𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ! [jason grace]¹

C H A P T E R ⬩ N I N E

O C E A N U S

C H A P T E R   N I N E

( jason and leo: the idiots )

⟶⬩⬥⬩⟵

          MALIA WANTED TO run for the elevator.

Her second choice: attack the weird princess now, because she was sure a fight was coming. And she was sure that Piper knew this too, with the way that she was gripping the hilt of her dagger. The way the lady's face had glowed when she'd heard Jason's name had been bad enough. Now Her Highness was smiling like nothing had happened, and Jason and Leo didn't seem to think anything was wrong.

Malia glanced down at her wrist to see the trident charm glowing green with warning. If she was right about who this princess was, Jason was in serious danger. They all were.

The princess gestured toward the cosmetics counter. "Shall we start with the potions?"

"Cool," Jason said.

"Guys," Piper interrupted, "we're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If this—princess—is really our friend—"

"Oh, I'm better than a friend, my dear," Her Highness said. "I'm a saleswoman." Her diamonds sparkled, and her eyes glittered like a snake's—cold and dark. "Don't worry. We'll work our way down to the first floor, eh?"

Leo nodded eagerly. "Sure, yeah! That sounds okay. Right, Piper?"

Malia and Piper shared a look. They then turned to Leo with the same expression: No, it is not okay!

"Of course it's okay." Her Highness put her hands on Leo's and Jason's shoulders and steered them toward the cosmetics. "Come along, boys."

Malia and Piper didn't have much choice except to follow.

Malia had a deeply rooted hatred for department stores. It started when she was six and nearly got stolen from JC Penny's while shopping with her mom and Percy. Luckily Percy had been paying attention, otherwise she wouldn't have made it to her seventh birthday. The monster trying to steal her had been a dracaena that wanted her dead and for lunch, so she wasn't real close with department stores. The other reason was because the last time she'd been in one, it'd been during the Titan War last summer and she'd been helping some of the Aphrodite girls survive. Not a fun experience.

Anyway, she wasn't thrilled to be back in a department store—especially one run by a crazy princess who glowed in the dark.

"And here," the princess said, "is the finest assortment of magical mixtures anywhere."

The counter was crammed with bubbling beakers and smoking vials on tripods. Lining the display shelves were crystal flasks—some shaped like swans or honey bear dispensers. The liquids inside were every color, from glowing white to polka-dotted. And the smells—ugh! Some were pleasant, like fresh-baked cookies or roses, but they were mixed with the scents of burning tires, skunk spray, and gym lockers.