"Good. Then let's go."
Without saying anything else, he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her waist smoothly, lifting her off the ground like she weighed nothing. Annie froze, surprised, her mind going blank as he held her tightly. His cloak fluttered around them.
Before she could say anything, the air around them shimmered. They started rising, floating upward as the ground moved farther away.
Annie's eyes widened. Her heart beat fast as she saw how high they were going, the clearing getting smaller below.
Meeyn's red eyes sparkled with amusement. His hold was strong but gentle as they flew toward Wall Maria. The wind pulled at Annie's hair.
He can float? The thought shocked her. She had seen him control Titans and use dark powers, but flying like this—going against gravity—was something completely new. Her face grew hot, not only because of the wind but because of how close he was holding her.
Meeyn looked at her and smiled. "Not curious how I'm doing this?" he asked, teasing her, speaking loudly over the wind.
Annie glanced at him, then quickly looked away, her face turning redder. "Not my business," she said. She didn't understand his powers, and she didn't care to. He asked her to come, and she did. That was enough.
Meeyn laughed. It was a warm, relaxed sound. "Fair enough." He held her a bit tighter and flew them even higher. Wall Maria's huge shape appeared in the distance. "Hold on. We have somewhere to be."
The flight was quick. The land passed by fast under them as Meeyn carried them over forests and empty fields. Annie stayed quiet. Her shock slowly turned into quiet amazement as she looked down at the world from above.
When they got close to Wall Maria, Meeyn's face grew serious. He narrowed his eyes like he had noticed something. "There," he said quietly and flew them down, landing gently in a clearing near the wall.
The place was empty. Broken carts and weeds were everywhere. It was the ruins of a village destroyed by Titans long ago.
Annie's feet touched the ground, and Meeyn let her go. He stepped back calmly. Annie's face was still a little red, but she quickly fixed her hair and looked around.
Before she could say anything, Meeyn tilted his head. His red eyes glowed. "They're here," he said, nodding toward a fallen barn nearby.
Three people came out from the shadows—Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, and Ymir. Their faces looked serious, and they moved carefully, watching Meeyn and Annie.
Reiner stared at Annie. His expression showed both relief and doubt. "Annie," he said with a rough voice. "You're really with him."
Annie's face got hot again as she remembered Meeyn holding her in the sky.
She nodded, avoiding Reiner's eyes, embarrassed but firm. "Yeah," she said quietly.
Ymir raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Well, don't you look cozy," she said, teasing, though her tone was a bit cautious. Bertholdt didn't say anything. He looked nervous, his eyes on Meeyn, who stood calmly with his cloak moving in the breeze.
Meeyn walked forward, his red eyes focused on them. "Have you made your choice?" he asked. His voice was calm but serious. "I offered you freedom, just like I did with Annie. Are you coming with me, or are you still running?"
Reiner's jaw tightened. His fists were clenched. "You're asking us to trust you," he said in a low voice. "After what we saw—your power. What are you, Meeyn? What do you really want?"
"I want a world where people like you aren't used like tools," Meeyn answered. "Marley, Eldia—they're all the same. They use you until you break. I'm offering you a way out. A chance to fight for yourselves."
That wasn't true, of course. He didn't tell them they'd still be fighting—just under his orders this time.
Bertholdt shifted uncomfortably. His voice shook a little. "Your power… it doesn't seem human. How do we know you're not just another ruler pretending to help us?"
"You don't," Meeyn said. "But Annie's here, right? She's not a prisoner. She chose this." He looked at her, his expression soft. Annie nodded, and the embarrassment faded from her face as she met Reiner's eyes. She was sure of her choice.
Ymir crossed her arms. Her smile faded into a thoughtful look. "Freedom sounds nice," she said quietly. "But it always costs something. What's the catch?"
"There's no catch," Meeyn said. "If you join me, you fight beside me. We'll build something new, away from these walls and their wars. But you have to choose now. The Scouts are getting close, and I won't wait."
Reiner looked at Bertholdt and Ymir. After a short pause, he nodded. His voice was heavy. "We'll come."
He turned to Annie. "Ready to go?"
Annie nodded. "Yeah."
Suddenly, Meeyn stepped close again and lifted her off the ground, his arms wrapping around her waist. Annie gasped, her face turning bright red. She tensed up in his arms, embarrassed.
"Meeyn," she whispered urgently. "Put me down."
He smirked, his red eyes shining. "Relax," he whispered back so only she could hear. "You'll get used to it."
Annie's face burned even more as she quickly looked at Reiner, Bertholdt, and Ymir—all of whom were watching with surprised looks.