The Lost Hero

―Well,‖ Piper said, managing a smile. ―It‘s been a great visit. Welcome back to life. Thanks for the gold
bag.‖
―Oh, but you can‘t leave!‖ Midas said. ―I know you‘re not serious investors, but that‘s all right! I have to
rebuild my collection.‖
Lit was smiling cruelly. The king rose, and Leo and Piper moved away from him.
―Don‘t worry,‖ the king assured them. ―You don‘t have to be turned to gold. I give all my guests a choice—
join my collection, or die at the hands of Lityerses. Really, it‘s good either way.‖
Piper tried to use her charmspeak. ―Your Majesty, you can‘t—‖
Quicker than any old man should‘ve been able to move, Midas lashed out and grabbed her wrist.
―No!‖ Jason yelled.
But a frost of gold spread over Piper, and in a heartbeat she was a glittering statue. Leo tried to summon
fire, but he‘d forgotten his power wasn‘t working. Midas touched his hand, and Leo transformed into solid metal.
Jason was so horrified he couldn‘t move. His friends—just gone. And he hadn‘t been able to stop it.
Midas smiled apologetically. ―Gold trumps fire, I‘m afraid.‖ He waved around him at all the gold curtains
and furniture. ―In this room, my power dampens all others: fire… even charmspeak. Which leaves me only one
more trophy to collect.‖
―Hedge!‖ Jason yelled. ―Need help in here!‖
For once, the satyr didn‘t charge in. Jason wondered if the lasers had gotten him, or if he was sitting at the
bottom of a trap pit.
Midas chuckled. ―No goat to the rescue? Sad. But don‘t worry, my boy. It‘s really not painful. Lit can tell
you.‖
Jason fixed on an idea. ―I choose combat. You said I could choose to fight Lit instead.‖
Midas looked mildly disappointed, but he shrugged. ―I said you could die fighting Lit. But of course, if you
wish.‖
The king backed away, and Lit raised his sword.
―I‘m going to enjoy this,‖ Lit said. ―I am the Reaper of Men!‖
―Come on, Cornhusker.‖ Jason summoned his own weapon. This time it came up as a javelin, and Jason
was glad for the extra length.
―Oh, gold weapon!‖ Midas said. ―Very nice.‖
Lit charged.
The guy was fast. He slashed and sliced, and Jason could barely dodge the strikes, but his mind went into
a different mode—analyzing patterns, learning Lit‘s style, which was all offense, no defense.
Jason countered, sidestepped, and blocked. Lit seemed surprised to find him still alive.
―What is that style?‖ Lit growled. ―You don‘t fight like a Greek.‖
―Legion training,‖ Jason said, though he wasn‘t sure how he knew that. ―It‘s Roman.‖
―Roman?‖ Lit struck again, and Jason deflected his blade. ―What is Roman?‖
―News flash,‖ Jason said. ―While you were dead, Rome defeated Greece. Created the greatest empire of
all time.‖
―Impossible,‖ Lit said. ―Never even heard of them.‖
Jason spun on one heel, smacked Lit in the chest with the butt of his javelin, and sent him toppling into
Midas‘s throne.
―Oh, dear,‖ Midas said. ―Lit?‖
―I‘m fine,‖ Lit growled.
―You‘d better help him up,‖ Jason said.
Lit cried, ―Dad, no!‖
Too late. Midas put his hand on his son‘s shoulder, and suddenly a very angry-looking gold statue was
sitting on Midas‘s throne.
―Curses!‖ Midas wailed. ―That was a naughty trick, demigod. I‘ll get you for that.‖ He patted Lit‘s golden
shoulder. ―Don‘t worry, son. I‘ll get you down to the river right after I collect this prize.‖
Midas raced forward. Jason dodged, but the old man was fast, too. Jason kicked the coffee table into the
old man‘s legs and knocked him over, but Midas wouldn‘t stay down for long.
Then Jason glanced at Piper‘s golden statue. Anger washed over him. He was the son of Zeus. He
could not fail his friends.
He felt a tugging sensation in his gut, and the air pressure dropped so rapidly that his ears popped. Midas
must‘ve felt it too, because he stumbled to his feet and grabbed his donkey ears.
―Ow! What are you doing?‖ he demanded. ―My power is supreme here!‖
Thunder rumbled. Outside, the sky turned black.