CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
MISFIRE

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IT HIT HER THEN that this was Medea, the infamous wife of the original Jason — or as Annais' Jason had called him, the Golden Fleece Guy. If she thought they were screwed before, it was about to get so much worse.

"As I said, a new life in a new country. Certainly, I made mistakes. I turned my back on my own people. I was called a traitor, a liar, a murderess. But I acted out of love." Annais scoffed, ignoring the confused stares Jason, Leo and Mel shot her way. "Wouldn't you do the same for someone you loved, my dears?"

"Oh, for sure," Jason nodded along. Annais highly doubted that.

"Guys," Piper groaned. "Don't you see who she is? Don't you—"

Medea gazed at her with pity before brushing past her. "Let's continue, shall we? I believe you wanted to talk about a price for the storm spirits and your satyr."

However, they didn't get very far before Leo got distracted again.

"No way," he gasped as he hopped off the escalator. "Is that an armoured forge?"

"Seriously?" Ezra scowled as she listened to his voice fading away. "You know what? I've decided I'm killing him too."

"Fair enough," grunted Piper, just as annoyed as the Min girl.

When they caught up with them, Medea was saying, "You have good taste. This is the H-2000 designed by Hephaestus himself. Hot enough to melt celestial bronze or imperial gold."

"Imperial gold?" Jason's eyes widened.

"Yes, my dear," she nodded. "Like that weapon so cleverly concealed in your pocket."

Annais' shoulders tensed, Ezra's too. What didn't Medea know about them?

"To be properly forged, imperial gold had to be consecrated in the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill in Rome. Quite a powerful and rare metal, but like the Roman emperors, quite volatile. Be sure never to break that blade... Rome was after my time, of course, but I do hear stories. And now, over here — this golden throne is one of my finest luxury items. Hephaestus made it as a punishment for his mother, Hera. Sit in it and you'll be trapped."

Immediately, Annais turned to warn Leo. "Don't you dare."

"Why?" he pouted, pausing a step away from sitting on the throne.

"Because I said so," she snapped, ignoring his whines.

He huffed and turned to Medea hopefully. "How much for both?"

"Oh, the seat, I could let you have for five great deeds," she said, completely serious. "The forge, seven years of servitude..."

Their voices faded as she led them into the next section. Annais jumped at the chance, latching onto Jason's arm and tugging him back the way they'd come. Piper watched them go before following Ezra over to Melanie. Hopefully, they could break her out and she'd have an idea for what to do.

"Where are we going?" Jason asked Annais. "I want to see what else she has."

"Jason, you need to snap out of this," she snapped, waving a hand in front of his face and watched incredulously as he almost went cross-eyed trying to follow the movement. "I need your help. Please."

"With what?" he asked, brows pinching at the sight of her worried frown. "What's wrong, Annais?"

"Please, just trust me." She was no Piper but she had experience commanding armies, leading people. If she tried hard enough, if she kept him away from Medea long enough for her charm to wear off... "This is no Princess, Jason. She shouldn't even be alive right now. She was married to the Golden Fleece Guy, three thousand years ago! With whatever's happening in my father's domain, she must've gotten out. She's going to kill us!"

"But she doesn't look like a ghost."

Beyond frustrated, she latched onto the sides of his face and forced his dazed eyes to meet hers. They were so blue up close...

"Listen to what I am saying. This monster is Medea. She is not your friend."

"And what's happening here?"

Annais flinched as a cold hand bore down on her shoulder. Medea was back with a wicked smile, the others not far behind her. Leo was still totally oblivious but fortunately for them, Mel seemed to be slowly waking up to reality. She looked pale-faced, wide-eyed and terrified, but she was back. Annais shook Medea's hand away with a glare, sighing when Jason immediately turned to her attentively.

Well, at least she'd tried.

"Now if you please, we will see what you came for. That is what you want, yes?"

They took the escalator down to the very bottom level. Medea hung back while the group rushed forward, all eager to make sure Gleeson was safe.

"Hey," Leo beamed. "Coach Hedge looks okay!"

Petrified, yes, but alive. His mouth was frozen mid-shout, club raised over his head like he was ready to kick some serious ass. Even Annais smiled at the sight of him. She'd missed hearing him bark orders at everyone.

"I always keep my wares in good condition," the monster boasted behind them. "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. That's better than starting unpleasantness, isn't it, dears?"

Piper and Annais shared a look before saying, "We can negotiate."

"Totally," said Leo. "Name your price."

"For the love of the Gods, Valdez," Ezra snarled. "That is not what you're supposed to say!"

Medea laughed at them. "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—"

"What was he supposed to do?" Annais scowled. "They attacked first, so we hit back."

The monster shrugged carelessly. "As I said, my patron asks me for small favors from time to time. Sending the storm spirits to abduct you, that was one. I assure you it was nothing personal. And no harm done. 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."

"Of course it will be," Annais muttered. "What else should we expect from you, Medea?"

Medea's smile was bloodthirsty. "Ah, so you figured it out. I have to admit I'm impressed."

"Hear that, guys?" Piper turned to Jason and Leo stubbornly. "Medea helped the original Jason steal the Golden Fleece. She's one of the most evil villains in Greek Mythology. You can't trust her."

"She's right," Mel gasped much to Medea's chagrin. It was working. "Guys, come on."

For a second, Annais saw her old friends again. Jason stepped away from the monster, reaching into his pocket for his coin, and Leo flinched like he was coming out of a bad dream. But not for long. Medea was a quick thinker, Annais could give her that much.

"Boys, it is true, I am Medea," she said. "But I'm so misunderstood. Oh, girls, you don't know what it was like for women in the old days. We had no powers, 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."

"Then you really did die three thousand years ago," Jason said, his head snapping towards Annais as realisation washed over him. Finally. "You came back from the Underworld?"

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

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

"Just like a monster," Mel confirmed with a growl of disgust.

But Medea wasn't having it. "You have no idea what's happening, do you? It's so much worse than a stirring of monsters from Tartarus. My patron knows that giants and monsters are not her greatest servants. I am mortal. I learn from my mistakes. And now I have returned to the living, I will not be cheated again! Now, here is my price for what you ask."

"Guys," Piper cut in fiercely. She was so close. "The original Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty."

"Lies!"

"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."

"After I bore him two children," she wailed. "He broke his promise! I ask you, was that right?"

The boys shook their heads but didn't get a chance to respond before Piper continued. "It may not have been right 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."

"An invention to ruin my reputation," Medea scoffed, but Annais saw right through her. "The people of Corinth 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."

"No, you're just insane," said Ezra.

"I'm the victim," Medea growled at her. "I died with my dreams shattered. But no longer. I know now not to trust heroes! When they come asking for treasures, they pay a heavy price. Especially when the one asking has the name of Jason!"

Suddenly, the colours in the fountain beside them shifted to pure crimson. Annais gasped at the towering wall of blood, releasing her weapon as Ezra, Melanie and Piper did the same. The boys were still frozen, unsure which side to take.

"Jason, Leo, it's time to go," Piper ordered.

"But our shopping—"

"We can shop somewhere else, Leo," Mel assured him.

"Before you've closed the deal?" Medea batted her eyelashes. "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, bouncing on the balls of his feet like a kid cracked out on candy.

"Leo, she's lying," Piper pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "She did that trick with somebody before. She convinced a King's daughters to cut him to pieces so he could come out of the water young and healthy again, but it just killed him."

"Ridiculous."

"How so?" Ezra challenged. Medea ignored her.

"Leo, Jason," she gripped her hands together and pleaded frantically to the boys. "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!"

Oh.

Oh.

This would not be good.

"Guys, don't do this," Piper pleaded but they were already glaring at each other.

"Jason's always the star," Leo scowled much to Medea's delight. "He always gets the attention and takes me for granted."

"Stop it—"

"You're annoying, Leo," Jason spoke over Mel. "You never take anything seriously. You can't even fix a dragon."

"Jason, enough," Annais exclaimed, attempting to reach for his arm as he drew his sword. He jabbed his elbow into her side, sending her stumbling back into Ezra. He was going to do this, and none of them could stop him.

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

Enceladus. Annais had heard that name before.

"Enceladus?" Mel's brows knitted into a line. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"She hasn't told you?" Medea mockingly gasped.

"Don't, please—"

"She's going to betray you all," she cooed as a pale-faced Piper attempted to shout over her. "It's been her plan all along."

For a moment, Annais was stunned. Piper had tears pooling in her eyes and Medea was smiling with pride. So it was true. But Annais couldn't bring herself to believe it. Piper wouldn't do that to them, not without reason... She was their friend.

"You work for Enceladus," she accused the monster before them, determined to ignore Ezra's glare searing holes into her back and the confused/hurt expressions on Annais and Mel's faces. Meanwhile, the boys were still arguing behind them.

Medea laughed like the thought amused her. "Serve a giant? No. But we all serve the same greater cause. A patron you cannot begin to challenge. Walk away, daughter of Aphrodite. This does not have to be your death, too. Save yourself and your father can go free."

Her father — that was what they had over Piper. It had to be. Now, Piper's reluctance to tell them what was wrong with her dad made so much sense. They had him captive somewhere and were threatening to hurt him if Piper didn't oblige. She was stuck, caught between her friends and the only parent she'd ever known. Annais' heart panged. She wanted to reach out and hug the shaking girl, but now didn't seem like the best time for an emotional moment.

"Listen to me, girl," Medea whispered in her ear. She plucked a diamond off one of her expensive bracelets and threw it into the spray of red water. A rainbow flickered in the air before forming a misty scene of an old-style study. "O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show me the office of Tristan McLean."

Piper's father was nowhere to be seen but a woman not much older than them was. Her dark blonde hair was tied back in a neat bun and her pantsuit was perfectly pressed. But she looked tired. Half-moon crescents marred the skin beneath her eyes as she fought to stay awake. Piper whimpered at the sight of her.

"Hello, Jane," Medea greeted the woman amicably.

"How can I help you today, ma'am?" Jane's robotic voice answered before she smiled at a now furious Piper. "Hello, Piper."

"You!"

"Yes, child," Medea smirked. "Your father's assistant was quite easy to manipulate. An organised mind for a mortal, but incredibly weak."

"Thank you, ma'am," Jane simpered like Medea had given her the biggest compliment.

"Don't mention it. I just wanted to congratulate you, Jane. Getting Mr McLean to leave town so suddenly, taking 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."

"Oh, yes," Jade nodded along. "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."

"I may have new orders for you, Jane," Medea said, watching closely as the Mins made sounds of disgust and Piper stood in the centre, completely crushed. "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."

That was all Medea needed them to see. With a cheerful goodbye, the rainbow faded into nothing, and Medea turned to Piper with a pitying smile. "There, you see?"

"You lured my dad into a trap," she snarled. "You helped the giant—"

"How could you do this?" Mel added incredulously. "Bringing in innocent morals..."

It was a low point, but Annais didn't expect much else from a monster like Medea.

"I've been preparing for this war for years, even before I was brought back to life," she informed them. "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 Penelope Min die at the hands of her father, and I watched as her siblings fell apart in her wake. I saw your friend Leo here, and knew that he would be an important enemy someday. So I stirred the consciousness of my patron. Gave her this information, and she managed to wake just a little. Just enough to visit him."

"Oh, my Gods," Mel whispered, pressing her fingers against her temples at the information overload. "Leo's mum... You killed her, for no reason."

"I did what I had to do."

"Leo, are you hearing this?" Ezra raised her voice for the furious boy to hear over Jason's shouts. "She helped kill your mum."

"Whatever," the boy ignored her. "So I just attack Jason? That's okay?"

"Leo, she murdered your mother—"

"I don't care," he snapped at Mel this time, oblivious to the way a tear streamed down her face as he robotically turned to Medea and waited for her permission.

"It's perfectly safe," said Medea. "And Jason, strike him hard. Show me you are worthy of your namesake."

"No!" Piper cried with every bit of power she could gather. "Jason, Leo, she's tricking you. Put down your weapons!"

"Oh, please, girl," Medea rolled her eyes. "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? Boys, kill each other!"

"Jason, Leo, listen to me. Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other, fight her."

Jason's sword was only inches away from stabbing a hole through Leo's chest. Leo's hammer was mid-swing at the side of Jason's head, but both boys stopped when Piper all but screamed at them.

For a heart-stopping minute, nobody moved. And then...

"Leo," Jason frowned. "Was I just about to stab you?"

"Oh, thank fuck," Ezra half-sighed, half-sobbed.

"Something about my mother," Leo whispered, brows furrowing in thought. "You... you're working for dirt woman! You sent her to the machine shop! Lady, I got a three-pound hammer with your name on it."

Medea cackled, looking him up and down like he was nothing but dirt beneath her shoe. "I'll simply collect payment another way," she told them, eyes sparkling dangerously.

"What are you doing?" Annais sneered, raising her sword up to Medea's neck. "Make another move. I dare you."

But Medea continued to grin, shoulders trembling with silent laughter. She raised a hand slowly, Annais tracking the movement, then pressed it to one of the mosaic tiles on the walls. Annais didn't have time to react before the floor began to tremble. For a second, she wondered if Medea had somehow managed to summon an earthquake.

But then she saw the demons. Their flesh glimmered like gold but was human to the touch, giant dragon-like wings ripped through their backs. In an instant, they were roaring and charging at them, allowing Medea to fade into mist and reappear on the escalator behind their protection.

"You're slow for a daughter of Hades," she taunted. "Your father must be so disappointed."

"Hey!" Jason glared at the monster but she simply smirked at him too.

"Take your frustrations out on my pets," she cooed, and then she was gone.

The dragons had started to circle the group, forcing them into a tight-knit circle. Annais could feel her back pressed against Ezra's, and the tremors of chaos coursing beneath her skin was enough to set her on edge. If they didn't defeat these monsters quick and get out of there, Annais was afraid the whole building would collapse around them at Ezra Min's bidding.

"Don't look them in the eye," Jason shouted from her other side, struggling to be heard of the dragons' hissing. "They'll paralyse you!"

"Fucking hell," Annais cursed. "This just got a whole lot harder."

"Indeed," Medea's voice called from above them. Annais' head snapped up to see her leaning over the edge of the escalator, tapping her bright red nails against the handrail leisurely. Just the sight of her made Annais' blood simmer. She'd enjoy helping to stick a sword through Medea's throat. "These two dears have been with me for a long time — sun dragons, gifts from my grandfather, Helios. They pulled my chariot when I left Corinth, and now they will be your destruction."

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Ezra seethed.

Just like that, the dragons lunged. Leo and Jason took the frontlines, playing off each other's weaknesses with their own strengths. Annais was stunned for a moment, eyes tracking every precise movement. Jason fought like a hardened warrior, like he'd been born with a sword in his hand. Leo would take more work but he moved with so much confidence, you never would've been able to tell just how new he was to this world. She couldn't wait to return home — if they even got out of this hellhole to finish the quest — so she could train them properly.

"Guys, she's getting away," Piper suddenly cried, pointing up at Medea's retreating figure.

"Can I kill her now?" Ezra growled, listening closely to every dragon hiss and clash of metal against metal.

"I think that'd be best," Mel said.

"Annais." She looked up in surprise at the sound of her name on Ezra's tongue. The girl was holding out a hand in her general direction, her cane now folded down and strapped to her back like a katana. "Lead the way."

There was no time to hesitate. The four girls separated, Mel and Piper helping out the boys while Annais half-dragged Ezra up the escalator two stairs at a time. It took her a minute to find Medea in the chaos, and it was only when she spotted her higher up on the escalator that she realised Medea was going for the potions.

"Where is she?" Ezra asked, buzzing for a good fight.

Annais' stomach twisted with concern but she pushed it aside as she said, "Potions."

"Fuck!"

They urged themselves to run faster, the ground slipping beneath their feet as they rounded the corner to where Medea was searching the potion's counter. She was reaching for a particular blue vial with a wicked smile to match. Whatever was inside, they needed to apprehend before she killed them with it.

Thinking quickly, Annais swapped her sword for the nearest weapon, which just so happened to be a crossbow. She'd never been able to master a bow and arrow but there was no room for hesitation, simply instinct. She lined up the shot, watching as a black shadow developed around her target. A warning sign.

As she knew it would, the arrow lodged itself in Medea's arm, prompting the woman to let out a wail worthy of a siren and for several multi-coloured potions to shatter as they fell. Golden ichor spilled down her arm as she whirled around to glare at them. Now, there was fear. She'd heard about the Mins during her time in the Underworld. Despite the stories, she hadn't thought much of them downstairs, believing her power would be enough.

Everyone who underestimated Annais and Ezra Min typically ended up dead. Medea would be no different, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try her damn hardest to drag them down with her.

"You fools!" she screeched. "Do you have any idea what so many potions will do when mixed?"

"They'll kill you," Ezra grinned as she inched closer and closer to the sound of Medea's voice. Annais was right behind her after retrieving her sword. "That is, if we don't do it first."

They could hear Leo calling for Jason to help him and Mel screaming in fright. Annais resisted the urge to check on them, knowing it would do nothing to ease the rising panic that coiled in her chest. Steam started to spill around Medea's feet, bubbling like a pot full of boiling water. Ezra's body moved in tune with the sound, like a hurricane gaining momentum. She lurched forward with her sword, the tip piercing through Medea's stomach and out through her back. The monster's mouth spurted gold mixed with black but she wouldn't give up just yet. She reached for another potion, only for the blade of Annais' dagger to tear through her palm, lodging itself into the table.

Annais coughed through the sound of her sobs, sparing a quick glance at their surroundings as Ezra taunted Medea. The smoke had gotten so much thicker that it was hard to see anything but the glint of bronze weapons. Fire had started to catch along the edge of the escalator, blocking their only exit down.

"Ezra, we need to wrap this up," she warned as the sharp scent of burning wood reached the both of them.

Above, they could hear the glass ceiling shatter and a large bronze shadow in the shape of a dragon descended down to the others. Festus. He had come to save them. But in her heart of hearts, Annais Min knew she wouldn't be leaving with them. And neither would Medea.

Faintly, electricity began to crackle somewhere above in the darkening sky. Ezra called to it as she reached for the bracelet on her wrist, drawing her sword from Medea's stomach and prompting the woman to drop to the ground with ichor spraying everywhere. Annais' hands pressed down on her shoulders as Ezra loomed with a scythe above her head. Annais' own heart stilled. It was impossible, and yet the unmistakable edge of Kronos' beloved weapon wedged itself in Medea's chest as the ticking time bomb made her final move.

"Ezra..." she trailed off, stunned. "What the—"

The scale tipped. Flame and smoke consumed the walls, lit the tiles beneath them into molten coal, turned the air to acid that was completely unbreathable. Festus' body had retreated through the hole he'd made, their friend's screams distant on the wind as Ezra called down chaos, her body slamming Annais' over the edge and into the open air just as the building blew sky-high.

Then everything went black.