We Are Cursed (A Percy Jackson AU) || BOOK 2

Chapter 28 || Piper

Piper thought garden emporiums would look a lot prettier than Aunty Em's. The garden emporiums her dad would take her to back in New York were the best. Full of statues of beautiful women with their hair flowing back in pretty waves with cute freckles dotted across their cheeks and over their noses, their full, plump lips ready to make Piper jealous.

"Is that what Mommy looked like?" she asked her father as he held her hand, guiding her through the crowd.

"Almost like a replica, Pipes," Tristan McLean said, wearing sunglasses so the paparazzi wouldn't find them. "She had a button nose with pretty brown hair like you have, my beautiful angel. And don't let her hear this, but you are two times as beautiful as her, Piper."

Piper laughed as her dad tickled her, pointing up at the beautiful woman.

'Aphrodite, Goddess of Love,' the plaque read.

She should've known...

Snapping out of her memory, she reminded herself that she was on a MISSION. A dangerous one. One look at Medusa and she would be stone like the frightened creatures before her. Carefully, she slowly paced the garden, trying not to make a sound. She knew for a fact that Medusa was on the opposing side, but they needed snake venom from her hair. ASAP.

"Jason?" she whispered into her watch, setting it to the lowest volume.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the place where a bunch of gargoyles are. What about you?"

"By the satyr collection. Repair Boy?"

"I'm by the poor civilians section. Where do you wanna meet up?"

"By... By the spy section? I know Medusa's killed off a lot of them," Piper answered shakily.

"Sure," Jason agreed. "Any sign of Medusa and we send our stress signals."

"Got it," Piper and Leo responded before the buzzing of their watches died down and all was still.

Approaching the spy section, she thought she could hear hissing.

Kill... stone... mother... kill...

There was no obvious direction, but when Piper moved forward, they got softer and softer. When she reached the spy section, she saw Jason already waiting, his hand hovering over the watch.

"Did you hear the hissing?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Piper breathed as Leo popped up beside them.

"Okay, let's go over the plan," she decided, wanting to make the most out of their time. "We need to cut off her head. If Jason could do that, that'd be great. She'll be after me because I'm the daughter of beauty, and beauty was taken from her when Athena cursed her."

"What about me?" Leo asked.

"You'll be setting up the distractions. You're the mechanic's son, remember? You can create visual illusions to confuse her. Jason's job will be easier that way. If Jason is unsuccessful, we all attack for her head, no exceptions." Piper handed them all small free compact mirrors she got from the Kate Spade store down the street.

"Mirrors? Beauty Queen, we're not at a fashion show--" Leo started.

"Take them. If you need to look at her, never look her directly in the eyes. Use mirrors."

"Oh... got it," Leo said before looking around for materials to distract Medusa with.

"I'll get her attention," Piper sighed, putting on a sun visor. Her act of 'lost civilian' was going to be their base. "Hide, Jason."

Jason ducked under a statue and Piper saw Leo hide, too. She was on her own. Forcing herself to breathe, she called out shakily.

"H-Hello?" she squeaked.

She realized what she had just done. There was no taking back what she did. She was now in danger caused by herself. Footsteps were crackling through the emporium as she hid her watch underneath her sweater sleeve. A woman came out with a towel draped over her head, dazzling sunglasses resting on her pale nose. Her nails were long and painted blood red as her thin smile stretched out across her face.

"Hello, dear... Are you lost?"

"Y-Yes..." Piper stuttered. "W-who a-are you?"

"Call me Aunty Em... Come on! I'll get you some food! You look starving, dear."

Piper followed the woman, making sure Leo and Jason knew to follow her. From the gazes she caught from behind the statues, she knew they had caught on. Running after the woman, she made sure to practice her expert eye-close. There was no way she was turning to stone before she and Jason could go out on a proper date.

Taking a cautious seat at the table, she saw a burger placed in front of her. 'Aunty Em' sat in front of her, fingering a ring that was resting on her middle finger.

"So where do you come from?" she asked.

Piper looked over at the place where Jason and Leo were hiding before glancing back at Medusa.

"I'm from LA," she lied easily. "My dad works as a pilot, so he doesn't really have time for me. He told me to meet him in Times Square 'cuz it's my birthday soon, so I'm on my way there. I just thought I'd stop by your emporium because it's really beautiful here."

"Why thank you, my dear," Medusa drawled, scanning through her cabinets. "I do get a lot of visitors and I'm glad to say they all stayed."

Piper decided that she was running out of questions, and decided that it was time to give Leo and Jason the signal.

"So where are they?"

Medusa spit out her drink, her eyebrows raising.

"Excuse me, dear?"

"Where are your other visitors? I wanna meet them."

"And why is that?"

"I don't really have friends either, ma'am. I was wondering if I could make some."

Piper could see Medusa's devious smirk as she began to unravel her hair and reach for her sunglasses.

"Sure, my dear. Now, you can."

Her eyes were closed before Medusa's accessories came off. She could feel a cold hand gripping her face as she was pulled forward. The hissing of snakes filled her ears as she grabbed the daughter of Aphrodite.

"I sense you aren't a poor lost civilian, judging by the fact that you already have your eyes closed," Medusa said, yanking the sun visor off of Piper's face.

Tracing her face, Medusa hummed. "Daughter of Aphrodite, I presume. You demigods always boasted about how adventurous you were, but I didn't expect you to think you'd come out of here alive. But alas, you'd be a perfect addition to my statues. Open your eyes..."