How he wishes he could smite them down.

“Fine,” he finally hisses. “But no questions regarding the baby, or the security room, or my brother…who, for the record, is perfectly fine. He’s watching television in his room and there is absolutely nothing wrong with him.” And, he adds silently, “honesty” means nothing to a trickster god. He’ll answer the questions in whatever way he damn pleases.

“That baby could be our biggest scoop,” Chaeyeon argues, pointing at Hwanin. “We’ll ask about it if we want to.”

Seokga sees red. “Ask about the baby and I’ll tear you limb from limb. You might not be able to die again, but you can feel pain—plenty of it.”

The girl pales.

“Whatever.” Korain shrugs, but there’s a malicious gleam in his eyes. “Let’s just start. There are plenty of other questions to ask.”

“Right.” Chayeon clears her throat. “We at Godly Gossip would like to thank you for sitting down with us today—”

“Fuck off,” Seokga snarls, glaring at the blinking red button of the recording app shoved in his face. “You and I both know why we’re here. Go on, ask. Before I lose my patience.”

“Fine. First question: Do you wear a toupee?”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kisa

They might have, Kisa thinks as she stares at the god who’s just walked into the Creature Café, a teeny, tiny problem.

Or perhaps it’s not a problem at all. Perhaps this is good. Yes, perhaps it’s a good thing that Hwanung, son/probable-murderer of Hwanin, is ordering an iced tea on the SRC Flatliner and smiling flirtatiously at the flustered barista. His hair is purple rather than long and dyed silver, and he doesn’t wear the traditional robes like his father, but the resemblance is plain as day. This is Hwanung.

Hwanung, who is wearing a faded Elvis T-shirt and a ridiculous number of earrings.

Hwanung, who is one of their primary murder suspects.

With a trembling hand, Kisa sets down her pen, which she’s been using to scribble new theories that coat her in a cold, damp sweat and send chills down her spine. Theories that suggest that this entire plot has gone on for much longer than anybody has suspected.

Perhaps Hwanung is meeting his accomplice for their next crime. Are they going to murder Seokga? The thought petrifies her, but Kisa forces herself to remain seated, carefully watching as the god pays and wanders out the door, sipping indolently. After a terrified pep talk to herself, Kisa follows him through the ship, careful to remain a healthy distance behind him as he reaches Deck 7 and wanders down the hall of suites, seemingly counting the door numbers until he reaches Room 7346. His father’s room.

Kisa holds her breath. Hwanung pulls a keycard from his pocket and slips inside as Kisa watches avidly from around the corner, counting down the seconds until the god emerges, face carefully blank.