The Heroes of Olympus, #1
The Lost Hero
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XXVIII PIPER
Overview
Piper confronts the Princess of Colchis, revealed as Medea, who charmspeaks Jason and Leo into fighting to the death. Medea exposes her ties to a greater patron and manipulates Piper’s assistant to lure Tristan McLean to Oakland. Piper shatters the spell; Festus arrives, subdues Medea’s sun dragons, and the trio escapes with Coach Hedge and the storm spirits as the store explodes.
Summary
Piper confronts the “Princess of Colchis” while Jason and Leo, under enchantment, browse deadly trophies from fallen demigods. The princess reveals herself as Medea, returned from the Underworld by a powerful patron. She flatters and charmspeaks the boys, recounting her past and vilifying Jason of legend to strengthen her hold.
Medea offers a deal for the storm spirits and Coach Hedge, then goads Jason and Leo into fighting each other, promising the magic fountain will restore them. She proves her reach by summoning an Iris-message to Jane, Piper’s father’s assistant, confirming Jane manipulated Tristan McLean into flying to Oakland for a trap. Torn but resolute, Piper counters Medea’s voice with her own, insisting Jason and Leo are friends and must fight Medea instead.
The spell breaks. Medea triggers her “kennels,” releasing two sun dragons from beneath giant sundials. As Jason and Leo battle the dragons, Medea flees upward toward her potions. Piper pursues, hurling a shield that smashes Medea into her vials, creating a volatile, spreading chemical fire that begins consuming the store.
With Leo pinned below and the building failing, Festus crashes through the ceiling, seizes both sun dragons, and Leo traps them by closing the sundials. Amid smoke and heat, Medea demands extraction, offering Jason’s restored memories and threatening Piper’s father. Piper refuses and leaps to Festus as Jason and Leo catch her.
They lift off with Festus carrying both cages—Coach Hedge and the storm spirits—while Medea screams below. The department store explodes behind them as they escape over Chicago, leaving Medea’s trap in ruins.
Who Appears
- Piper McLeanResists Medea’s charmspeak, breaks Jason and Leo free, disrupts Medea’s potions, refuses Medea’s bargain, and escapes on Festus.
- MedeaReturned sorceress of Colchis; charmspeaks the boys, reveals larger patron, unleashes sun dragons, and manipulates Piper’s father via Jane.
- Jason GraceEnchanted to fight Leo, recognizes Imperial gold, helps battle sun dragons, rescues Piper, escapes on Festus.
- Leo ValdezNearly bewitched into dueling Jason; threatened by a sun dragon; summons Festus, closes the sundials, and helps evacuate.
- Coach HedgeSatyr captive, frozen in a canary cage; recovered during the escape.
- Storm spirits (venti)Captured in a cage; part of the bargain; taken when the heroes flee.
- FestusBronze dragon ally; crashes in, subdues sun dragons, carries cages, and flies the team to safety.
- JaneTristan McLean’s assistant; shown via Iris-message under manipulation, arranging Tristan’s secret trip to Oakland.
- Tristan McLeanPiper’s father; lured to Oakland by Medea’s scheme, used as leverage against Piper.