“Fine. We’ll gather supplies and depart the day after tomorrow,” Tania said as she rose from the table.

  “Make yourselves at home,” she added, her tone distant as she walked away. Her expression was shadowed, though none of them seemed to notice.

  “I’m not staying in this filthy, damp cave,” Epona grumbled, her mood sour.

  “Malak, go to the village and rent me a decent room,” she ordered, glaring at the angel with open defiance.

  “I’ll be sure to find you a stable where you can stay, my lady,” the angel replied dryly, his sarcasm unhidden.

  “Well, if the Christians say that’s where Jesus was born, I guess a stable suits her just fine,” Ana said, bursting into laughter.

  “You forget, bitch, that I can enter Lel whenever I want—unlike some dumbass who can’t even use her damned totema at will!” snapped the horse goddess, fury flashing in her green eyes.

  Rodrigo was taken aback by the vulgarity of the blonde goddess; she spoke like a drunken peasant, yet he couldn’t help finding it oddly charming.

  “Need to go graze to calm down?” Ana shot back, smirking.

  “And you—going to peck at another damn corpse?” Epona yelled, slamming her hand down on the table so hard that it split in two.

  “Ladies, please, enough! Take it with some humor,” said Anpiel, stepping between them before things got worse. Both goddesses were visibly on edge—though Rodrigo hadn’t realized it yet, their anger was just the face of their deeper worry about the mission ahead.

  “We’ll stay at an inn. Meet here the day after tomorrow before we head to Normandy,” said the malak, restraining Epona, who looked ready to strike Ana.

  “Thank lord El! Another damn minute here and I’d have my feet covered in fungus!” Epona shouted, pulling herself free and turning away with all the dignity she could muster.

  “Hooves, you mean,” Ana muttered under her breath.

  Epona snorted loudly.

  “Don’t be angry, Ana. You have eyes too beautiful to waste on a scowl,” Rodrigo said, trying to ease the tension as he gently touched her arm.

  Ana turned sharply toward him, annoyed.

  “I didn’t say anything wrong… did I?” he asked, worried, quickly releasing her.

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  “Sorry—for touching you!”

  Ana closed her eyes, exhaled softly, then smiled faintly.

  “You might be the only person who’s ever told me I have beautiful eyes. Thank you,” she said quietly.

  Epona and Anpiel left Tania’s house together.

  “Well, I’m going to bed too,” said Rodrigo.

  “Rui… wait.” Ana’s voice stopped him. She was looking down, her expression distant, lost somewhere between thought and longing.

  “Stay with me tonight.”

  “What’s wrong?” Rodrigo asked softly.

  “Nothing… really. Just stay with me tonight,” the goddess replied, her face still clouded with worry.

  Only then did Rodrigo realize how much the mission weighed on her. It also explained why Tania had left so suddenly.

  He sat back down, watching as Ana’s eyes drifted into the void.

  “Tania’s going to be upset about the table, don’t you think, Rui?” Ana said, forcing a faint smile.

  “Are you worried about the mission?” Rodrigo finally asked.

  “The mission? Not at all…” she said, meeting his eyes with that same fragile attempt at smiling.

  “…Well, maybe a little,” she admitted after a pause.

  “Rui, if you’d rather stay behind, do it. I have to be honest with you—it might be more dangerous than we think. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I’ll go, and I’ll protect you,” Rodrigo said firmly.

  “I don’t know how yet, but I’ll do everything I can. Tania helped me save the survivors of my village, and you helped me overcome my grief. You both have been wonderful to me.”

  “Thank you, Rui,” Ana whispered.

  Then she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him.

  Rodrigo, startled, returned the embrace awkwardly but sincerely.

  “A long time ago, I went through something traumatic too,” Ana said quietly. “My teacher helped me through it. I just wanted to do the same for you.”

  Rodrigo felt her shoulders tremble; she was crying softly.

  “I’m a goddess of war, and everyone says I should be some savage monster without feelings,” she went on, her voice breaking. “But I do have them… and sometimes I feel so weak because of it.”

  “You’re a beautiful person… and a goddess,” Rodrigo said, holding her a little tighter.

  “You only think that because you don’t really know me,” she replied.

  “I know enough to mean it,” he answered.

  “Thank you, Rui. I feel better now,” Ana murmured, resting her head against his chest.

  They stayed like that for a while, silently holding onto each other as the fire burned low.

  “Well… I suppose we should get some sleep,” Ana said gently, pulling away from his arms.

  “We’ll need to go shopping and prepare everything for the trip.”

  “Yes… I think so too,” Rodrigo replied softly.

  Ana leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before saying goodnight.

  Rodrigo remained still for a long moment, lost in silence and thought.