Leo wasn’t even her target, but Piper’s charmspeak washed over him irresistibly. He would’ve done anything to help her get that cure. He would’ve gone to medical school, got twelve doctorate degrees and bought a large green python on a stick.
Asclepius put his hand over his heart. ‘Oh, my dear, I would be delighted to help.’
Piper’s smile wavered. ‘You would? I mean, of course you would.’
‘Come in! Come in!’ Asclepius ushered them into his office.
The guy was so nice that Leo figured his office would be full of torture devices, but it looked like … well, a doctor’s office: a big maple desk, bookshelves stuffed with medical books, and some of those plastic organ models Leo loved to play with as a kid. He remembered getting in trouble one time because he had turned a cross-section kidney and some skeleton legs into a kidney monster and scared the nurse.
Life was simpler back then.
Asclepius took the big comfy doctor’s chair and laid his staff and serpent across his desk. ‘Please, sit!’
Jason and Piper took the two chairs on the patients’ side. Leo had to remain standing, which was fine with him. He didn’t want to be eye-level with the snake.
‘So.’ Asclepius leaned back. ‘I can’t tell you how nice it is to actually talk with patients. The last few thousand years, the paperwork has got out of control. Rush, rush, rush. Fill in forms. Deal with red tape. Not to mention the giant alabaster guardian who kills everyone in the waiting room. It takes all the fun out of medicine!’
‘Yeah,’ Leo said. ‘Hygeia is kind of a downer.’
Asclepius grinned. ‘My real daughter Hygeia isn’t like that, I assure you. She’s quite nice. At any rate, you did well reprogramming the statue. You have a surgeon’s hands.’
Jason shuddered. ‘Leo with a scalpel? Don’t encourage him.’
The doctor god chuckled. ‘Now, what seems to be the trouble?’ He sat forward and peered at Jason. ‘Hmm … Imperial gold sword wound, but that’s healed nicely. No cancer, no heart problems. Watch that mole on your left foot, but I’m sure it’s benign.’
Jason blanched. ‘How did you –’
‘Oh, of course!’ Asclepius said. ‘You’re a bit short-sighted! Simple fix.’
He opened his drawer, whipped out a prescription pad and an eyeglasses case. He scribbled something on the pad, then handed the glasses and the scrip to Jason. ‘Keep the prescription for future reference, but these lenses should work. Try them on.’
‘Wait,’ Leo said. ‘Jason is short-sighted?’
Jason opened the case. ‘I – I have had a little trouble seeing stuff from a distance lately,’ he admitted. ‘I thought I was just tired.’ He tried on the glasses, which had thin frames of Imperial gold. ‘Wow. Yeah. That’s better.’
Piper smiled. ‘You look very distinguished.’
‘I don’t know, man,’ Leo said. ‘I’d go for contacts – glowing orange ones with cat’s-eye pupils. Those would be cool.’
‘Glasses are fine,’ Jason decided. ‘Thanks, uh, Dr Asclepius, but that’s not why we came.’
‘No?’ Asclepius steepled his fingers. ‘Well, let’s see then …’ He turned to Piper. ‘You seem fine, my dear. Broken arm when you were six. Fell off a horse?’
Piper’s jaw dropped. ‘How could you possibly know that?’
‘Vegetarian diet,’ he continued. ‘No problem, just make sure you’re getting enough iron and protein. Hmm … a little weak in the left shoulder. I assume you got hit with something heavy about a month ago?’
‘A sandbag in Rome,’ Piper said. ‘That’s amazing.’
‘Alternate ice and a hot pack if it bothers you,’ Asclepius advised. ‘And you …’ He faced Leo.
‘Oh, my.’ The doctor’s expression turned grim. The friendly twinkle disappeared from his eyes. ‘Oh, I see …’
The doctor’s expression said, I am so, so sorry.
Leo’s heart filled with cement. If he’d harboured any last hopes of avoiding what was to come, they now sank.
‘What?’ Jason’s new glasses flashed. ‘What’s wrong with Leo?’
‘Hey, doc.’ Leo shot him a drop it look. Hopefully they knew about patient confidentiality in Ancient Greece. ‘We came for the physician’s cure. Can you help us? I’ve got some Pylosian mint here and a very nice yellow daisy.’ He set the ingredients on the desk, carefully avoiding the snake’s mouth.
‘Hold it,’ Piper said. ‘Is there something wrong with Leo or not?’