I never thought that I'd have the pleasure of visiting the sewers, but today was my lucky day.
Jason climbed down first then me. I braced myself for the smell but it never came. The ladder dropped into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. The air was warm and dry, with only a trickle of water on the floor.
Piper and Leo climbed down after us.
"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wondered.
"No," Leo said. "Trust me."
Jason frowned. "How do you know—"
"Hey, man, I ran away six times. I've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go?"
Jason tilted his head, listening, then pointed south. "That way."
"How can you be sure?" Piper asked.
"There's a draft blowing south," Jason said. "Maybe the venti went with the flow."
It wasn't much of a lead, but nobody offered anything better. I just stayed quiet. No irrelevant comment. No opinion whatsoever. I was still trying to process my dream last night.
As soon as we started walking, Piper stumbled and Jason had to catch her.
"Stupid ankle," she cursed.
"Let's rest," Jason decided. "We could all use it. We've been going nonstop for over a day. Leo, can you pull any food from that tool belt besides breath mints?"
"Thought you'd never ask. Chef Leo is on it!"
Piper and Jason sat on a brick ledge while Leo shuffled through his pack. I sat the farthest away I could but still be there if they needed me. I didn't want to rest, I wanted to get this all over with and go home but I knew Piper needed it.
I shut my eyes getting lost in thought. What was wrong with me? Why did I hate my name so much? Why did I kill Henry? So many questions and barely any answers.
A few feet away, Leo lit a small cooking fire. He hummed as he pulled supplies out of his pack and his tool belt.
I just sat drowning out the world around me. A little boy's voice sang a song in her head.
Ah! vous dirai-je, maman,
Ce qui cause mon tourment.
Papa veut que je raisonne,
Comme une grande personne.
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.
Ah ! vous dirai-je, maman,
ce qui cause mon tourment.
Papa veut que je demande
de la soupe et de la viande...
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
valent mieux que les mignons.
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
valent mieux que les mignons.
Ah ! vous dirai-je, maman,
ce qui cause mon tourment
Papa veut que je retienne
des verbes la longue antienne...
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
valent mieux que les leçons.
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
valent mieux que les leçons.
I didn't know why someone would be singing to me in french but that question would probably never be answered.
"And bingo!" Leo announced.
He came over with four plates stacked on his arms like a waiter. I had no idea where he'd gotten all the food, or how he'd put it together so fast, but it looked amazing: pepper and beef tacos with chips and salsa.
"Leo," Piper said in amazement. "How did you—?"
"Chef Leo's Taco Garage is fixing you up!" he said proudly. "And by the way, it's tofu, not beef, beauty queen, so don't freak. Just dig in!"
I took a bite and grinned they were amazing. "You ever thought about being a chef Leo?" Lila said half joking, half serious. Well, there goes the not talking.
"Nah, I'm gonna be a mechanic. What about you?" Piper and Jason both said they didn't know.
"Olympic champion in figure skating." I had no idea where that came from but I felt so certain. Everyone turned to me and I looked down at my half-eaten taco hoping they'd stop looking at me.
I didn't know what was happening to me. I was usually so strong and confident. Thankfully they all went back to eating and having a light conversation that I didn't have to get involved in.
After we ate, Jason encouraged us to get some sleep. Without a word, I curled up and in two seconds I was out like a light.
I was looking at myself at twelve or thirteen sitting across from a blonde boy who looked suspiciously like Jason. "I'm not cool." the boy said miserably.
Young me laughed. "And this is news because? Look you're kind, loyal and the best friend anyone could ever need Jason."
"You know you're describing a dog, right? Look it's just hard being Lila's friend. I'm a geek, a loser, a nobody. And you're the coolest person around. It's not fair! Why couldn't some of your coolness rub off on me?" Jason whined.
Young me shook my head. "You're Jason, I'm Lila just like it's always been. Nothing's gonna change that and so what if people think you're a geek. You're the praetor of the twelfth legion and in my book that means cool."
I put my elbow on the table and Jason did the same. we connected our hands and muttered. "semper amici."
I shot up and Jason was quick to try and calm me. "Hey, it's ok, it's ok. Bad dream?" He asked. I just stared at him, Leo and Piper were both still asleep. This was my best friend and I had pushed him away constantly. Maybe there wasn't a way of not getting attached. Lila cared about Leo and Piper and she'd only known them for a few days.
"Semper amici." I whispered.
Finally, we broke camp when Piper and Leo finally woke up. We started down the tunnel.
It twisted and turned and seemed to go on forever. I wasn't sure what to expect at the end—a prison, a drug lab, or maybe a psychotic murderer's house where they'll kill us and put us in a pie that will all consequently cause the world to end.
Instead, we found polished steel elevator doors, each one engraved with a cursive letter M. Next to the elevator was a directory, like for a department store.
"M for Macy's?" Piper guessed. "I think they have one in downtown Chicago."
"I don't think Macy's would have a sewer entrance Shorty." I said patting Piper on the head.
"Or Monocle Motors still?" Leo said. "Guys, read the directory. It's messed up."
Parking, Kennels, Main Entrance: Sewer Level
Furnishings and Café M: 1
Women's Fashion and Magical Appliances: 2
Men's Wear and Weaponry: 3
Cosmetics, Potions, Poisons & Sundries: 4
"Kennels for what?" Piper said. "And what kind of department store has its entrance in a sewer?"
"Or sells poisons," Leo said. "Man, what does 'sundries' even mean? Is that like underwear?"
"Why is the weaponry on the same level as the men's wear? Why couldn't it be next to the women's wear? Just seems a bit sexist to me." I muttered earning a glare from the others.
Jason took a deep breath. "When in doubt, start at the top."
The doors slid open on the fourth floor, and the scent of perfume wafted into the elevator. Nice. Jason stepped out first, sword ready followed closely by me.
"Guys," he said. "You've got to see this."
"This is not Macy's." Piper said when she joined us.
Holy shit!
The department store looked like the inside of a telescope. Wait, no wrong one. It's the one with the colours. Oh hell, it was colourful, who cares what the colourful telescope is called? The entire ceiling was a stained glass mosaic with astrological signs around a giant sun. I'm a cancer. The daylight streaming through it washed everything in a thousand different colours. The upper floors made a ring of balconies around a huge central atrium, so we could see all the way down to the ground floor. Gold railings glittered so brightly, that they were hard to look at.
It was like royalty lived there. You know if royalty lived in department stores.
Aside from the stained glass ceiling and the elevator, there weren't any other windows or doors, but two sets of glass escalators ran between the levels. That's not creepy. The carpeting was a riot of oriental patterns and colours, and the racks of merchandise were just as bizarre. All the colours were giving Lila a headache.
Leo stepped to the railing and looked down. "Check it out."
In the middle of the atrium, a fountain sprayed water twenty feet into the air, changing colour from red to yellow to blue. What is with this place and colours? The pool glittered with gold coins, and on either side of the fountain stood a gilded cage—like an oversized canary cage.
Inside one, a miniature hurricane swirled, and lightning flashed. Somebody had imprisoned the storm spirits, and the cage shuddered as they tried to get out. In the other, frozen like a statue, was a short, buff satyr, holding a tree-branch club.
"Coach Hedge!" Piper said. "We've got to get down there."
"May I help you find something?" I jumped and whirled around.
A woman stood in front of us. She looked like a retired fashion model—maybe fifty years old, she looked good for her age. With their long red-painted nails, her fingers looked more like claws.
She smiled. "I'm so happy to see new customers. How may I help you?"
This doesn't feel right.
"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 I couldn't figure out where it was from. Maybe Greece. Something about her was off putting. Her voice was rich and exotic and I couldn't help but fall into a trance.
"So you're new to America?" Piper 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?"
My gut told me to run but my brain told me to stay and listen to the pretty lady talk.
Piper poked Jason in the ribs. "Jason ..."
"Um, right. 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?"
My gut told me not to tell her but Jason didn't seem worried so I'm sure it'd be fine. "This is Piper Mcclean." Jason said ignoring Piper as she tried to warn him. "This is Leo Valdez and Lila."
Her Highness seemed to be intrigued by her because her eyes scanned over me taking in my appearance. "And I'm Jason Grace." Jason finished with a goofy smile.
The princess fixed her eyes on Jason and, just for a moment, her face literally glowed, blazing with so much anger, you could see her skull beneath her skin. Then the moment passed, and Her Highness looked like a normal elegant woman again, with a cordial smile and a soothing voice.
"Jason. What an interesting name," she said, her eyes as cold as the Chicago wind. "I think we'll have to make a special deal for you. Come, children. Let's go shopping."
This was probably the first time shopping didn't sound fun for me. All I wanted to do was get back on the flying metal dragon and leave Chicago. The Windy City wasn't for me.
My second choice: attack the weird princess now, because I liked fighting more than shopping anyway. The way the lady's face glowed when she'd heard Jason's name had been alarming enough. Now Her Highness was smiling like nothing had happened, and it was creepy as hell.
Piper seemed to be the only other sane person there. "This isn't right." Piper muttered as the girls followed the creepy princess. I just nodded glaring at the back of the boy's heads.
The princess gestured toward the cosmetics counter. "Shall we start with the potions?"
"Cool," Jason said.
"So not cool." I huffed. This is why I'm the cool one. I thought glaring at Jason.
"Guys," Piper interrupted, "we're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If this—princess—is really our friend—"
"Oh, I'm better than a friend, my dear," Her Highness said. "I'm a saleswoman."
I crossed my arms. "No, that's worse."
Her diamonds sparkled, and her eyes glittered like a snake's—cold and dark. "Don't worry. We'll work our way down to the first floor, eh?"
Leo nodded eagerly. "Sure, yeah! That sounds okay. Right, girls?"
I threw my arms in the air groaning. "No idiots, it's not ok. We're in a hurry, remember?" Piper did her best to stare daggers at him: No, it is not okay!
"Of course it's okay." Her Highness put her hands on Leo's and Jason's shoulders and steered them toward the cosmetics. "Come along, boys."
Piper began to follow but I didn't. Instead, I went to the railing and looked down. Oh god! I began to back up until I was a fair distance away then ran leaping over the riling. For like the tenth time I was falling but this time I felt in control, like I had done this a million times. I landed on my feet, grinning but as I took a step my entire body went stiff. Operation Save Coach isn't working out too well.
It felt like I was frozen for hours. It took a while for the others to get to the ground floor.
"Hello, Delilah. How was your time out?" Her Highness laughed at me and if I could move I would strangled her Highness.
"You're insane," Piper said running over to Lila. "Let her go!"
"Why should I? She was going to steal what was mine." Medea huffed. "I died with my dreams shattered, but no longer. I know now not to trust heroes. When they come asking for treasures, they will pay a heavy price. Especially when the one asking has the name of Jason!"
The fountain in front of me turned bright red. Piper drew her dagger, but her hand was shaking badly. "Give. Me. My. Friends." Piper said through gritted teeth.
My entire body started to tingle and suddenly my legs gave out. "Bitch." I grumbled as she hit the floor face-first.
I stood on wobbly legs and drew my sword. We were not dying here. I refused to die in a department store.
"Guys, let's go. Now!" Piper called to the idiotic boys.
"Before you've closed the deal?" Medea asked. "What of your quest, boys? And my price is so easy. Did you know this fountain is magic? If a dead man were to be thrown into it, even if he was chopped to pieces, he would pop back out fully formed—stronger and more powerful than ever."
"Seriously?" Leo asked.
"Leo, she's lying," Piper said. "She did that trick with somebody before—a king, I think. She convinced his daughters to cut him to pieces so he could come out of the water young and healthy again, but it just killed him!"
"Trust me, I lie all the time, this royal bitch is lying." I added just to get under Medea's skin.
"Ridiculous," Medea said with a scowl, and Lila could hear the power charged in every syllable but was somehow unaffected. "Leo, Jason—my price is so simple. Why don't you two fight? If you get injured, or even killed, no problem. We'll just throw you into the fountain and you'll be better than ever. You do want to fight, don't you? You resent each other!"
The word Killed stuck in my mind. A man's voice echoed in her brain. I knew I was supposed to recognise it but she couldn't. 'If I don't win this war I will be killed.'
"We must protect him from his fate." She whispered in a shaky voice. Leo and Jason started to face off. Piper looked helpless.
Leo scowled. "Jason's always the star. He always gets the attention and takes me for granted."
"You're annoying, Leo," Jason said. "You never take anything seriously. You can't even fix a dragon."
"Stop!" Piper pleaded, but both drew weapons—Jason his gold sword, and Leo a hammer from his tool belt.
"STOP!" My voice echoed through the store and for a moment the boys looked hesitant but it didn't last long.
"Let them go, Piper," Medea urged. "I'm doing you a favour. Let it happen now, and it will make your choice so much easier. Enceladus will be pleased. You could have your father back today!"
"Piper, what's she talking about?
"You work for Enceladus," she said.
Why would Piper know that?
Medea laughed. "Serve a giant? No. But we all serve the same greater cause—a patron you cannot begin to challenge. Walk away, child of Aphrodite. This does not have to be your death, too. Save yourself, and your father can go free."
Leo and Jason were still facing off, ready to fight, but they looked unsteady and confused—waiting for another order. Part of them had to be resisting. This went completely against their nature.
"Guys, you don't want to do this. Piper, help me." I pleaded but Piper's attention was fixed on Medea.
"Listen to me, girl." Medea plucked a diamond off her bracelet and threw it into a spray of water from the fountain. As it passed through the multicoloured light, Medea said, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me the office of Tristan McLean."
The mist shimmered and showed what must have been Piper's dad's office. Sitting behind the desk, talking on the phone, was a woman, in her dark business suit, her hair swirled in a tight bun.
"Hello, Jane," Medea said.
Jane hung up the phone calmly. "How can I help you, ma'am? Hello, Piper."
"You—" Piper said angrily.
"Yes, child," Medea said. "Your father's assistant. Quite easy to manipulate. An organised mind for a mortal, but incredibly weak."
"I don't think my mind is organised." I muttered
"Thank you, ma'am," Jane said.
"I'm also pretty sure that wasn't a compliment." I huffed.
The boys stood confused but ready to fight.
"Don't mention it," Medea said. "I just wanted to congratulate you, Jane. Getting Mr. McLean to leave town so suddenly, take his jet to Oakland without alerting the press or the police—well done! No one seems to know where he's gone. And telling him his daughter's life was on the line—that was a nice touch to get his cooperation."
"Yes," Jane agreed in a bland tone, as if she were sleepwalking. "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."
I couldn't help but wonder if my mom would do that if I was in danger. Was anyone even looking for me? Did anyone care? No! Lila not the time!
"I may have new orders for you, Jane," Medea said. "If the girl cooperates, it may be time for Mr. McLean to come home. Would you arrange a suitable cover story for his absence, just in case? And I imagine the poor man will need some time in a psychiatric hospital."
"Yes, ma'am. I will stand by."
The image faded, and Medea turned to Piper. "There, you see?"
"You lured my dad into a trap," Piper said. "You helped the giant—"
Giant? What giant?
"Oh, please, dear. You'll work yourself into a fit! I've been preparing for this war for years, even before I was brought back to life. I'm a seer, as I said. I can tell the future as well as your little oracle. Years ago, still suffering in the Fields of Punishment, I had a vision of the seven in your so-called Great Prophecy. I saw your friend Leo here and saw that he would be an important enemy someday. I stirred the consciousness of my patron, gave her this information, and she managed to wake just a little—just enough to visit him."
"Leo's mother," Piper said. "Leo, listen to this! She helped get your mother killed!"
"Medea is the real enemy!" Lila called glaring at the witch.
"I have heard the stories about you Delilah, the best swordsman or should I say woman in three hundred years, better than that boy, maybe even better than the reaper himself," Medea laughed. "What is it they call you? The Silent Death. Everywhere you go death follows, you know it, you can see it. who dies? Tell me!" Medea layered on the charm speak and Lila had to use everything in her not to give in.
"You! Now, stop asking me questions!" Medea glared and went to say something else but Leo cut her off.
"Uh-huh," Leo mumbled, in a daze. He frowned at his hammer. "So ... I just attack Jason? That's okay?"
"Perfectly safe," Medea promised. "And Jason, strike him hard. Show me you are worthy of your namesake."
"No!" Piper ordered. She knew it was her last chance. "Jason, Leo—she's tricking you. Put down your weapons."
The sorceress rolled her eyes. "Please, girl. You're no match for me. I trained with my aunt, the immortal Circe. I can drive men mad or heal them with my voice. What hope do these puny young heroes have against me? Now, boys, kill each other!"
"Jason, Leo, listen to me." Piper put all of her emotion into her voice. For years she'd been trying to control herself and not show weakness, but now she poured everything into her words—her fear, her desperation, her anger. "Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other. Fight her!"
They hesitated, and I could practically feel the spell shatter.
Jason blinked. "Leo, was I just about to stab you?"
"Something about my mother ... ?" Leo frowned, then turned toward Medea. "You ... you're working for Dirt Woman. You sent her to the machine shop." He lifted his arm. "Lady, I got a three-pound hammer with your name on it."
I let out a sigh of relief and laughed, her boys were back to their usual selves.
"Bah!" Medea sneered. "I'll simply collect payment another way."
She pressed one of the mosaic tiles on the floor, and the building rumbled. Jason swung his sword at Medea, but she dissolved into smoke and reappeared at the base of the escalator.
"You're slow, hero!" She laughed. "Take your frustration out on my pets!"
Before we could go after her, the giant bronze sundials at either end of the fountain swung open. Two snarling gold beasts—flesh-and-blood winged dragons—crawled out from the pits below. Each was the size of a camper van, maybe not large compared to Festus, but large enough.
Jason and I shared a look, it was like they were communicating telepathically. Considering I was the fastest I ran after Medea while Piper, Leo and Jason took care of the dragons.
"So that's what's in the kennels," Leo said meekly.
"Don't look them in the eye!" Jason warned. "They'll paralyze you."
"Indeed!" Medea was leisurely riding the escalator up, leaning against the handrail as she watched the fun. "These two dears have been with me a long time—sun dragons, you know, gifts from my grandfather Helios. They pulled my chariot when I left Corinth, and now they will be your destruction. Ta-ta!"
Medea was almost to the second floor, where she'd be able to choose from a wide assortment of deadly appliances.
I pushed my body to go as fast as I physically could. I needed to get to the second floor. My entire body felt hot, my head pounded and then to the horror of both myself and Medea, I materialised just in front of her. "What kind of sorcery is this?"
I gave her my sweetest smile as I drew my sword.
"You said it, I'm The Silent Death and told you I saw you dying." I raised my sword but Medea raised her hand and I went flying back. Medea disappeared and reappeared at the potions section.
"You are not the only one of us with tricks up her sleeve." Medea laughed.
I groaned but a voice in my head told me to get up a fight. I pulled myself off the ground and teleported again but this time wasn't as smooth, I stumbled upon landing, breathing heavily.
Medea had reached the potions counter.
The sorceress grabbed a swan-shaped vial—the blue one that caused painful death—and I did the only thing that came to mind. I threw myself at the witch.
Medea turned triumphantly just in time to get tackled by a sixteen-ish year old girl. She stumbled backwards, crashing over the counter, breaking vials and knocking down shelves. When the sorceress stood from the wreckage, her dress was stained a dozen different colours. Many of the stains were smouldering and glowing.
"Fool!" Medea wailed. "Do you have any idea what so many potions will do when mixed?"
"Kill you?" I smirked until I noticed my jacket was smouldering too. I quickly threw the jacket at Medea.
The carpet began to steam around Medea's feet. She coughed, and her face contorted in pain—or was she faking?
I summoned my sword once again and grinned. "Quia Romae." And with that I plunge the blade into the witch's chest. Medea let out a dreadful screech as she died.
CRASH! The stained glass ceiling splintered in a rain of multicoloured shards, and Festus the bronze dragon dropped into the department store.
He hurtled into the fray, snatching up a sun dragon in each claw. That was why I loved the big hunk of metal.
"That's my boy!" Leo yelled.
Festus flew halfway up the atrium, then hurled the sun dragons into the pits they'd come from. Leo raced to the fountain and pressed the marble tile, closing the sundials. They shuddered as the dragons banged against them, trying to get out, but for the moment they were contained.
The whole fourth floor was on fire now. The air filled with noxious gas. Even with the roof open, I could feel my lungs trying desperately to get fresh oxygen in. I backed up to the edge of the railing ready to jump again.
I jumped over the side. I plummeted for only a second before Leo and Jason caught me, hauling me aboard the dragon.
I heard the dragons screaming in rage as we soared through the broken roof and over downtown Chicago. Then the department store exploded behind us.
A/N
Introducing The Silent Death, I can't wait to get into the backstory of this. Plus, Lila can teleport!
Hope you enjoyed 💕 Let me know what you think!