Chapter 96 A Heartbreaking Silence

• The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the pack house, casting a golden glow across the room, but the warmth did nothing to ease the chill between Zeus and Aphrodite. She had barely looked at him since the night before, and her silence cut deeper than any words could.
• Zeus finished packing his gear, glancing over at her as she played with Selene in the garden. Normally, she’d prepare something for his journey, a token or a warm meal to take with him—but today, she offered nothing. There was a resignation in her movements, a quiet detachment that gnawed at him. Yet, he understood why.
• “Aphrodite...” he began, trying one last time to reach her, but she didn’t respond. Her attention stayed focused on Selene, her hands guiding their daughter’s small fingers as she showed her how to weave flowers into crowns.