The Fate of Olympus | Reynabeth [✓]

9. ⚔ Reyna, Part II

(continued from previous chapter) 

The way that Annabeth was talking was sure to get her killed. Reyna gripped the armrests of her seat.

"Don't worry," said Annabeth, sounding plenty worried. "I wouldn't have brought you into an airplane if I didn't think it was safe."

Reyna couldn't stand the thought of Annabeth's death at the hands of the gods. Annabeth was a valuable asset to Camp Jupiter. Plus, Reyna cared about Annabeth, despite all the bad blood between them. It was in the past. Reyna genuinely cared for Annabeth. At least, she thought she did.

"Remember Icarus?" Reyna asked, trying to warn Annabeth away from what she was saying. "His fatal flaw was hubris, too. He thought he could fly close to the sun. That's you. You think you're indestructible. You're going to fall."

Reyna immediately regretted the falling example because they were on an airplane.

Annabeth said, "Icarus was impulsive. He didn't plan for the worst case scenario. Neither did Arachne. I've planned every aspect of the coup."

Unless we get blasted out of the sky, thought Reyna. "Okay, let's say we overthrow the gods. Somehow. I don't know how that would work, exactly, seeing as the gods are literally more powerful than all demigods combined. What comes next?"

"There are too many variables to be fully prepared for what the world will look like afterward," Annabeth admitted. "I've prepared several contingencies. That's why we're on this quest. I need to find out more about the gods who might replace ours. I also started planning what we should do if we fail to overthrow the gods, what it would look like if demigods need to step in to control the natural world..."

Reyna took Annabeth's hand. Maybe showing compassion toward Annabeth would be enough to get her to stop talking like a madman. She made herself look directly into those gray eyes. "You're starting to scare me, Annabeth. Talking about overthrowing the gods and all."

"You think we should just do what the gods want us to do, right?"

"Yeah, that's the safest thing to do."

"What if the thing they want you to do guarantees that you'll die? What if it guarantees that one of your friends died? If it guaranteed my death? Would you do what they wanted?"

"I'd fight."

A flight attendant interrupted them to give them water, pretzels, and a napkin. The sleeping woman in the aisle didn't move.

"Interesting," said Annabeth once the flight attendant was safely out of earshot. "You would fight the gods?"

Reyna imagined a hundred demigods being struck by lightning at the same time and all getting sent to the worst part of the Underworld. She frowned. "Maybe not literally..."

"What would you do if all the gods wanted different things?"

"The gods all do want different things."

"So isn't it impossible to do what the gods want?"

"I guess so."

Annabeth nodded. "The gods put us in a double bind where, no matter what we do, we're disappointing some of them. That's an unacceptable relationship to have with parents. They should be better, but if they behaved in ways that benefited their children, it would threaten their power."

"Well, if there was one side that was clearly better, then I'd align myself with the gods on the good side."

"Isn't that how World War II started? Demigods aligned themselves with their gods, fought other demigods, and caused a lot of death and destruction."