Chapter 43: devil’s brother
The sky turned rust-red by dawn.
Not from the sun, but from the energy rippling through the air—like the heavens themselves were bracing for chaos.
Cain stood at the manor gates, hands clenched. His usually calm face was hard now, cut in stone. Beside him, Leo twirled a dagger between his fingers and tried to whistle, off-key. It wasn't nerves. That was just Leo being Leo.
Behind them, Eren had layered three shields over the courtyard and was now stuffing a protein bar into his mouth mid-incantation.
"Bro, you've had all night," Leo muttered. "Couldn't you eat before raising demonic barriers?"
Eren shrugged. "Blood sugar crashes are real, and I don't want to pass out when I'm blasting evil uncles."
Selene was nearby with Amara and Eira. Though the tension crackled like electricity, Selene still found a moment to glance at Cain, mouthing softly, You okay?
He gave the tiniest nod. But deep down, he wasn't.
Then, they felt it.
The ground pulsed.
The wind died.