THIRTEEN • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 17: Loop Nine, V

Both of you were arrested in the airship. The Survey Corps went ballistic when they realized you were the War Hammer. You were now an asset or an anomaly—nevertheless, it was better to know that a major Titan was on Paradis' side.

You sat numbly in the cabin as everything fell into place. You heard the gunshot. You heard Sasha's body drop. You were forced to listen to Armin and Mikasa sob over her body from the other room, their anguished cries echoing over the hum of the airship engine. You stared into space, hollow, as you relived the nightmares of nine long lives.

Your hair and clothes were still damp from the crystal-melt. The drops ran down your temple, filling in for your empty tears.

It had been Sasha who teased you when she found out you and Eren slept together. You had been laughing together in those camps, letting her poke your stomach and tickle you. Now, she was gone forever and you hadn't been there by her side. You had no idea how you managed to live with yourself, watching your friends die again and again when you were supposed to have the power to prevent it.

Zeke spoke to break the silence. Eren did not look at his brother but you knew he must be listening. To think three unpredictable Titan shifters were gathered in one cabin all at once—together, you would be deadly.

"Little maid," said Zeke. "You, an infiltrator from Paradis? I doubted you, but I never would have guessed that. I knew you were smart—makes me wonder what other tricks you have up your sleeve."

Eren eyed you. You kept many secrets. You hid them all well. It was strange how the only secret you couldn't keep was the amount of love you had for him deep inside.

"The Paths realm," you said mindlessly. "Time doesn't pass there. Everything is happening all at once—all of our Coordinates converging."

Zeke raised a brow. "Why share your studies now?"

"I don't know," you said, pausing. "Maybe there's something you can say about it. Help me, maybe. I felt connected to the Paths when I was in Titan form."

"All our Coordinates converge in the Paths," said Zeke. "Founder Ymir connects us all."

"Maybe it's not Founder Ymir," you said. You glanced at Eren. "Maybe it's the Founding Titan."

"Which is controlled by Founder Ymir. Everything she wants will happen because she owns the Paths. If she wants to change our biology, she can. If it's in her interest to not reform our bodies whenever we get injured, it's up to her."

"She can't do that without an order or a motive. Her desires created the Paths, but she has no free will to control it."

Both Zeke and Eren stared at you.

"How do you know that?" Eren asked sharply.

If it had been an earlier version of you, you would have panicked. Now, lying to cover the loops came to you easily.

"I was in the Paths, wasn't I?" you asked. It wasn't exactly a lie, anyway. "I see things too."

Knowledge. A mind that held exclusive information—especially about Founder Ymir and the Paths, both of which Eren and Zeke needed for their motives—was rare. That made you even more valuable than both Eren and Zeke thought. They did not know you knew their plans, but they were now aware that there were things you knew that they did not.

You pondered.

"The Paths realm..." you mused. "If it controls time... and everything happens all at the same time... then maybe it's not really a—mph."

The word you wanted to say was 'loop', but your mouth was wired shut. If she wants to change our biology, she can. Ymir must be altering you, controlling you, and sending you back in time every time you die because it could alter your Eldian blood. You had to go to the Paths realm somehow and demand answers that would break the loop and save everyone. Now that you were a Titan, that was your best shot.