Of Blood and Darkness

The Witch

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 realy 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'l work our way down to the first floor, eh?"

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

Piper did her best to stare daggers at him: 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."

Valen began following, but Piper grabbed him by his shoulder, "You can see it too right? How shes brainwashing them?"

Valen just shrugged, he was too lazy to speak.

"Come on, listen to me. Snap out of it!" A sliver of charmspeak slipped into her words. And that was all Valen needed to break free.

He stumbled forward as he regained control of his body. "She's dangerous," he said.

"What do we do?"

"For now, play along. If you see me fall under her spell again, do the thing you just did to snap me out of it." Valen said, "We need to wait for the perfect moment to strike."

"Cyrus dear, aren't you coming?" Her Highness called out.

Valen snapped back into a relaxed position and let his face slacken. He nodded weakly and began walking to her.

He glanced at Piper as they neared her, and she nodded as subtly as she could.

"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 colour, from glowing white to polka-dotted. Some of them smelled pleasant, like fresh-baked cookies or roses, but they were mixed with the scents of burning tires, skunk spray, and gym lockers.

The princess pointed to a bloodred vial—a simple test tube with a cork stopper. "This one will heal any disease."

"Even cancer?" Leo asked. "Leprosy? Hangnails?"

"Any disease, sweet boy. And this vial"—she pointed to a swan-shaped container with blue liquid inside—"will kill you very painfuly."

"Awesome," Jason said. His voice sounded dazed and sleepy.

"Jason," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?"

She tried to put power into her words, to snap him out of his trance with charmspeak, but her voice sounded shaky even to her. This princess woman scared her too much, made her confidence crumble, just the way she'd felt back in the Aphrodite cabin with Drew.

"Job to do," Jason muttered. "Sure. But shopping first, okay?"

The princess beamed at him. "Then we have potions for resisting fire—"

"Got that covered," Leo said.

"Indeed?" The princess studied Leo's face more closely. "You don't appear to be wearing my trademark sunscreen...but no matter. We also have potions that cause blindness, insanity, sleep, or—"