Aella was lying in a hammock, one foot sticking out of it which which she pushed away from the wall, swinging herself. Loki had shown some magic trick when she told him she missed the ability to sleep. According to him, this would help her to fall asleep. It wasn't impossible for creatures like them; it was even better for their mind if they slept once in a while. It however wasn't necessary, but it was a requirement to stay focused and the trick was switching off her mind.

Right now, she failed at shutting out all thoughts. Not that she was trying very hard. There was still a hint of a smile on her lips. She had kissed Loki, and to her own surprise she felt no regret. Neither did he, she believed. Yet, she had secluded herself from the others to think about this.

Someone knocked on the door. "Aella?"

She sighed at the sound of Hayes' voice. In the beginning he had been the one with whom she shared her thoughts, but her feelings for Loki and the lack of a future for them, weren't exactly things she wanted to discuss with the boy. It must have been days since the last time they spoke and his timing was to say the least striking.

"Yeah?"

The door handle went down. Hayes' glance shot through the room, as if he wanted to make sure that she was alone. A pink tinge spread across his cheeks. Closing the door behind him, he entered the room. Although he'd shoved his hands in his pockets, he looked anything but nonchalant.

"I saw you two. A few minutes ago," he said, launching straight into the subject.

Aella shrugged. "And?"

She hadn't known he was around, but right at that moment she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings anyway. She didn't even know how long Loki and she had been standing there, kissing. Furthermore Hayes spent a lot of time in the cockpit; he claimed the sight of the stars inspired him when writing his book.

"And? Well, I just wondered if it was a smart move."

She bit back a grin, she couldn't believe her ears! "Smart move? You sure you aren't just jealous?"

He rolled his eyes. "Absolutely. Since the moment I saw Loki, I am craving for his lips. Who doesn't? If I were him, I would make out with my mirror all day long."

Aella huffed. His cynicism was suffocating. Or maybe the thought that Loki might actually do such a thing was what felt suffocating.

"I don't see what your problem is," she said, raising her eyebrows. "From the moment we went out, I told you I'm not interested in a relationship with you."

He laughed scornfully. "You think I'm still interested? After you stuck your tongue in such filth? I do have a little dignity. I just wanted to make sure you're still the same girl as the one who was so desperately chasing the voices. The girl I considered as a friend. For I just can't stop the feeling that beast put a spell on you."

"It was just a kiss, Hayes," she sighed. "Don't worry about it."

"Do you love him?"

Aella frowned. "What's it to you?"

Her sharp tone didn't scare him. "You wanted me to come with you on this journey," he reminded her, even though Aella had a hard time remembering those words. But yes, she had appreciated his company in the beginning, so it was hard to rule out. "Loki might blind you with his sweet lies, but not me. Cunning runs through his veins. But a day will come when he will choose for himself and let you down — and me too!"

"I will never forget who he is, Hayes," she sighed. "We just felt bored, that's all."

Hayes snorted, shaking his head. "If you really believe that, you're even more stupid than I thought you were." He squeezed his eyes. "And you're not stupid, Aella. You're falling for that rat — or maybe you already fell."

"And now what?" Aella taunted, before she could really think about his words. "What do you want from me now? You want me to avoid him for the rest of my life? Because there's a chance he might betray me one day?"

"Because he will betray you one day."

"Since when do you have a gift of prophecy?" she mocked. "You are so desperate to become a god too that you're imagining things now?"

He looked at her, the look in his eyes sad. Slowly, he shook his head. "You were the one with that prophetic dream, Aella."

"That was not a vision, it was a memory."

"A memory that will repeat itself. Mark my words. And I have a strong feeling that I will be the one whose life it's going to cost."

After these words, Hayes turned around and slammed the door behind him.

Aella felt a stab in her stomach, as if something deep inside her agreed with Hayes' words.

Was it Rota who was warning her?