that was a lie. I had never seen such empty eyes like hers before.

Arsu nodded and took a bite from the pork bits.’’Then, she let you win.’’

Returning to the room, made me think about what Arsu said. What did he mean, she let me win? Why would she do such a thing?

My mind became numb, ready to pass out while the twins were asking me more questions like why I couldn’t take out my hat.

Before Azizos tried to do anything, Nezha came in, looking exhausted. His colorful clothes were now pieces of destroyed fabric. His hair was a mess, his skin wounded.

And none said anything. He passed through us and stared at us with his dark eyes.

His form was shaking, trying to stand up, trying to say something.

He stinks. That was my first thought. A thick floral and yet stinky scent was coming out of his skin.

I tried to speak but it was too late. He walked past me, getting inside the bathroom.

Sleeping was not easy with Azizos snoring like a train. But my dreams were not peaceful even.

I was back at Aztlan. There was a smell of roasted pork with potatoes coming out of the oven. Walking to the kitchen, I found my mother’s eyes, my mother’s smile, facing me with such pleasure as she took out the food from the oven.

I rushed to her and hugged her tight.

Tears fell from my eyes.

‘’Why are you crying?’’ She asked.

‘’Where are you?'’ I asked.

And she did not answer. And darkness arrived.

‘’Pete’’ Nezha whispered. He was now smelling delicate, like a garden of roses.

I opened my eyes slowly to see him standing close to me.

As I let out a muffling sound, I noticed that Azizos was now wearing a cream-yellow shirt while Arsu changed to a heavy dark coal blouse.

‘’What happened?’’ I asked, letting out my natural voice. Nezha stared at me frightened and stared back at the twins. Thank the Spirits that they did not seem to notice anything different.

‘’We are having a meeting.’’

Mara’s and Minerva’s room was far bigger. Well, maybe I thought like that because there were only two beds. But the left side of the walls and floor were all filled with paper and dark coal drawings.

Azizos informed me that every one of them belonged to Mara.

And the other side was a bed, messed with books, thicker and larger than the ones father had in his library.

We all took a seat. Well, the twins and I sat on Mara's bed while she was standing far from us, against the door and Minerva lying in her bed.

‘’So’’Nezha rubbed his hands. ‘’Until Ao Bing, returns I am the new leader.’’

And there was Minerva, standing on her feet furious. ‘’You?’’ She gasped with such disbelief.

‘’Mammon’s orders.’’He reassured her.

I watched her as her fingers curled into tight fists.

‘’Well, I am smarter than you and I think’’

Nezha stuck out his tongue. ‘’I am older.’’

‘’Four months’’ Minerva groaned.

‘’What about us?’’ Azizos lifted his hand, gesturing to his brother.

Both Nezha and Minerva turned to him confused. Azizos lowered his hand with regret.

Then, Nezha took a deep breath. ‘’What matters, is that is temporary until Ao Bing comes back.’’

Minerva glared at him and fixed her round glasses before returning to her seat.

Nezha smiled with triumph in his eyes before turning to me.

‘’So, this is Pete, our newest Spectre.’’

Everyone’s eyes found mine. I forced a nervous smile and waved them with my hand.

Mara rolled her eyes and crawled down to the floor, pretending she was asleep.

Minerva’s brow arched.’’ What’s up with her?’’ she asked Nezha.

‘’Mammon found out about her fighting matches.’’

Minerva blinked and let out a laugh.’’Seems right.’’

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‘’So, Mammon’s errand’’Nezha began explaining to me.’’Is to find where the missing women are '’ His hands took out a piece of folded paper from his trousers and showed it to us.

‘’But for the past few days, we have found no clue,’’ He explained.

And my hand began to sink slowly as if every bit of hope I had to find my mother.

She was somewhere, and I would never see her again.

Breaking the dark silence, Minerva raised her hand.

‘’I have, information from Ghost.’’

‘’Ghost?’’ I said with a panic.

‘’Not an actual ghost’’ Mara reassured me beneath her helm. ‘’It’s a codename.’’

‘’Codename?’’

‘’Yes, we have code names'’ Nezha explained and showed himself. ‘’Cheshire’’ He showed Minerva. ‘’Owl’’ Eyes to Mara. ‘’Judge, and the twins, Solstice one’’

Arsu lifted his hand. ‘’Solstice two’’

Azizos smiled foolishly.

‘’What is my name?’’ I asked.

‘’Snowflake’’ Mara said.

I could feel my face turning hotter again.

‘’We will figure it out’’said Nezha with a comforted tone.

Minerva cleared her throat. ‘’Anyway, Ghost told me that there is a monster.’’

‘’A warlock?’’ I asked her.

Minerva shrugged. ‘’Probably,’’

Panic grew on my body just the thought of them trying to attack people, children. What if they attacked my mother?

‘’Then we have to tell the army,’’ I suggested nervously.

Nezha blinked. Mara held her snort.

Minerva rolled her eyes.‘’They won’t come even if there is a horde of them’’She explained to me dryly. ‘’It doesn’t matter what it is but if it is true we have a time limit at night. Six till eight in the morning.

‘’Why that time?’’ I asked again.

Nezha moved his fingers to his chin and looked down skeptically. Minerva rolled her eyes. ‘’There is a small district of pleasure houses. And all of them have a two-hour break. At this time, every customer is almost gone.’’

‘’And then the workers are getting out for air.’’Nezha continued with a smile and looked at me, waiting for something to say.

I looked down and tried to think.’’Then, someone can take them easy?’’

‘’Exactly’’ He raised his thumb at me.

‘’So, what are we going to do?’’ I asked once more.

Nezha and Minerva stared at each other before looking back at me.

And in one sync they said different ideas.

‘’Go to the communication center,’’ Nezha suggested with a smile.

‘’Go where ghost said.’’ Minerva explained clearly.

They looked at each other again. Minerva sighed.

‘’Not this again.’’ She pulled her hair to the back and her lungs inhaled a deep breath.

‘’We may find something.’’Nezha encouraged it.

‘’Stollas territory.’’Minerva sounded as she tried to remind him.’’He sees any of us, Mammon will find our heads on his front door.’’

I started giggling, thinking she was joking with a steady face. But I realized, none else was laughing. Is she serious?

As they kept getting the conversation back and forth, Mara lifted her hand, slowly as she moved her head back.

‘’What if we split?’’

Everyone’s attention fell on her. She still had that empty look on her eyes, even when she was fidgeting her nails.

‘’I can go to the district.’’She said.’’See what it is. Few others can go to the communication center.’’

Nezha’s eyes glinted. Minerva’s darkened.

Arsu lifted his hand.’’I can go with her.’’

‘’The problem is’’Minerva grunted.’’If any of us goes to Stolas territory we might die.’’

‘’Stolas?’’ I finally asked.

‘’The Ruler of Diyu’’Nezha made a half bow.

‘’The richest man here.’’Minerva continued, caressing her arm slowly.’’ Give whatever you want. Takes whatever you need.’’

Those words stung to her voice as she tried to look away. Nezha’s body posture stiffened and took a step away from her.

‘’I am fast.’’I said.’’Maybe I can get out fast if anyone notices me?’’

‘’You are not fast enough’’Mara said to me with an arched brow.

‘’Are you saying that because you actually let me catch you?’’I replied with a smile. She did not and moved back.

‘’Give her time,’’Azizos whispered.

Nezha moved his fingers on his jaw and then turned to Minerva.

She took a deep breath and gave up as she pointed at Mara and Arsu.’’You must stay put. I will be in charge.’’

‘’Why?’’Mara grunted.

‘’Because if you are you will destroy everything.’’

She looked down and hummed.

Nezha’s eyes glint even more as they found me.’You will come with me and Azzizos right?’’

++++

My father’s temple had a basement to put old relics and statues. Dust keeps them company in the darkness. I would never have imagined to see a basement like that being a laboratory, next to the washing room.

Minerva was a peculiar girl for sure. The table of her lab had glasses with boiling water with vibrant colors as a green lantern was burning underneath it. There was a small couch where Mara was sitting and doodling the jar full of dark spiders, crawling slowly and slowly.

Azizos and Arsu were facing the chemicals inside the jar as Minerva told them to stop as she was weighing a few peculiar dry leaves on scales.

‘’What is she doing?’’I asked Nezha, who was now standing in front of me.

‘’Drugs’’

I gulped.

He faced me with a narrow.’’Not mana, she only smokes that. She is making anesthetics, medicine, sometimes even poison.Owl’s specialty.’’

He turned to her and he shouted.’’But they never work.’’

‘’I will try next time to you.’’ She said, putting mechanical goggles on her eyes as she threw the herbs inside a green liquid, turning it light gold within seconds.

‘’Is that piss?’’Arsu asked.

‘’Why do you call her Owl?’’I asked with a shrug.’’Why is Owl in her name?

Nezha frowned deeply.’’She hates them.’’He finally said.’’It is just a silly reminder.’’

Minerva opened a tin box with a red curled man painted at the top, exposing a white powder and sprinkled it at the top of the liquid, making the texture seem thicker than before.

‘’Akhet doesn’t send anesthetics so she tries to make it from scratch.’’ Nezha kept explaining.

‘’By remaining herbs of tea, old medicines, Mana.’’

Even if he was trying to explain more to me I was still shocked by the fact that Minerva was smoking Mana.

Minerva looked at me with a frowning mouth.

‘’It’s anesthetic but only for a few minutes.’’She grabbed an even smaller bottle, poured the liquid inside it and closed it.

‘’Put it to your blades or a fabric.’’

‘’Blades?’’ I stuttered at her empty explanation.

Mara seemed now to have stopped doodling the spiders and she was falling asleep on the couch with her ears covered.

‘’Are you sure?’’Minerva asked Nezha, giving him the bottle.

‘’Of course. Are you?’’ He grabbed the bottle.

I faced Minerva whose eyes now under the goggles seemed exhausted. Afraid. What was it that she was so afraid of?