𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 》 JASON GRACE ¹

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ᵗʰⁱʳᵗᵉᵉⁿ

''BOYS!''

The Princess spread her hands in a welcoming gesture. Her diamond jewelry glittered, and her painted fingers curled like blood-tipped claws.

''It's true, I'm Medea. But I'm so misunderstood. Oh, Piper, my dear, you don't know what it was like for woman 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 love. A fair deal. He became a famous hero! Without me, he would've died, unknown, to the shores of Colchis.''

Jason - Noelani's Jason - 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.''

''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, my dears? It is 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,'' Noelani tried. ''The original Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty.''

''Lies!'' Medea said.

Piper continued, ''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!'' Medea cried. ''Still he broke his promise! I ask you, was that right?''

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

''I may not have been right,'' she 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 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.''

''You're insane,'' Noelani said with a snarl of her own.

''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's asking bare the names of Jason and Malia!''

Noelani wanted to ask who Malia was, was it the new bride? Was it her mother? But the fountain turned red and she decided not to ask. Piper drew her dagger, but her hand was shaking almost too badly to hold it. ''Jason, Leo, it's time to go - now.''

''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 in 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 else - a king, I think. She convinced his daughters to cut him to pieces and throw him in, but nothing happened! He stayed dead.''

''Ridiculous,'' Medea said with a wave of her hand, and Piper could hear the power charged 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 come out better than ever. You do want to fight, don't you? You resent each other!''