Everyone turned in horror the instant they saw Tania attack Rodrigo—but they could only watch helplessly…

  except for Ana, who had sensed this coming for a while.

  She shoved the boy aside and took the blow on her own back.

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Tania?!” Ana screamed in agony.

  “Get out of the way, Ana! I have to kill him!” Tania yelled.

  But Ana tightened her grip, holding Tania’s burning hand trapped in her back.

  The pain was overwhelming, but she refused to let go.

  The other gods wrestled Tania away, and she finally broke down crying.

  Ana allowed Tania’s hand to slide out of her wound, and the goddess bent over in pain.

  “So you were a traitor!” Mitras shouted furiously as he drew his curved blade.

  At that moment, both Epona and Ana saw the horrific scar on Tania’s cheek—the one she had been hiding with her hair.

  Now, after the scuffle with Mitras, it was impossible not to notice.

  “That cut… that wasn’t there before,” Epona whispered in shock.

  Then they all heard it—the voice of a woman.

  The same woman from Tania’s nightmare.

  “You can’t even follow a simple order properly, you pathetic failure.”

  “Please, don’t kill them! Please! Kill me instead—but not them!” Tania cried desperately.

  Everyone looked around, but no one was there.

  The voice was echoing telepathically.

  “You broke your promise, Tannit.

  You couldn’t act normally, and you raised your friends’ suspicions.

  This is your fault, and now you must pay.”

  “Please! Give me another chance!” Tania sobbed.

  “—Stop.”

  A different voice cut in.

  “That voice… Nabu, is that you?” Mitras asked.

  “Yes. I want you all to release Tania and not harm her,” Nabu’s voice commanded.

  “B–but she… she tried to kill one of o–our own,” Sol stammered.

  “That bitch you’re hearing is Baalat, one of El’s elohim,” Nabu explained.

  “Since Tania used to belong to Lel, it was easy for Baalat to enter her dreams.

  She’s been blackmailing Tania from the start by threatening to destroy her village—knowing exactly how fragile she is emotionally.”

  “But you told her about us, didn’t you, Tania?!” Baalat roared furiously.

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  “No…” Tania whispered, barely audible, tears streaming down her face.

  “That’s right—she didn’t tell me anything,” Nabu said calmly.

  “She tried to carry this burden alone. But I’m her therapist, and I recognized the patterns.

  I spent these weeks figuring out the message from her dream, identifying who was behind it—and of course, preparing protection for Ibiza.”

  “Are they safe?!” Tania shouted.

  “They are, Tania,” Nabu answered.

  “I had to leave early to set up a barrier around your village—before Baalat noticed.

  Now no malak can enter while I’m here guarding it.”

  Nabu was actually lying on the shores of Ibiza, surrounded by books and holding a mug of beer.

  He was dressed like a simple fisherman, his beard trimmed to look like any average Muslim local—unrecognizable to anyone.

  “Also, I’m sunbathing, by the way,” Nabu added.

  “Tania, your beaches are beautiful, and the people here miss you. They’re waiting for you.

  Don’t turn your back on those who love you, and learn to trust your friends.”

  “You really think your shitty barrier can stop me?” Baalat hissed.

  “Relax, Baalat,” Nabu replied.

  “I’m streaming a lovely little video of Ibiza to my ex-wife and some friends—who happen to be allied with Lel.

  If you or your malakim step foot here, the whole world will know you violated the no-intervention law in the human realm.

  After all, I’m just a harmless traveler enjoying the sun.”

  “Fuck you, Nabu!” Baalat screamed, and the transmission cut.

  “All clear, Tania.

  Go. Good luck out there,” Nabu said in a softer tone.

  “Thank you, Nabu… I’m grateful a million times over,” Tania said.

  “Don’t worry. You owe me one now.

  I hope we meet again in Palas—and next time, I’ll actually help with your trauma.

  Goodbye, little one. Give it your all.”

  Tania collapsed to her knees and cried.

  She then saw Rodrigo and Epona tending to Ana’s wound and bowed deeply.

  “Please forgive me… please…” she sobbed.

  “We knew you were planning something, Tania,” Ana said.

  “And we should have talked to you sooner too,” Epona added.

  “I’m disgusting, aren’t I, Rodrigo?” Tania whispered, trembling.

  “I understand now how you felt when the Moors destroyed your village…

  and I—like a hypocrite—told you not to feel anything for them.

  And now… I nearly killed you because of my selfishness.

  Forgive me, Rodrigo…”

  “Tania… please, trust me and trust your friends,” Rodrigo said gently.

  “Do you hate me?” she asked, terrified, staring into his eyes.

  “No,” Rodrigo replied.

  “I would’ve done the same if it meant saving the people I loved…

  But I know I can count on all of you.

  And like Nabu said—your village is waiting for you.

  The old woman with the bad back, the boy who cut his finger, the fisherman trying to fix his marriage, the kids with colds…

  You always helped everyone.

  You’re a wonderful person.

  Just trust us—and fight for them.”

  He reached down and helped her stand.

  Meanwhile, Sol was giving Ana a bit of ambrosia to heal the wound on her back.

  “Ana… I’m sorry too,” Tania whispered.

  “We’ll talk later, Tania.

  For now, just worry about coming back alive,” Ana replied.

  Then Ana noticed the wound on Tania’s cheek.

  “That scar… was it that woman?” she asked.

  Tania nodded.

  Ana shook her head and sighed.

  “You didn’t have to carry all of this alone…

  But I swear now—I hate your disgusting family even more.”

  Tania stood fully with Rodrigo’s help.

  “Don’t carry everything alone, Tania,” he repeated softly.

  Mitras suddenly stepped behind her and pressed his blade to her nape.

  “Can we trust you?

  Or is someone else in Lel still threatening you or watching you?” he asked coldly.

  “A moment ago, I was ready for you to kill me,” Tania said.

  “But now… I can’t.

  I want to go home.

  I want to see my people again.

  I want Ana, Rodrigo, and Epona.

  I’ll fight with all of you—and if I deserve punishment afterward, I’ll accept it.”

  Mitras sheathed his blade.

  “We’ll keep an eye on you,” he said before turning away.