created →jason grace

fifteen

{Lina}

FOR SOME REASON shopping sucked way more than Lina remembered. Maybe it was because the boys wouldn't shut up every time 'her highness' mentioned a new product.

Like if the princess happened to point out a shirt that looked it had burn holes in them, Jason would just looked glassy eyed at the product and say cool. He did that to a lot of the stuff Lina noticed.
Poison, cool
Weird old torture machine, cool

If Jason said cool one more time Lina would not hesitate to knock him out again.

"Jason," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?" Lina noticed that Piper was trying to put power into her words, to snap him out of his trance with charmspeak, but her voice sounded shaky even to Lina. This princess woman seemed to scare her too much, made her confidence crumble.

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

Lina sucked in a breath and her hands curled into fists as she glared at the woman.

Wait." Piper suddenly interrupted still staring at the red vial that Lina hadn't even noticed. "Could that potion cure lost memory?"

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

Lina tried to keep her expression neutral, but she knew what Piper was hinting at ...

Did they really want that? she wondered.

If Jason found out who he was, he might not even be their friend. Hera had taken away his memories for a reason. She'd told him it was the only way he'd survive at Camp Half-Blood. What if Jason found out that he was their enemy, or something? He might come out of his amnesia and decide he hated all of them. Lina shook her head, she didn't know why she was thinking these things. It's not like they were close.

"How much?" Piper asked.

The princess got a faraway 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 looked at Piper. "I'm sure, my dear, you understand how one might be attracted to such a hero, and want to help him."

Lina glanced at Piper and saw her trying not to blush. Confused she threw the brunette a look before turning back to the princess. Something about her story was rubbing Lina the wrong way, she felt as if she knew what the princess was talking about but on a much personal level.

"At any rate," Her Highness continued, "my hero had to do many impossible tasks, and I'm not bragging when I say he couldn't have done them without me. I betrayed my own family to win the hero his prize. And still he cheated me of my payment."

"Cheated?" Jason frowned, as if trying to remember something important.

"That's messed up," Leo said.

Her Highness patted his cheek affectionately. "I'm sure you don't need to worry, Leo. You seem honest. You would always pay a fair price, wouldn't you?"

Lina didn't hear Leo's answer she was more focused on the interaction between Piper and the princess, she didn't like the direction it was taking.

"So, the vial,Your Highness—how much?" Piper asked.

The princess assessed Piper's clothes, her face, her
posture, as if putting a price tag on one slightly used demigod.

"Would you give anything for it, my dear?" the princess
asked. "I sense that you would."

Lina saw how hard it was for the brunette but she chose not to say anything, still confused about what Piper was doing. "No, I won't pay any price. But a fair price, maybe. After that, we need to leave. Right, guys?"

Just for a moment, her words seemed to have some effect. The boys looked confused.

"Leave?" Jason said.

"You mean ... after shopping?" Leo asked.

Lina wanted to scream she also really felt like punching both boys, but she stopped when she noticed the princess tilting her head, examining Piper with newfound respect.
"Impressive," the princess said. "Not many people could resist my suggestions. Are you a child of Aphrodite, my dear? Ah, yes—I should have seen it. No matter. Perhaps we should shop a while longer before you decide what to buy, eh?"

"But the vial—"

"Now, boys." She turned to Jason and Leo. Her voice was so much more powerful than Piper's, so full of confidence, Piper didn't stand a chance. "Would you like to see more?"

"Sure," Jason said.

"Okay," Leo said.

"Excellent," the princess said. "You'll need all the help you
can get if you're to make it to the Bay Area."

"The Bay Area?" Piper said. "Why the Bay Area?"

The princess smiled. "Well, that's where they'll die, isn't it? "
Then she led them toward the escalators, Jason and Leo still looking excited to shop.

Lina stood there for a few moments, her mouth slightly open as she wondered what had just happened. She stormed over and positioned herself next to Piper.

"What the hell Piper? What was the all about?" Lina asked as she tried to suppress her anger. She didn't like being clueless but this whole trip it seemed like she couldn't really grasp at what was happening.

Lina saw Piper look at the boys before turning back to her. "Nothing, Lina just forget about it. It's kinda none of your business."

Lina stopped at those words. Her mind seeming to work even slower as she tried to make sense of what just happened. "Fine," Lina choked out. "Since it's none of my business I guess you guys can continue this quest without me." Lina bit back as she glared at the girl.

Lina turned and made her way towards the elevator, her head still reeling. And as the doors closed and her descent began, she sniffled a little as tears burned her eyes.

She truly hated all heroes.