REMEMBER ME ---- BOOK I / Heroes of Olympus / Leo Valdez Fanfiction

magical saleswomen are annoying as fuck, prove me wrong.

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ALL FOUR OF THEM JUMPED BACK

A woman had just appeared in front of them. She wore an elegant black dress with diamond jewelry, and she looked like a retired fashion model—maybe fifty years old, though it was hard for Piper to judge. Her long dark hair swept over one shoulder, and her face was gorgeous in that surreal super-model way—thin and haughty and cold, not quite human. With their long red-painted nails, her fingers looked more like talons.

She smiled. “I’m so happy to see new customers. How may I help you?”

Piper saw Penelope glancing at Jason like, All yours.

“Um,” Jason started, “is this your store?”

The woman nodded. “I found it abandoned, you know. I understand so many stores are, these days. I decided it would make the perfect place. I love collecting tasteful objects, helping people, and offering quality goods at a reasonable price. So this seemed a good … how do you say … first acquisition in this country.”

She spoke with a pleasing accent, but she couldn’t guess where from. Clearly she wasn’t hostile, though. Piper started to relax. Her voice was rich and exotic. Then Piper realised the lady was using charm-speak.

“So you’re new to America?” Jason asked.

“I am … new,” the woman agreed. “I am the Princess of Colchis. My friends call me Your Highness. Now, what are you looking for?”

Piper had figured Colchis was an City in Greece or Rome, and the princess had gotten herself a store. Of course most of the time they didn’t sell poisons, living fur coats, storm spirits, or satyrs, but still—with a nice voice like that, the Princess of Colchis couldn’t be good at all.

Penelope elbowed him in the ribs. “Jason …”

“Um, right. Actually, Your Highness …” He pointed to the gilded cage on the first floor. “That’s our friend down there, Gleeson Hedge. The satyr. Could we … have him back, please?”

“Of course!” the princess agreed immediately. “I would love to show you my inventory. First, may I know your names?”

Jason hesitated. Piper whispered to him about it being a bad idea but she doubted he could hear her at all.

On the other hand, Her Highness was on the verge of cooperating. If they could get what they wanted without a fight, that would be better. But at the same time, this lady seemed like an enemy.

Piper started to say, “Jason, I wouldn’t—”

“This is Piper,” he said. “This is Leo. That's Penelope I’m Jason.”

The princess fixed her eyes on him and Penelope, just for a moment, her face literally glowed, blazing with so much anger, Piper could see her skull beneath her skin.

“Jason. What an interesting name,” she said, her eyes as cold as the Chicago wind.

"And Penelope, such, beauty in your name," the princess continued, stepping forward and touching her face.

“I think we’ll have to make a special deal for you. Come, children. Let’s go shopping.”

Piper wanted to run for the elevator, and her second choice: attack the weird princess now, because she was sure a fight was coming. The way the lady’s face glowed when she’d heard Jason’s name had been bad enough. Now Her Highness was smiling like nothing had happened, and Jason and Leo didn’t seem to think anything was wrong. Penelope had tried smacking them back to their senses, quite literally, but it hadn't worked.