Free Their Solitary Way by JN Chaney Page A

him and see for myself.”
    Watching his brother storm off, Seth called after him. “It’s not up to you! You’re only going to cause more trouble!”
    But he didn’t answer, disappearing into the hall.
    Seth waited a moment, debating whether he should follow or stay put. Maybe I should have told him the truth , he thought. Even though Cain asked me not to, it could have saved us all some grief . He felt like he was stuck, trapped in a family of fools.
    He stayed at the threshold, but stopped himself from leaving. He had actual work to do—a real investigation to perform. Forget his stupid brothers. Let them have their little talk. Brothers fought all the time, didn’t they?
    Cain and Abel were no different.
     

    Cain stretched out on his bed, staring at the wall. He twirled the soldering iron between his fingers, recalling the conversation he’d had with Seth the night before.
    Had Cain done the right thing by telling his brother the truth? What if their father found out? He could almost hear the old man’s voice in his head. What a worthless son. Pathetic. You’re a disgrace to the family name.
    He curled into a ball beneath his sheets, ready to fall asleep and forget. Dream of something better.
    The computer screen chimed, brightening the room a little, stirring him. He turned on his side, facing the light.
    “Are you okay?” asked Lilith. She stood on a cliff overlooking a valley, the wind blowing against her ginger hair.
    “I’m good,” he said.
    “Are you thinking about last night?” she asked.
    “No,” he lied. “I’m just tired.”
    “Don’t worry about Seth. He won’t say anything.”
    Cain turned away from her, facing the wall. “I wish everyone would leave me alone.”
    “Even me?” she asked, frowning.
    “No,” he muttered.
    “Good,” she said.
    “I just don’t want him telling Father. I don’t want another lecture.”
    “Neither do I, believe me,” she said.
    A sudden knock at the door. He flinched at the sound.
    Who could it be this time? Had Seth returned with Father? Cain’s head was already hurting from the inevitable argument. He rolled his eyes, squeezing the soldering pen.
    Lilith tilted her head, staring with a blank expression on her face. A second later, she blinked. “It’s not Seth this time,” she told him.
    “Who, then?”
    “Looks like Abel.”
    “Great,” muttered Cain. “Even better.”
    “Cain, open up!” barked Abel from the hall. “I need to talk to you.”
    Cain leapt off the bed, dropped his soldering pen on the desk, and went to the door. His brother’s face appeared on the screen. Maybe I should ignore him , thought Cain.
    “Come on, open up,” said Abel.
    Last time I didn’t answer, Seth broke in. No one cares about my privacy.
    “I’ll come back with Father if you don’t open it.”
    Cain let out a frustrated sigh, then tapped the screen. “One sec.” He glanced at the monitor where Lilith had been, but it was off. She’d left him for now, and he had to remind himself that she didn’t have a choice.
    The door slid open, and Abel stepped inside. “There you are. What took you so long?” He looked around the room. “What are you doing in here?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Look, I’m going to cut right to it,” said Abel.
    “Right to what?” asked Cain.
    “I know Seth came here last night to talk to you. Tell me what happened.”
    Cain stiffened. “What?”
    “You were a suspect in an investigation. Did he tell you that? There’s a ton of evidence against you.”
    “Seth knows it wasn’t me,” he said.
    “So I’ve heard. He says you have an alibi, but he won’t give me the details.”
    Cain said nothing.
    His brother stared at him. “I came here for answers. I’m not leaving until you start talking.”
    “What do you want me to say?”
    Abel scoffed. “I want you to tell me what this supposed alibi is.”
    “It’s none of your business,” said Cain.
    “You’re the primary suspect of a murder investigation that