The timer hits 32.
Ryan's jaw is tight. His thumb hovers over the screen.
Summer shifts beside Zyren. "Don't answer it."
Aurora tilts her head, studying Ryan like he's predictable.
"Twenty-five," she murmurs.
Ryan glares at her. "Shut up."
She smiles.
"Fine," she says casually. "He'd save Summer."
Silence.
The timer freezes at 21.
Everyone turns.
Summer blinks. "What?"
Zyren's body goes rigid.
Ryan's voice drops. "Stop talking."
Aurora shrugs. "He looks at her first when something goes wrong. It's obvious."
Summer lets out a short, disbelieving laugh. "This is not funny."
Zyren slowly looks at Ryan.
Not angry.
Calculating.
The phone vibrates again.
"ANSWER LOCKED."
Ryan's head snaps down to his screen.
He didn't touch it.
He didn't speak.
But the display now reads:
SUMMER SELECTED.
The room goes cold.
"I didn't—" Ryan starts.
"CHOICE CONFIRMED."
Summer steps back instinctively.
Zyren steps forward instantly.
"Fix it," he says to Ryan.
"I didn't pick—"
Aurora's smile widens slightly.
"INTERESTING PRIORITY."
"WHY SUMMER?"
Summer's throat tightens. "This is stupid. It's just trying to start something."
But she doesn't miss the way Zyren's hand grips hers tighter.
Ryan looks genuinely shaken now. "I swear I didn't press anything."
Kaida whispers, "It doesn't need you to."
All the phones buzz again.
"DATA ANALYSIS COMPLETE."
"EMOTIONAL HIERARCHY DETECTED."
Lyrelle's stomach drops.
Prince's expression darkens.
Jake pulls Kyra closer.
The screen continues.
"PLAYER RYAN."
"YOU VALUE SUMMER ABOVE ALL."
Ryan's voice cracks. "That's not what this is—"
Zyren cuts him off quietly. "Then what is it?"
That hurts more than shouting would've.
Aurora walks slowly around them like she's observing animals.
"You really didn't notice?" she says softly. "The way the game mirrors what you won't say out loud?"
Summer finally yanks her hand from Zyren's.
"Okay enough," she snaps. "Ryan, do you like me?"
Ryan looks stunned. "What? No!"
Too fast.
Too sharp.
Zyren's jaw tightens.
Summer folds her arms. Defensive now. "Then why is it saying that?"
Ryan runs a hand through his hair. "Because it's messing with us!"
"Or," Aurora says lightly, "because it's reading you."
Phones buzz again.
"GROUP INSTABILITY: INITIATED."
And then—
Ryan's screen changes.
A video loads.
It's from weeks ago.
After Saph died.
The group arguing.
Summer crying quietly in the background when she thought no one noticed.
Ryan stepping toward her.
Stopping himself.
The video pauses on that frame.
"PROTECTIVE INSTINCT CONFIRMED."
Zyren sees it.
Summer sees it.
Everyone sees it.
Ryan whispers, "That's not—"
But he doesn't finish.
Because now the Game shifts.
"SECONDARY CONSEQUENCE."
"PLAYER PRINCE."
Prince stiffens.
Lyrelle turns slowly toward him.
Aurora watches closely now.
Prince's phone lights up.
"UNRESOLVED ACTION DETECTED."
"WOULD YOU LIKE IT REVEALED?"
The room stops breathing.
Kaida closes her eyes.
Kyra goes pale.
Prince looks at Lyrelle.
Lyrelle's voice is barely steady. "Reveal what?"
The timer appears again.
And this time…
It's shorter.