Yeomra grimaces, shoving Seokga off him. Kisa has an inkling that Seokga has let himself be shoved. He’s much taller than the death god. Despite his slender build, Seokga has broader shoulders, muscled arms, legs she suspects are just as toned under his pants, and a palpable aura of violence. Not that she endorses violence, but…Kisa’s mouth dries out and she immediately flushes in embarrassment as she realizes her gaze has drifted down to Seokga’s bum. She’s studied anatomy for years, and she has to admit that the god’s posterior really is spectacularly formed.

Stop staring at his bum, she tells herself. Stop it. There are important things going on and besides, you’ve only just met him.

“Heh,” Yeomra is saying. “Heh. Well. Funny you should bring that up.”

“Hwanin’s tits, Yeomra,” Seokga snaps, and then grimaces. “I mean—”

“Can’t use that one anymore,” Somi snickers, tickling Hwanin’s tummy. He squeals and kicks his feet.

Yeomra sighs, glancing at Hwanin. Kisa takes a step back protectively, and the CEO rolls his eyes. “Okay, fine. Yes. I was distracted. Usually, I can see every concerning event that happens in my realm—the eoduksini thing was a fluke, Seokga—but I was distracted. With a very beautiful demon, I might add.”

“Funny,” sneers Seokga, and it’s truly jarring how he’s been so very kind to Kisa tonight and so incredibly rude to everyone else. “That was your excuse last time.”

—fucking—inept—can’t do—one job—want—slap him—

Kisa winces at Seokga’s barrage of heated thoughts, like furiously snapping vipers.

“She’s very demanding.” He rubs the back of his neck. “This looks bad. For me, specifically. Twice now, something like this has happened under my eye. So, uh, here’s the deal.”

“Oh, goody,” the trickster god drawls. “Another fucking bargain. That’s how it always starts, doesn’t it?”

The other deity ignores him. “Cover this up. I mean—” Yeomra shrivels underneath Seokga’s gaze. Kisa feels a thrum of awe at the sheer power Seokga holds in one withering glare. Do all the gods fear him? “Find the murderer. Quickly, before the cruise ends. Don’t let any staff know.”

Surely she’s misheard him. “Why?” demands Kisa, somehow finding her voice for the sheer foolishness of it all. “Aren’t they—we—to report to you?”

Yeomra’s eyes don’t even dart her way, but she still shivers, suddenly regretting her outburst as he scowls. “Because,” he says, like she’s a very unintelligent child (and it rankles—Kisa can take many insults, but insults against her intellect cut deep), “usual protocol doesn’t apply to this. The emperor was murdered. Do you think they’ll call me when there’s an emergency button to contact Okhwang directly? Fucking stipulations,” he adds. “I didn’t want that button. But Hwanin insisted.