Equilibrium

Chapter 49: Jackie's POV

"The plan is simple. We go to Camp Halfblood. I will go first, scout around, see how things are going. Then I will bring you within the border. Upon arrival, you will ask that your fellow demigods lay down their weapons and hand over the relics so that I may restore balance to the universe. You will inform them that if they refuse, I will allow my army to destroy them. Is that clear?"
"Yes," I murmur, "Seems simple enough."
"Precisely," Adrestia smiles at me, but it just sends chills down my spine, "I am pleased with your cooperation."
I just nod my head, trying to fight the uneasy frown that's creeping on my face. The plan seems easy. Just let her have the relics, do some magic, and then we're safe. That's it. Easy.
But that's also the problem, it seems too easy. Other than the worry that the campers won't believe or listen to me, there's no real flaw to the plan that I can see. There's just this awful, nagging suspicion in the back of my head, constantly tugging at my thoughts. My stomach twists with uncertainty every time I consider the fact that I have to trust Adrestia right now. Because I really don't want to. It just feels so wrong. But for now I just have to push those conflicting feelings aside and focus on the task at hand. Saving my friends.
"Alright! Well, let's be off, then." Adrestia snaps her fingers, and suddenly we're standing at the edge of the forest at Camp Halfblood. From where I stand, in the shade of an enormous oak, I can make out the archery range, dining pavilion, and pegasi stables. An odd jolt of longing hits me as my gaze sweeps over my home, but I'm suddenly jarred from the feeling when I hear shouting, screaming, and repetitive clanging of metal on metal. An explosion booms above the treetops, the ground shaking beneath my feet, and I only hear more screams. Battle cries and inhuman howls fill the air, and I turn to Adrestia, glaring.
"You said your army wouldn't kill them! You promised!"
"My dear, I said I would call them off if you successfully convinced your comrades to hand over the relics."
A low growl resonates in my throat, but I just turn my head to the side and stare pointedly at the ground beneath my feet.
"You stay here." Adrestia claps her hands and a magical rope appears, winding itself around my wrists and around the oak, looping and twisting into a knot that I have no chance of undoing.
"What- Why are you tying me up?!" I splutter.
"So you don't come up with any crazy ideas. Stay. Put. I will be right back. And remember, I can track you with that bracelet."
I blow angrily through my nose and continue to stare longingly at camp as Adrestia vanishes into the forest, stage one of the plan being put into action.
I stand there, bored out of my mind, for... minutes? Hours? I kind of lose track of time just staring into space. This is fantastic. Wonderful. I love hearing my friends scream in agony and feeling the ground shake from explosions and still have absolutely no idea what the flippity flappity fuck is happening.
I slide to the ground, with my back against the tree since the rope doesn't let me move more than a few inches from the trunk. Sighing, I rest my forehead on my knees, sending a silent prayer to whatever gods may be listening to help me get through to the demigods so I can save them. I'm going to need all the help I can get.
I'm suddenly shook from my thoughts as I hear two voices growing closer to my tree, talking in hushed tones. I strain to hear them, wondering if maybe I should call out. If they're demigods, maybe they could help somehow? I was still unsure about trusting Adrestia and honestly I'd prefer any other plan so long as it didn't involve her. I was about to cry out when I recognized one of the voices and immediately snapped my mouth shut, trying to remain as quiet as possible in order to listen.
Adrestia.
She was talking to someone with a deep, rumbly, voice, and he didn't sound friendly. As Adrestia grew closer, her voice became more clear.
"...A silly girl, really, believing everything I told her. For a child of Hermes, she's rather disappointing." The deep voice chuckled at Adrestia's remark, and she continued. "Once she gets me the relics, I will use them to single handedly wipe out all the demigods and restore the balance between good and evil!"
"A brilliant plan, Mistress."
Uh.
Hold on a hot second.
WHAT?!
That two-faced, backstabbing, motherfucking bitchass LIAR.
Adrestia had promised she wouldn't kill them! Or... Had she? I backtrack for a second, trying to recall the exact words she had uttered when striking the deal with me. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Or maybe more like that one brick that hit Jason.
Oh.
Ohhhhhh.
Of course. Of course she'd get all technical on me.
Adrestia had promised that if I gave the relics to her, she wouldn't kill us with her army. There was nowhere in the contract that stated she couldn't kill us herself. And by "restoring equilibrium" she meant to do just that.
And my dumbass had seriously made an oath on the River Styx, although it's not like I'd really had a choice.
This is a mess.
This goddess was playing a trick worthy of the Stoll brothers, and believe me, I know, I've worked with them hand in hand.
Well you know what Adrestia? Two can play at that game.
Then the goddess herself appears in front of me, although the man or monster she was talking to is nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, good girl, you stayed put like I told you."
UGH. I'm not a fucking dog. I want so badly to snap back at her with some snide remark but I just curl my hands into fists. I've gotta play this up, act like I don't know anything, and pretend to go along with her plan. I can't have her suspecting that I'll try anything.
"Yeah," I mutter, "When's stage two of the plan?"
"Well I'm thinking in about twenty min-"
"Mistress, your presence is requested by the Admiral!" An unfamiliar voice booms from somewhere behind my tree, I stand, craning my neck to see who it is, but Adrestia rushes past me and towards the voice, muttering a quick, "Stay there. I'll be back in a few. Then the second phase will begin," in my direction.
Damn, that was some pretty great luck. And here I was thinking I'd have to cause some sort of distraction! Perfect.
It's go time.