Chapter 54: The quiet between the storm
The cave had gone silent.
The oppressive heat had lifted, but the tension remained like smoke clinging to their skin. The boys sat around a flickering fire outside, their mother asleep in the tent behind them. Her energy had been drained, her sudden return costing her dearly.
Cain was silent, staring into the fire. His jaw clenched, his thoughts loud though he spoke no words.
Leo sat nearby, running his fingers through the grass like he could ground himself with nature. Eren sharpened a blade absentmindedly, not because it needed it—but because his hands needed something to do.
Selene returned from the nearby woods, a few berries and herbs tucked in her hands. She crouched beside Cain and placed a hand on his arm.
"Eat something," she said gently. "You've barely moved."
Cain didn't even blink.
"He looked like me," he whispered after a moment. "He talked like me. But it felt...wrong."
Eren stopped sharpening. "Because he is wrong."