The lights don't come back immediately.
For a few seconds, it's just breathing.
Uneven. Close. Loud.
Then—
Every phone lights up at once.
Not notifications.
A screen.
Black background. White text.
"PHASE TWO."
"TRUTH ROUND."
Summer lets out a weak laugh. "Of course it is."
Zyren mutters, "Stay close."
The lights flicker back on.
Dimmer than before.
Colder.
Kaida's phone lifts slightly in her hand— not by her. Just… reacting.
"ALL PLAYERS PARTICIPATE."
A circle icon appears on every screen.
Names rotating.
Slowing.
Stopping.
KYRA.
Kyra freezes.
"No," she whispers immediately. "No, no—"
Jake turns to her. "Kyra, just answer it."
Her breathing picks up.
The phone continues.
"TRUTH PROMPT:"
"WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT SAPH DIED?"
Silence crashes.
No one moves.
Summer's voice drops. "That's not… that's not fair."
Prince stiffens.
Lyrelle's heart starts racing.
Kaida closes her eyes.
Kyra shakes her head violently. "I can't."
"FAILURE TO ANSWER RESULTS IN CONSEQUENCE."
Jake steps closer. "Kyra, talk to me."
Her eyes dart to Prince.
That's all it takes.
Lyrelle sees it.
Everything shifts.
"Why are you looking at him?" Lyrelle asks quietly.
Kyra's voice breaks. "I didn't mean to—"
"Mean what?" Jake demands now.
The screen flashes.
"MEMORY ASSIST ENABLED."
The lights dim again.
And then—
A scene plays.
Not on one phone.
On all of them.
Night.
Music.
Laughter.
Saph's voice— sharp, annoyed.
"You think I'm stupid?"
The camera angle is off. Like it's watching from somewhere hidden.
Kyra stands there.
Tense.
Prince beside her.
Too close.
Too quiet.
Saph laughs bitterly. "Wow. Both of you? That's crazy."
Lyrelle's breath stops.
Present Lyrelle doesn't move.
Doesn't blink.
Jake goes still beside Kyra.
The memory continues—
"I didn't plan it," Kyra says in the clip, voice shaking.
Saph scoffs. "You never plan anything. You just ruin things."
Prince runs a hand through his hair. "Saph, lower your voice."
"Why?" she snaps. "So Lyrelle doesn't hear?"
That line hits like a punch.
Present Lyrelle stumbles back slightly.
The clip glitches.
Cuts.
Before anything more.
The lights snap fully back.
Silence.
No one breathes right.
Jake slowly turns to Kyra.
"Tell me that's not what it looks like."
Kyra is crying now. "It was before—"
"That's not the point!" Jake snaps.
His voice finally breaks.
"You lied."
Prince steps forward. "Jake—"
Jake turns on him instantly. "Don't."
That word is sharp.
Final.
Lyrelle still hasn't said anything.
That's worse.
Way worse.
She looks at Prince.
Then at Kyra.
Then back at Prince.
"You were going to let me find out like this?" she asks.
Prince's voice is low. "I was going to tell you."
"When?" she whispers. "After what? After it ruined everything?"
He has no answer.
That's the answer.
Across the room, Summer is unusually quiet.
Zyren glances at her. "Say something."
She shakes her head slowly. "Not everything needs commentary."
But she grips his sleeve tightly.
Ryan exhales roughly, running a hand over his face. "This is messed up."
Aurora watches all of it.
Every reaction.
Every crack.
Satisfied.
Kaida steps forward again.
"I tried to stop this," she says softly.
Lyrelle doesn't look at her.
"I didn't want you to see it like this."
Lyrelle nods once.
"But you still let it happen."
That distance again.
Phones buzz one more time.
"TRUTH PARTIAL."
"DAMAGE MAXIMIZED."
Then—
"NEXT TARGET: RELATIONSHIP COLLAPSE."
Jake lets out a hollow laugh.
"Too late."
He steps back from Kyra completely this time.
Not small.
Not hesitant.
Done.
Kyra reaches for him instinctively.
He doesn't take her hand.
Across from them, Lyrelle finally moves.
She steps past Prince.
Not touching him.
Not stopping.
Just walking.
Out.
Prince stands there.
For once—
The leader has nothing to say.