Elio survived, but lost both legs to the spikes. Zara and Kairos knew they had to act fast—Nora was planning to kill everyone at the graduation ceremony, then frame it as a terrorist attack.
They broke into the school's main hall, where Nora had rigged dozens of traps:
- Floor panels that would drop anyone who stepped on them into a pit of broken glass.
- Light fixtures wired to electrocute anyone who touched them.
- A gas line connected to the stage, set to ignite when the valedictorian began speaking.
As they worked to disable the traps, Lila appeared, knife in hand. "You don't understand," she said, tears streaming down her face. "Nora saved me. She gave me a reason to live. A reason to make them pay."
"Pay who?" Zara asked, stepping toward her. "The bullies who hurt you? Or Nora, who's been using you this whole time? She doesn't care about you. She just cares about power."
She pulled out a photo from Isaac's journal—Nora talking to the bullies, telling them exactly how to target Lila. "She wanted you to be broken. She wanted you to be her weapon."
Lila dropped the knife, collapsing to the floor. "I didn't know… I thought she was my friend."