Chapter 52: before the storm
The rain hadn't let up since Seraphine disappeared.
It fell like a cleansing, but none of them felt clean.
The cabin they found was half-buried under vines, abandoned long ago by some unlucky soul. Inside, it smelled of rotting wood and wet stone, but it was shelter—and that was enough.
Leo stoked the fire. His usually composed face was drawn, his eyes darker than usual. Eren sat on the windowsill, his legs dangling, fingers twitching like he was itching for a fight. Selene had curled up beside Cain on the worn-down couch, her head resting on his shoulder, his arm around her waist like she might vanish if he let go.
The silence between them wasn't awkward. It was heavy. Thick with memories, with fears they hadn't named yet.
Cain stared at the flames. "She's stronger than Eira ever was."
"Don't say that," Eren muttered. "Don't turn her into something she wasn't."
"She almost killed us," Leo added, voice low.
"But she didn't," Selene said softly. "She's angry. Lost. Hurt. Like we've all been."
Cain looked down at her. "You still believe in people after everything?"
Selene gave a tired smile. "I believe in you. That's enough."