A full day passed. Or, at least that was Vatra's best guess.

No one had entered her cell to question her. Nor had a single guard brought her food or water. She'd suffered hunger pains before, but the stabbing agony in her abdomen from the need to relieve herself grew even more desperate and turned unbearable.

Vatra pounded on what she remembered was the door. Any trace of a seam had blended into the mirrors around her, but she was certain the hall was on the other side of the glass her fist slammed against.

"Bastards!" Vatra yelled. "I'll piss on your floors!"

She didn't think the threat would mean much to them. They didn't appear like the type to care if their prisoners peed their pants. And, she had to admit, it wasn't a threat she was very proud of.

Surprisingly, the mirror slipped to the side. Instead of landing on glass, her closed fist hit an invisible shielding. The static that shot up her arm made her hair stand on end.

Lifting her gaze up in shock, Vatra raised her brows at two guards standing in front of her. Their faces were hidden behind the opaque visors of their grey helmets.

"Ah, so I take it you don't want me pissing on your floors?" she goaded. "Maybe I should just go ahead and do it anyway."

One of the guards made a quick gesture to the left of the door before reaching forward, grabbing her by the wrist. His grip was rough and careless as he pulled her into the hallway. Vatra stumbled to regain her balance.

She bit her tongue. It was pointless to try and get any information from them. They were obviously well-trained in the art of remaining unfazed by sarcastic remarks and relentless questions. She would only waste her breath.

Vatra blew air into her cheeks and allowed it to escape from her lips noisily.

The guards walked on either side of her. Their boots moved in step with hers, thumping along the pristine, white floors like they were marching to a slaughterhouse. Vatra kept her head straight but allowed her gaze to wander.

The walls on either side of her were smooth and seamless. White and grey tiles pieced together from the floor to the ceiling, where they turned into an elegant arch above their heads. She was reminded of older architecture, well before the time of the men walking beside her.

How odd, Vatra thought, these mortals are using something so trivial as an arch in the design of these ships. Maybe they just liked the look of it.

But, Vatra, having been one to not believe in coincidences, allowed the feeling of suspicion to build up in the pit of her stomach. Something else was going on.

They turned left, then right, and kept walking until Vatra felt like the hall was never going to end. Then, a metal door appeared to her left. For a moment, Vatra thought they were going to pass through it. However, she noted that neither guard made any movement toward the door.

The door was sliding closed as they neared. Another guard had exited the room, his head sharply turning to look at their approach. Curiosity begged Vatra to dare a glance over the guard's shoulder. Vatra's eyes fell on a sight that made her react without a moment to think.

Her left leg struck out—magnetic boot landing square in the guard's abdomen. The man flew backwards into the room. Her foot slammed to the ground, jamming the door open before it had a chance to seal.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" One of the guards at her side had managed to collect his thoughts, at last.

They're not the smartest bunch. Just my luck, Vatra thought.

The guard that spoke reached forward, but Vatra leaned out of the way.

With her foot still in the doorway, Vatra was limited in her defense. But, she wasn't completely helpless. The guard reaching forward stumbled toward her slightly, enough for Vatra to loop him around the arm and pull him closer to her. She snaked her other arm around his neck and tucked him tight into her armpit, squeezing between the gap of his armor and helmet.

The guard choked against her hold, furiously trying to free himself with punches that couldn't quite land.

Collecting himself, the other guard finally made an attempt to stop Vatra. He rushed her, foolishly forgetting the weapon Vatra had nervously made a note of. It was still attached to his belt. All brute force, the guard shouted and raised his right fist, aiming for Vatra's left side.

The guard had probably expected her to be completely focused on her almost incapacitated victim and trapped left leg. But, as he'd forgotten his weapon, he'd also forgotten Vatra's right leg.

Leaning as much as she could on her left leg, Vatra used a back kick with her right leg to send the oncoming guard sailing across the hall. His head hit the wall, helmet audibly cracking, and he slumped to the floor.

The guard whose neck was looped in her arm went limp.

"Finally," Vatra sighed out. She dropped the guard carelessly beside her.

Glancing nervously through the gap in the door, Vatra couldn't see movement from the third guard. He was either faking it, or she'd actually knocked him unconscious. Narrowing her eyes for a moment, she tried to watch for the rise and fall of his chest. Or, lack thereof. 

She'd killed him.

"Hmm, I didn't think I kicked him that hard," Vatra said indifferently. She noticed the odd angle the guard's head had landed on a single, wooden bench near the center of the room.

That's quite unlucky.

Vatra wiggled her toes in her boot. She grabbed the door and attempted to pry it open, but found it resistant to budge even a little. Sighing, Vatra noted the flashing scanner to the left of the door.

The guards had entered her cell by waving their hand. Perhaps this room was similar.

Reaching down, Vatra grabbed the unconscious guard at her feet by the wrist and pulled him up as far as she could. She waved his hand in front of the scanner. After a moment, the door slid away from her boot, and she dropped the guard back to the floor.

She took the time to drag both guards into the room with her. If anyone passed by, at least she wouldn't be discovered. And, Vatra did not want to be found anytime soon. She propped the two, unconscious men along the wooden bench with the other dead guard.

The door sealed them inside a rather large room. It was brightly lit, as if the contents covering every wall were on display. Vatra turned to admire what she'd found.

"Is this what true love is?" Vatra said aloud. A grin crept to her lips, and she spun around to take in the weaponry all around her. "I think I've finally found the meaning of love."

Vatra strode across the room, daring a closer look. The rows and rows of weapons displayed on metal racks on the walls were not made by mortal hands. She'd seen enough godkillers to know the weapon of a god. A tender finger touched the wooden hilt of an axe etched with ancient runes.

Scanning the walls, Vatra found a familiar pair of daggers; her own godkillers, displayed like trophies. She grabbed them and replaced them hastily in their sheaths at her back.

She kept searching the weapons. Swords, katanas, bows and arrows, spears, axes, knives, and a multitude of weapons' types even she didn't know the name of. Vatra stopped at a group of weapons clearly crafted for Greek warriors. They were unmistakable.

Rubbing her chest, Vatra recalled the last time she'd been killed by the spear her eyes now looked upon. Only, the weapon was no longer gripped in the hands of the god that had used it against her. She reached forward, fingers hovering above the spear. A startling hesitation held her back.

"Ares is on this ship. And this is his godkiller," Vatra said. Her eyes widened and she withdrew her hand, scanning the weapons with sudden ferocity. "Where the hell is Enyalius' weapon?"

In all of her blind rage against the god, she'd never looked to see if he had his godkiller with him. But, if he did have it with him, certainly Enyalius would have surrendered it when they were taken. Even if he didn't have it, maybe Ares or Enyo had been in possession of it. 

 Vatra's heart raced. She couldn't find the godkiller on the wall. Hands falling to her side, Vatra stepped away from the wall in defeat. The godkiller she'd been sacrificed for in order to forge was missing. Which meant her only chance to possess the weapon in thousands of years was gone.