BABY DON'T CUT - jason grace

Chapter Fifteen

They all would have died five times on the way to the front door if not for Leo.

First it was the motion-activated trapdoor on the sidewalk, then the lasers on the steps, then the nerve gas dispenser on the porch railing, the pressure-sensitive poison spikes in the welcome mat, and of course the exploding doorbell.

Leo deactivated all of them. It was like he could smell the traps, and he picked just the right tool out of his belt to disable them.

"You're amazing, man," Jason said.

Leo scowled as he examined the front door lock. "Yeah, amazing," he said. "Can't fix a dragon right, but I'm amazing."

"That wasn't your fault—" Estella started to tell him.

"Front door's already unlocked," Leo announced.

Piper stared at the door in disbelief. "It is? All those traps, and the door's unlocked?"

Leo turned the knob. The door swung open easily. He stepped inside without hesitation.

Before Jason or Estella could follow, Piper caught their arms, one hand in each. "He's going to need some time to get over Festus. Don't take it personally."

"Yeah," Jason said. "Yeah, okay."

"I won't," Estella said, wearing a frown on a face. She completely understood and hated seeing one of her best friends suffering.

She still felt terrible for what she had said back in Medea's store—plus almost killing him and Jason, which a friend shouldn't do. If it hadn't been for Piper, they'd all be dead. And Piper hadn't gotten out of that encounter easily, either.

"Piper," Estella said, "I know I was in a daze back in Chicago, but that stuff about your dad—if he's in trouble, We really want to help. I don't care if it's a trap or not."

Jason nodded in agreement, watching Piper.

Her eyes were always different colors, but now they looked shattered, as if she'd seen something she just couldn't cope with. "Guys, you don't know what you're saying. Please—don't make me feel worse. Come on. We should stick together."

She ducked inside.

"Together," Jason muttered to Estella. "Yeah, we're doing great with that."

Estella chuckled despite the many emotions clouding her head.

Estella and Jason went in after Piper and her first impression of the house was dark.

From the echo of her footsteps she could tell the entry hall was enormous, even bigger than Boreas's penthouse; but the only illumination came from the yard lights outside. A faint glow peeked through the breaks in the thick velvet curtains. The windows rose about ten feet tall. Spaced between them along the walls were life-size metal statues. As Estella's eyes adjusted, she saw sofas arranged in a U in the middle of the room, with a central coffee table and one large chair at the far end. A massive chandelier glinted overhead. Along the back wall stood a row of closed doors.

"Where's the light switch?" Jason asked, his voice echoed alarmingly through the room.

"Don't see one," Leo said.

"Fire?" Piper suggested.

Leo held out his hand, but nothing happened. "It's not working."

"Your fire is out? Why?" Estella asked.

"Well, if I knew that—"

"Okay, I'm sorry," Estella was quick to say.

"Should we explore?" Piper asked.