The Lost Hero

―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 multicolored light, Medea said, ―O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me the
office of Tristan McLean.‖
The mist shimmered, and Piper saw her father‘s study. Sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone, was
her dad‘s assistant, Jane, 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 was so angry she could hardly talk.
―Yes, child,‖ Medea said. ―Your father‘s assistant. Quite easy to manipulate. An organized mind for a
mortal, but incredibly weak.‖
―Thank you, ma‘am,‖ Jane said.
―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.‖
Piper looked down at her dagger. The blade trembled in her hand. She couldn‘t use it for a weapon any
better than Helen of Troy could, but it was still a looking glass, and what she saw in it was a scared girl with no
chance of winning.
―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—‖
―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!‖
―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. She knew she might be signing her dad‘s death warrant, but she cared too much about
her friends to let them hurt each other. ―Medea is charming you. It‘s part of her magic. You are best friends.
Don‘t fight each other. Fight her!‖
They hesitated, and Piper could 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.‖
―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 Jason 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.
―So that‘s what‘s in the kennels,‖ Leo said meekly.