Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Chapter 29

"She's got makeup! It's a miracle!"

{NAIA}

I lowered Leo to the floor carefully, and then rummaged through the many bottles, vials, jars, and pots for the cure. I had no idea what to look for, so I glanced at Esmeralda. Maybe she'd know. She had some strange abilities. Maybe that was one of them.

"I don't know," she said. She looked terrified. The poor girl had been through a lot the past few weeks.

"Think," I said urgently. I kept looking, sending prayers to random gods asking what to look for, but none answered.

I looked through the vials. They were all an assortment of different colours, mostly red or green. Esmeralda was examining a cauldron when suddenly she went very still.

"The cure is the poison," she said, her eyes wide and bright, metallic gold. I stared at her worriedly. "Esmeralda..."

Then she gasped, and went back to normal. "What just happened to me?" she demanded.

"I don't know," I said. But her words dawned on me: the cure is the poison. Maybe it was like snake milk...

I remembered the poison I'd thrown in the punch was purple. I started to frantically look for purple liquid.

Leo was lying on the floor, very still, his eyes wide open. I had to hurry, obviously.

Finally I found a small vial of liquid that seemed to be the same shade as the poison.

"Is that it?" Esmeralda asked.

I shrugged. "Should we try? We don't have much choice."

"I have a good feeling about it," she said quietly.

I breathed in and grabbed the vial, and then opened Leo's mouth and tipped the contents in. I glanced at the doorway, in case the lamias had discovered us yet, but so far it was okay.

I turned back to Leo, who then started to convulse. My eyes widened in fear. I wondered if there was anything I could do. Behind me stood Esmeralda, who was biting her lip anxiously.

And then his eyes seemed to focus on my face, and he muttered something about grapes. I laughed with relief and kissed him, very carefully (I didn't want to hug him since I wasn't sure if he was entirely okay).

"You're alright!" Esmeralda said. "Thank goodness."

"You aren't getting rid of me that easily," he croaked, then grinned. "I've always wanted to say that."

I would have rolled my eyes if he hadn't almost died. "Gods, Leo."

He smiled up at me weakly.

"Don't you two start," Esmeralda said. "My delicate eyes."

I laughed, and helped Leo stand up. "Stop almost dying on me," I whispered to him.

"Not much I can do about that, princesa," he said, his voice wobbly. I wrapped his arm around my shoulder and helped him stand up.

"Hate to interrupt," said a sultry, cold female voice, "but we can't let you leave."

I whirled around to face half a dozen lamias standing in scaly dresses, all equipped with bejewelled daggers.

"Why don't you just let us leave and get over with it all?" I said, sighing.

"You know we can't," another said. "Surrender in the name of your grandmother."

"Never," I said. I pulled out a dagger rapidly and hurled it at one of the lamias. It hit her straight in the chest, and she staggered. I threw another, but it was caught by a lamia with blue hair. She bent it and tossed it to the ground with a grin.