At dawn the next day, they set sail for Jutland.

  The only ships that traveled that far north were long Norman merchant vessels—hardly built for comfort or privacy.

  They were massive, narrow ships, their decks lined with cargo stacked in the center. The captain and two rowers sat high above, near the stern, while passengers huddled on a small platform near the bow. It was far from an ideal way to travel—something Epona made sure to curse repeatedly.

  The ships usually sailed in small flotillas, though this time there were only two of them. Few merchants dared voyage to Denmark these days; the country was in the midst of civil war. Because of that, they couldn’t dock in the city of Aros, their intended destination, and would instead disembark at the nearby port of Horsens.

  Rodrigo began to feel sick almost immediately. He had never spent so much time at sea before, and the turbulent currents of the North Sea were merciless. Ana stayed beside him, trying to soothe him as best she could.

  “I swear I’ll never take another country bumpkin out of his village again,” grumbled Tania, watching Rodrigo lose yet another battle with his stomach.

  By nightfall, he was still vomiting.

  Tania and Epona had fallen asleep on the captain’s side of the ship, wrapped in blankets he had handed out to protect them from the freezing wind and relentless rain—it poured endlessly in these northern waters.

  At the bow, Ana stayed awake beside Rodrigo, who had long since emptied his stomach but continued retching painfully.

  Then, from across the dark sea, a voice called out in the divine tongue:

  “Well, isn’t this a small world!”

  Ana turned—and froze. Sitting on the prow of the other ship was Atenea.

  Since the vessels had stopped rowing for the night, drifting quietly on the wind, they were close enough for people to speak from one to the other without shouting.

  (Image created with Gemini AI for illustrative purposes only)

  “What the hell are you doing here?!” Ana yelled, immediately taking a defensive stance.

  “What? Am I not allowed to travel to Jutland too?” replied the Greek goddess with a mischievous smile.

  With a light leap, Atenea landed on their ship and sat casually on the prow.

  “You’ve been following us, haven’t you?” Ana demanded.

  “Has your malak brought you your totems yet?” Atenea replied, ignoring the question.

  Ana fell silent. Rodrigo tried to hold himself steady as another wave of nausea hit him.

  Atenea gazed up at the sky.

  “I’ve never abandoned the heroes I once aided, Ana. See that constellation? That’s Perseus. I guided him so he could behead the Gorgon. Tell me—why would I ever want to harm you?” she said softly, her eyes fixed on the stars.

  “You became a traitor and a disgrace,” Ana replied bitterly, still rubbing Rodrigo’s back.

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  “Even if you and I see the world differently, Ana, you’re not my disciple anymore—you’re my friend. And I will never let you die,” said the Greek goddess with a tender smile.

  “Since my informants told me about your mission, I’ve been maneuvering things from the shadows—to help you however I can. I haven’t told my allies a word,” she added calmly.

  Rodrigo groaned again, leaning over the side of the ship.

  “Here, boy—take this,” Atenea said, tossing him a peach. Ana caught it before it hit the deck.

  “It’s a remedy for seasickness. Believe it or not, I get sick on ships too,” the goddess said with a small laugh.

  Ana hesitated, but Rodrigo was so desperate that he bit into the fruit immediately.

  “Rui, wait—” Ana started, but then saw his expression change.

  His stomach finally settled. The nausea vanished. He straightened up, breathing deeply.

  “Are you all right, Rui?” Ana asked.

  “Yes… I feel much better now,” he said, then bowed politely toward Atenea.

  “Thank you so much for your help.”

  Atenea smiled, waved dismissively, and rose to her feet. She stepped lightly across the deck, preparing to jump back to her own ship.

  “If you ever need me, Ana, just call my name,” she said.

  Ana’s eyes filled with tears, but she managed to hold them back.

  “Master, I… I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me,” Ana said. “But I want to fix my own life. I want to regain Lel’s trust. I don’t hate humanity the way you do—I still believe humans can be wonderful, even when they make terrible choices. Please understand… I can’t think like you. I can’t follow you.”

  Atenea was silent for a moment.

  “I’ve met a boy,” Ana continued. “He’s clumsy and na?ve, but he always puts others before himself. Even when he’s overwhelmed, he never gives up. When I met him, I saw myself in him—and I wanted to help him the same way you once helped me. His presence has made me want to fight for humanity again!”

  She bowed deeply, her hand instinctively reaching for Rodrigo’s.

  Rodrigo blushed and clasped her hand gently.

  Atenea’s expression softened.

  “That’s wonderful, Ana!” she said, suddenly beaming. She stepped closer to Rodrigo and examined him from head to toe.

  “Congratulations, young man. He’s a good match for you! Just invite me to the wedding, all right?”

  Rodrigo stood frozen—completely speechless. The elegant, formidable goddess was jumping for joy like a child who’d just been given a new doll.

  “That’s not what I meant, you silly goddess!” Ana shouted, her voice suddenly higher and more childish. Rodrigo had never heard her sound like that before.

  “Oh? Haven’t you two…?” Atenea teased, her tone playful.

  “Are you out of your mind?! He’s my disciple and I’m his teacher!” Ana retorted, blushing furiously.

  “Ah, little one—if you only knew what teachers used to do with their pupils back in Athens…”

  “Shut up, you perverted goddess!” Ana cried.

  Atenea laughed heartily, then placed a hand on Ana’s shoulder.

  “I’m glad to see you healing, Ana. Remember—I’ll always be here for you.”

  “Thank you,” Ana whispered.

  Rodrigo realized then that Ana had been longing to speak to her former teacher all along. She pretended to be strong, but she still saw Atenea as a mother figure.

  “She’s not as cruel or wicked as the others made her sound,” he thought.

  “Even if we walk different paths, even if one day we stand on opposite sides of the battlefield,” Atenea said, “I would still give my life for you. You may think you only learned from me—but you also gave me a reason to live. You are light, Ana—not the goddess of death they forced you to become.”

  With that, Atenea embraced both Ana and Rodrigo.

  Ana began to cry—not from sorrow, but from joy. Rodrigo saw a tear glisten in the Greek goddess’s eye as well.

  When she finally released them, Atenea smiled.

  “Well then, I’d better disappear before Tannit senses me,” she said, stepping back.

  “I won’t tell anyone about this,” Ana promised, smiling warmly.

  “Good. Remember—if you need me, just call my name. I’ll always be watching over you, Ana.”

  With that, the Greek goddess turned and leapt gracefully back onto her ship.

  Ana turned to Rodrigo, her face glowing with relief.

  “Let’s not tell Tania about any of this, all right?” she said.

  “My lips are sealed,” Rodrigo replied.

  They returned quietly to where Tania and Epona were sleeping.

  Fortunately, neither of the two stirred during the encounter.