(Disclaimer: all of this belongs to Rick Riordan, except for Terra. I made her up.
Note: I really love the color of Hazel's eyes.)

"Yes," Medea said. "I always keep my wares in good condition. We can certainly barter for the storm spirits and the satyr. A package deal. If we come to terms, I'll even throw in the vial of healing potion, and you can go in peace." She gave Piper and I a shrewd look. "That's better than starting unpleasantness, isn't it, dear?"

I can't trust this lady. This lady, is Medea, she won't let us go in peace, never, no matter what price we pay. We would never get a fair deal out of her, she's tricking us. But Jason and Leo seemed to think everything would be fine, they kept nodding at us and mouthing "Say yes!" I looked at Piper and we both agreed that we needed more time to think, but we didn't have any. Piper improvised.

"We can negotiate," she said.

"Totally!" Leo agreed. "Name your price."

"Leo!" Piper and I snapped.

The princess chuckled. "Name my price? Perhaps not the best haggling strategy, my boy, but at least you know a thing's value. Freedom is very valuable indeed. You would ask me to release this satyr, who attacked my storm winds-"

"Who attacked us," I interjected. Then I remembered I wasn't attacked by them. "I-I mean them." I pointed to Leo, Jason, and Piper, feeling slightly stupid.

Medea shrugged. "As I said, my patron asks me for small favors time to time. Sending the storm spirits to abduct you-that was one. I assure you it was nothing personal. And no harm done, as you came here, in the end, of your own free will! At any rate, you want the satyr freed, and you want my storm spirits-who are very valuable servants, by the way-so you can hand them over to that tyrant Aeolus. Doesn't seem quite fair, does it? The price will be high."

I could tell by the eager look in Jason and Leo's eyes and the way they were slightly bouncing, they were ready to offer or promise whatever horrible price Medea had in store.

"You're Medea." Piper said.

"You helped the original Jason steal the Golden Fleece. You're one of the most evil villains in Greek Mythology." I pointed out, hopefully bringing Jason and Leo's senses back to the real world and not so eager to bargain their life for a satyr and a couple of storm spirits.

"Jason, Leo-she can't be trusted." Piper finished, using her real and true emotions mixed with potent charmspeak.

Leo scratched his head and looked around, as if coming out of a dream. "What were we doing, again?"

"Boys!" Medea spread her hands out in a welcoming gesture. Her diamond jewelry glittered, and her painted fingers curled like blood-tipped talons. "It's true, I'm Medea. But I'm so misunderstood. Oh, Piper, Terra, my dears, you don't know what it was like for women in the old days. We had no power, no leverage. Often we couldn't even choose our own husbands. But I was different. I chose my own destiny by becoming a sorceress. Is that so wrong? I made a pact with Jason: my help to win the fleece, in exchange for his love. A fair deal. He became a famous hero! Without me, he would've died unknown on the shores of Colchis."

Jason-the one who's still alive and standing in this very room-scowled. "Then.....you really did die three thousand years ago? You came back from the Underworld?"

"Death no longer holds me, young hero," Medea said. "Thanks to my patron, I am flesh and blood again."

Her patron??? Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it. Patron? Wait, isn't that what Gaea or Terra or whatever, said she was to me? Who's her patron then? Is it Gaea, or Terra, or is it some other random god or goddess?

"You.......re-formed?" Leo blinked. "Like a monster?"

Medea spread her fingers, and steam hissed from her nails, like water splashed on hot iron. "You have no idea what's happening, do you, dears? It is so much worse than the monsters from Tartarus." She stared directly at me. "My patron knows that giants and monsters are not her greatest servants. I am mortal. I learn from my mistakes. And now that I have returned to the living, I will not be cheated again. Now, here is my price for what you ask."

"Guys," Piper said. "The original Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty."

"Lies!" Medea said.

"On the way back from Colchis, Jason's ship landed at another kingdom, and Jason agreed to dump Medea and marry the king's daughter." I told Leo and Jason.

"After I bore him two children!" Medea said. "Still he broke his promise! I ask you, was that right?"

Jason and Leo dutifully shook their heads, but Piper and I weren't through.

"It may not have been right," Piper said, "but neither was Medea's revenge. She murdered her own children to get back at Jason. She poisoned his new wife and fled the kingdom."

Medea snarled. "An invention to ruin my reputation! The people of the Corinth-that unruly mob-killed my children and drove me out. Jason did nothing to protect me. He robbed me of everything. So yes, I sneaked back into the palace and poisoned his lovely new bride. It was only fair-a suitable price."

"Your insane," I said disgusted.

"I am the victim!" Medea wailed. "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!"

Th fountain turned bright red. Piper drew her dagger and I made my bow and aimed an arrow at Medea.

"Jason, Leo-it's time to go. Now." Piper charmspeaked.

"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, right, Terra?"

"Yes, she convinced his daughter to cut him into pieces so he could come out of the water young and healthy again, but it just killed him!" I said pulling the string a little past my cheek.

"Ridiculous," Medea said, and I could sense every bit of charmspeak in every syllable. "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!"

"Guys, no!" Piper said.

But they were already glaring at each other, as if it was just dawning on them how much they really felt about each other. I was worried about Leo. The image of Jason holding Octavian by his shirt and about to punch him, the look of fear and horror on Octavian's face. I couldn't let this scene replay. But if I interfered, would I loose something like how I lost my badge? No, I wouldn't care about something like that, I'd be saving both of them. I couldn't let either of them get hurt.

"Leo, Jason, don't do this!" I practically shouted. "Leo, I know you're in there somewhere, listen to me! Don't do this, Jason's your friend! You can't fight him!"

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 of them drew their weapons-Jason had his gold sword, and Leo a giant hammer from his tool belt.

"Jason! Leo! Stop this now!" I said forcefully. "Leo, look at me! You can't do this to your friend!"

Leo looked at me and scowled again. "He's not my friend."

"Yes he is! Remember at Monocle Motors how he caught us in the air to keep us from getting severely hurt and probably dying. Medea is charmspeaking both of you! At least try to get that through your thick skulls! Please, Leo. Don't do this." I said, finally getting close enough to reach out and touch his shoulder.

"I have to." He said plainly.

"No, no you don't." He looked back at Jason, but I grabbed his face and made him turn towards me. "Listen to me. You don't have to fight Jason." He looked back at Jason in disgust, and I turned him back towards me. "Please, Leo, do this for me and Piper. We're going to get held up on our mission, we need to get Coach Hedge and the storm spirits and leave. Please Leo, do this for the sake of the mission........do this....for me."

That seemed to get him a little. "I don't have to fight Jason? But don't I hate him?"

"No, no you don't." I said.

"Leo! Don't listen to her, you truly resent Jason, remember? And Terra, I sense that you resent Jason as well." Medea said, smirking a little.

I turned to her and took a step forward. "What do you mean? I don't hate Jason."

"Maybe not as much as you used to, and stop lying to yourself. I can see the resentment in your eyes as you look at him, you have been regaining your memories, haven't you? Ever since you hit your head on the wall in that warehouse, you're starting to remember things that include Jason, some things you're not willing to share with the rest of the team, not even Jason. I can sense other secrets, too." She smirked evilly.

I aimed an arrow at her face. "Guys, she's lying. Don't trust her, she's trying to turn you against me. Don't listen to her."

"Your keeping secrets from me?" Leo asked, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"What are you remembering about me, Terra?" Jason asked, slightly ticked off. "What do you remember that you aren't telling me?" He stepped forward, gripping his sword tightly.

"Guys, now isn't the time! We need to fight her! Listen to me!" I said.

"Jason, my dear. She's keeping secrets from you about your past, don't your hate her? Don't you want to fight her?" Jason nodded. "And Leo, she's been keeping secrets from you too. Hasn't she? Doesn't that make you mad?" Leo slowly nodded.

"No guys, please! Don't do this! Listen to me! Leo, please don't do this!" I pleaded, looking at him straight in the eye.

"I-I have to." He said, looking slightly confused.

"Now Terra," Medea put her hand on my shoulder and I felt a surge of power flow through me, I felt dazed and weak on the inside, but powerful on the outside. "You hate them, don't you? Or you hate Jason at least, I can sense your feelings for Leo, but Jason. Jason took something from you remember? Something very important. He almost killed your only friend that you had there, and he embarrassed you in front of everyone, he made fun of how bad your life is. How you didn't save your sister."

"Jason's a jerk. He could go die in a fire and I wouldn't care." I said, but I felt as if it wasn't really me. I'd thought that, but I'd never actually say that out loud. What was wrong with me? What was Medea doing to me?

"You see? You resent him! You should fight him." She said.

"Yes, yes I should." I said in a slightly monotone voice. My bow turned into a sword for up close combat, and I faced toward Jason, ready to attack once the orders were given.

"No, stop, guys! Terra, listen to me!" Piper said.

Something in me came back to reality. "Stop?"

"Let them go, Piper," Medea urged. "I'm doing you a favor. Let it happen now, and it will make your choice so much easier. Enceladus will be pleased. You could have your father back today!"

Enceladus? Have her father back? What's going on?

"You work for Enceladus," Piper said.

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."

What were they talking about? Serving Giants and saving fathers, almost nothing they were saying were making sense. I was still standing there, bobbing up and down like those ninjas in Street Fighter, ready to attack.

"Listen to me, girl." Medea plucked a diamond off of her bracelet and threw it into 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, then it showed an office with a lady in a dark business suit sitting in a chair talking on the phone.

"Hello, Jane," Medea said.

The lady in the business suit, who must have been Jane, hung up the phone calmly. "How can I help you ma'am? Hello, Piper."

"You-" Piper said, anger written all over her face. She might as well have a huge neon green billboard with flashing lights saying: I'm mad.

"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 author 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 sleep-walking. "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."

Oh my gosh. What did they do to Piper's dad? Oh my gosh. We have to do something! If only I could move out of this position and kill Medea behind her back. I tried to move, but nothing about my position changed. I tried jumping, walking, running, moving my arms, but it felt as if I was a remote-control toy, only moving the way the person holding the remote would let me.

"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 absense, 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 important someday. I stirred the consciousness of my patron, have her this information, and she managed to wake just a little-just enough to visit him."

Her patron was the one that killed Leo's mom, the person who killed Leo's mom was Gaea, Gaea says that she is my patron. Crap. My patron killed my crush's mom. Crap. How much more sucky can my life get? Oh yeah, and now I know that I share a patron with a psycho potion lady.....oh joy.

"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, you as well, Terra."

I somehow managed to look at her, she smirked at me. She knew why my name was Terra, I could feel it.

"No!" Piper ordered. "Guys-she's tricking you. Put down your weapons."

Medea 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, children, kill each other!"

I stepped in for the kill, but then Piper spoke. "Guys, listen to me. Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other. Fight her!"

We all hesitated, and then the spell shattered.

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 blinked a couple times to shake off the spell and just stared at Medea like "Seriously, lady? You sent Gaea to Leo's house so she could kill his mom? Not cool!"

"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!"

I pulled back the string of my bow and aimed the arrow at the side of her face. I let go, but she turned toward me, so it messed up the shoot. It only left a two inch long gash on her right cheek. Her eyes went wide and she put her hand up to her face. She slowly took it down and looked at the blood on her hand. She snapped her head towards me and glared.

I was about to shoot again, but then the giant 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, not large compared to Festus, but big enough.

"So that's what's in the kennels," Leo said meekly.

They spread their wings, hitting me in the face and sending me backwards.

"Terra!!" I heard Leo yell.

I slid on my uhhhhh.........how should I put it? Gluteus maximus until my back rammed violently against the wall. My head snapped back because of the forceful impact and slammed into the wall.

"Oooooowwwwwww!!!!!!!" I said as I grabbed my head and rocked back and forth in a fetal position. "Ooooooowwwwwiiieeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!" I said as the pain spread out through all my nerves and gather into one painful cluster at the back of my head.

"Errgh. I can do this." Then I tried to stand up. Pain shot up my leg instantly and as painful as having every pore on both your legs stretched to have a three-inch diameter. I crumpled to the floor, but slowly got up again.

"I'm cool, I'm fine." I said, even though everyone knew I wasn't.

"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 seats 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!"

The dragons lunged. Jason, Leo and I charged to intercept. The dragon who had smacked me in the face stood on his hind legs and roared. I summoned my sword and jabbed it into it's chest and left it there. I ran behind it as it roared in anger. I summoned my sword again, with the other one still lodged in it's chest, and jumped onto it's back. I ignored the excruciating pain of it's burning scales against my skin and stabbed it in the back. It reared up again and roared, making me fall off. I noticed the swords had melted on contact and all that was left was a steaming puddle of water on the ground.

Pain shot up my arms and legs suddenly, unbearable pain. My eyes grew wide as I looked at my hands and forearms, they were burned. Not third degree, more between second and first. Then I realized that my shins were exposed. The skin of the dragon had melted away part of my pants and left second degree burns on my legs. I fixed my pants, condensing the ice to help relieve the pain on my legs and I made some thick gloves that ended at my elbows to cool down the burns on my arms. I stood up shakily and tried to think of how I could beat up this stupid sun dragon.

It turned towards me and I averted my eyes from it's literally paralyzing gaze. I stared at it's feet and stepped back as it walked toward me. How could I beat it? None of my ice weapons will work. What if I just chuck ice at it? That might work.........might. I said might. Yeah......I wish I had a better plan than this.

I stuck my hand forward and shot ice in the general direction of the dragon. I could see a wall of ice develop between me and the monster with my peripheral vision. When I thought that was good, the dragon just knocked it down as if it was a tower of building blocks. I felt helpless. I made walls of ice several more times, but the same thing happened. I tried to freeze some of his limbs, hoping to mess him up or just simply slow him down, but they worked just as great as the wall of ice. It kept coming forward and I could do was prolong the time I would be cornered.

Ever so slowly I was backing up to the wall, but I wouldn't allow it. I tried to push him back by making a stronger wall and making it move against the floor, but he broke it and charged at me more aggravated than he was before. I don't know how it happened, but I tripped. I fell on my posterior and tried to stand up again, but the dragon leaned over me and opened it's mouth.

"Leo!!! Help!!!" I screamed.

I could see a orange glow in the back of his throat. He was going to blast fire at me. I tried to shoot ice up his mouth to maybe extinguish the fire in his throat, but something gave him an uppercut and he shot fire at the ceiling. I scrambled out of the way and noticed Leo was standing right there with his hammer in hand.

"Oh my gods! Leo, thank you!" I said and gave him a quick hug, before I had to get ready to fight again.

Quick change to Leo's P.O.V.

"Leo!!! Help!!!" I heard Terra scream behind me.

I turned to see one of the sun dragons preparing to shoot fire at Terra, who was helplessly lying on the ground. I couldn't let this happen. I ran over to the dragon and swung my hammer and gave the stupid reptile an uppercut, Valdez style. It's head lurched skyward, and just in time to. It shot fire at the wall above Terra head and on the ceiling. I glared at the sun dragon. "Nobody messes with my girl."

I turned to see if Terra was okay. She scrambled out of the dragon's way, her platinum blonde braid flopping from her back and onto her shoulder, fear evident in her icy blue eyes that I always found so stunning. I noticed that she had covered her hands with gloves. She hasn't done that before, what was wrong with her hands?

"Oh my gods! Leo, thank you!" Terra said and gave me a hug. I put my arm around her tightly and then let go to get ready to fight.

Yeah, I had to do that. Haven't done it this whole book so far, might do it again some time. Now back to Terra's P.O.V.

The dragon turned towards us and I sheiled my eyes so I wouldn't die. I wished I had more time to thank Leo, but we were in the middle of a fight.

CRASH!! The stained glass ceiling splintered in a rain of multicolored shards, and Festus dropped into the department store. He hurtled into the fray, snatching up a sun dragon in each claw. Man, am I grateful for how big and strong Festus is, what would I do without him?

"That's my boy!" Leo yelled.

Festus flew halfway up the atrium, then hurdled the sun dragons into the pits they'd come from. Leo raced to the fountain and pressed the marble tile, closing the sundials. The doors shuddered as the dragons banged against them, trying to get out, but for the moment they were contained.

"Come on!" Leo shouted as he climbed on Festus' back.

I ran over and he extended his hand. I grabbed it and he helped me on. I sat behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest. Jason got on behind me and placed his hands on my waist. I groaned in my head, why did Jason have to be behind me?

Festus started flapping his wings and he grabbed the two cages with Coach Hedge and the storm spirits. We began to ascend to get Piper. The building rumbled. Fire and the smoke curled up the walls, melting the railings, turning the air to aid. It became a little harder to breathe.

During our ascent, Piper jumped off the railing. Luckily, we were in the right place and we caught her. She took her place between me and Jason and I silently thanked the gods that I didn't have Jason right next to me.

As we flew off I noticed that Leo kept looking back. I looked behind us and just saw the carnage of Medea's store. I looked back at Leo and saw worry in his eyes. I placed my hand on his shoulder. His eyes shifted from the ruins to me.

"Hey, it'll be okay." I said, and he nodded his head slowly. "And, uh....thanks for saving me back there." I planted a kiss on his cheek.

Leo's cheeks turned bright pink and I silently giggled. A huge smile grew on his face. "No problem."