Wildfire (Leo Valdez x OC) (1)

Shopping for our deaths

We found Jason and Leo, with the strange woman, in the potions section.

"And here," The lady said, "is the finest assortment of magical mixtures anywhere."

"It really stinks." I said, holding my nose. The place smelled like burning tyres and skunk spray.

"Oh, wonderful." The 'princess' forced a smile. "You've decided to join us."

"Yeah, anyway we were wondering if we could- "

Piper was cut off as the lady continued to tour the two boys. "This one will heal any disease." She said, pointing at a blood-red vial.

"Do you think it could heal my headache?" I muttered to Piper. She raised an eyebrow at me. "Just wondering." I shrugged.

"Even cancer?" Leo asked. "Leprosy? Hangnails?"

"Any disease, sweet boy. And this vial –" She pointed to a swan-shaped container holding blue liquid – "will kill you very painfully."

"Awesome," Jason said. His voice sounded dazed.

"Jason," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?" I could tell Piper was trying to charmspeak him but there wasn't any confidence in her voice, and against this princess her voice sounded weak and feeble.

"Job to do." Jason muttered. "Sure. But shopping first, okay?"

The princess beamed at him. "Then we have potions for resisting fire – "

"Got that covered." Leo said.

"Indeed?" The princess studied Leo's face more closely. "You don't appear to be wearing my trademark sunscreen but no matter. We also have potions that cause blindness, insanity, sleep or – "

"Wait." Piper said. "Do you have a potion that could cure lost memory?"

The princess narrowed her eyes. "Possibly. Yes. Quite possibly. Why, my dear? Have you forgotten something important?"

Piper stared off into the distance. I nudged her.

"How much?" She said, shaking her head. I gaped.

"You're not serious." I whispered to her.

The princess got a far-away look in her eyes. "Well, now... The price is always tricky. I love helping people. Honestly, I do. And I always keep my bargains, but sometimes people try to cheat me." Her gaze drifted to Jason. "Once, for instance, I met a handsome young man who wanted a treasure from my father's kingdom. We made a bargain, and I promised to help him steal it."

"From your own dad?" Jason still looked half in a trance, but the idea seemed to bother him.

"Oh, don't worry," the princess said. "I demanded a high price. The young man had to take me away with him. He was quite good-looking, dashing, strong..." She turned to Piper.

"I'm sure, my dear, you understand how one might be attracted to such a hero and want to help him." Piper blushed.

"Stop focusing on what she's saying, she's getting in your head." I whispered to Piper. "We need to find a way out of here."

"But we could find a way to heal Jason's memory."

I sighed. "Piper, our whole quest is to save Hera, she has Jason's memory, if we finish the quest, he'll get it back, if we die here, then... well we're dead." I shrugged.

She shook her head. "But – "

"Girls?" The lady said. We both turned. The lady was looking at us suspiciously. Jason and Leo were still looking around in a daze. "Aren't you going to join us?"