The ship was a welcome sight before her. Docked at the edge of the natural entrance to the hall of gods, its metallic outline faintly buzzed in the glow of the starlight drifting in from outside. With the torchlight of the hall at her back, Vatra disappeared up the ramp of the Agkistrodon.

Footsteps trailed up after her.

I should have known.

Vatra continued toward the kitchen, a notorious gathering for the crew's long-winded conversations. She was certain her nap wasn't going to happen.

"The Morrígan were more intimidating than I remembered." Enyalius' voice broke the silence.

Geb cleared his throat. "I expected as much from them." There was an 'I told you so' tone to his voice, but he didn't jump at the chance to state how he'd been right.

Smart god.

Clenching her fist, Vatra kept herself from throwing her hand through the wooden storage container secured atop the countertop. "It sounded like they talked to someone," Vatra said, letting out a steady breath. "While we were at the unity event, they said they had something to attend to. It must be the reason they're stalling now. Why come after me now?"

"Go after you?" Revna questioned.

"They insulted me," Vatra shot.

A silence fell over the group.

"Did you all forget the part where the Morrígan called in to question my ability to lead this group by spewing lies?" Vatra paused, watching everyone's reactions with bated breath. Her anger had quelled the moment she noticed the truth etched on their faces. "Or, did she just start a conversation we should have had earlier?"

The same feeling Vatra had felt during the Morrígan's interrogation electrified the air. Unease.

"Oh, c'mon, no one likes to confront their crush." Enyalius cocked a half-smile. His eyes didn't reflect the same humor of his comment, though. They were tensed, wrinkled just between the brow. Enyalius might as well have been pleading with Vatra to not ask any further questions.

Vatra didn't care. She knew the Morrígan would only continue to keep using her crew against her. Which meant anyone else would be able to. It was better to have their secrets out in the open.

"It's true, then?" Vatra folded her arms. "Love, is it?"

"Hell no," Nat said. "Not me."

Air blew loudly from Vatra's nose as she held in a laugh. "I would be surprised if you said yes."

"Not me," Revna said with a small shake of her head. "I do love you as a friend, of course."

"I don't, either," Set added.

Vatra's eyes moved over the remaining ones who hadn't spoken. What an annoying game.

She wanted to shout for them to hurry up, but she knew how difficult it was to come out with the truth. Even her own heart was pounding in her chest. What was she going to do?

Geb pinched the edge of his cloak, thoughtfully watching it fall from his fingers. "I can't say the Morrígan were wrong in what they saw. It's not love I feel, I don't think."

"That's a lot of words for 'no'," Vatra said evenly. "If not love, then...?"

The storm god shrugged. "If it's honesty you want, I could surely go over every thought I've had of us-"

"All right!" Vatra shouted. She shuddered, clamping her hands over her eyes. "Please, don't say anything more. I'll kill you myself."

Geb laughed. "Not love, then."

"No," Vatra said. She lowered her hands and looked at Fulgora with clenched teeth.

The goddess pointed to Geb, a sly grin on her face. "I do quite like Geb's answer. Not love, but you are one hell of a captain." Both she and Geb laughed, not in a way that felt like they were mocking Vatra. In fact, it felt as if they were laughing at themselves for being attracted to Vatra at all. A phoenix, not a god or goddess.

"I hate you all," Vatra groaned. She reluctantly turned her attention to Hisato and Enyalius. The two she'd hoped would have answered 'no' first.

Why did they stay silent this whole time?

Hisato's expression was sympathetic, while the god's was strained. The former spoke first.

"What's wrong with someone loving you, anyway?" Hisato asked.

"Just say no to the question," Vatra demanded.

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Enyalius," Vatra addressed the war god with a sudden lump in her throat. Why did she want to cry all of a sudden?

"Would you prefer it back when we were trying to kill each other?" Enyalius inquired. "I'm with the guardian spirit on this one. There's nothing wrong with how we feel about you."

"Yes, there is," Vatra said. "Because I can't return back what you want. I don't want to be with anyone. Don't you see why that's wrong?"

Enyalius and Hisato exchanged a look before the god turned back to her. "So, you think it's just romantic love that anyone wants with you? As if that's the only love there is?" Enyalius pried.

Vatra felt her blood run ice cold. She was mortified to admit that she did think so.

Wasn't that what they wanted?

Her thoughts didn't translate to words on her tongue. Instead, Vatra stood like a puppet, mouth working open and closed. She felt like a complete idiot.

As if reacting to the malfunction in her own mind, everything around them went dark. For a moment, Vatra thought she'd passed out from her own embarrassment. But she realized the lights filtering in from outside had gone out.

The internal lights to the Agkistrodon flickered on, and Vatra looked over to see Revna had switched on the controls in the cockpit.

"It looks like the whole place is dark," Revna observed. She turned around to the others as she spoke. "Every torch, every light that was on. I can't see anything outside."

"I must have really pissed off the Morrígan," Vatra said.

Geb shook his head. He glanced around the ship, a static sparking off his fingertips. "No, I don't think this is because of you. There's someone here. Either the gods shut off the lights, or we have bigger problems right now."

"Bigger problems?" Vatra asked.

"Bigger problems," Enyalius repeated.

Simultaneously, they all turned to the sound of heavy boots trudging up the boarding ramp of the Agkistrodon. Vatra hadn't even considered raising it when they all boarded; mostly because the idea of someone walking on to her ship without an invitation was the last thought on her mind. The hall of gods had been relatively safe, tucked away on a planet far removed in a system unknown to many.

Or so she'd believed.

The ominous eyes of a bear peered around the corner first. Vatra blinked hard. Her thoughts couldn't piece together the realization the bear was a pelt, draped over the shoulders of a god she thought she'd never see again. Vatra should have known better. Especially considering the mischievous gods from her past that had recently popping up were up to no good.

"Veles," Vatra growled.

"The last time I saw you, phoenix," Veles paused, his voice deep and commanding, "you stole a ship from me. The ship we escaped off Earth together in. You and your friend left my kin and I, abandoned, on some planet."

"I take it the casinos on Camia didn't treat you well? Judging by my run-ins with your kin," Vatra said flippantly. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"Vatra," Hisato hissed, but his scolding correction was too late.

The towering god before them loosened a spear from his back, triggering an equal reaction from everyone that was armed with their own godkiller.

Veles slammed the wooden end of the spear to the ground, a hollowed boom vibrating through the vessel. "You betrayed us. One I remember well. Because of you, my kin were taken by Hephaestus and the humans that want us dead. They were turned into monsters, or turned into his spies. I have been with the Morrígan and the gods here for many years. I will not let you betray them too."

So, it must have been Veles the Morrígan spoke with before the unity party, Vatra thought. Makes sense why they're so hesitant now.

"I know it's hard to believe," Vatra glanced around at the storm gods, their weapons poised at the ready, "but I've changed since then. The fact I'm friends with these gods of all people should be sign enough."

The god wasn't convinced. His aged features were stone cold. Anger flashed in his eyes. The spear in his hands wavered, moving in on itself like a mirage.

Vatra thought she was imagining it at first. Like the wine hadn't fully left her system yet, or was making a vengeful comeback. She blinked rapidly and watched as the spear in Veles' hand turned into a serpent, growing and winding around his bare arm until it encircled his entire torso.

The creature was as thick around as Veles' arm. Scales red like fire shimmered in the light. The serpent's muscles held it easily up, towering it well above Veles' head so it looked out over the group. Golden eyes blinked at them while a tongue flickered threateningly in their direction.

No one moved.

"The Morrígan sent me to make sure you got the message that they're no longer interested in discussing anything right now," Veles said.

"You don't speak on behalf of them," Vatra shot back. She couldn't take her eyes off the serpent, though. Fire glowed in the back of its throat, a faint spark on the edge of spouting flames.

Veles chuckled. "Can't you tell? The lights are off. No one's home, and they're not waiting around for you."

It was quickly becoming apparent that the meeting with the Morrígan wasn't worth the potential damage. The close quarter battle with Veles was bound to hurt someone. Vatra was closest to Veles, and if she died and subsequently burst into flames, others would die, too. It wasn't worth it.

The Morrígan could resend their invitation if they were serious about becoming allies. She would make sure the relay to the hall of gods remained open. Veles' threat was most likely just his own.

"Fine," Vatra said. "We'll leave. But you'll realize soon enough that you were wrong in this fight. Now, get the hell off my ship."