Lilith closed her eyes.
She stood there for a while. Not moving and not speaking. Her breath didn't rise. Her shoulders didn't shift.
The room stayed still, the walls pulsing softly around her. In the center, the black fruit floated in place.
Then she spoke.
"Not yet."
The glow around the fruit faded, like something inside had accepted her words. The walls stopped moving. The air settled. And the fruit dropped.
It didn't crash. It didn't bounce. It just fell, like it had been waiting for permission to let go.
It landed with a soft, padded thud.
Lilith stepped forward. She picked it up with both hands. It was warm to the touch, heavier than expected. Still. Steady. Almost like it was breathing.
She turned and left.
The platform rose again, quietly and smoothly. When the doors opened into the war room, nothing had changed visibly.
But the air felt tighter, like time had stretched thin while the others waited.
All three of them turned when she entered.
