EMBER’S POV
The laughter dies. Everyone’s eyes slide to Knox, who shrugs without a trace of shame.
“Not much of a secret if you all already know.”
“You could have at least tried to be mysterious about it,” Rayana sighs. “Where’s the fun in confessing things everyone already knows?”
“You said write a secret. You didn’t say it had to be a good one.”
“Fair point. But disappointing nonetheless.” She draws the next card and her expression flickers, briefly, before smoothing back into amused neutrality. “‘I destroyed the best thing I ever had for something that didn’t matter.’”
The room goes quiet.
Rayana’s voice doesn’t waver as she reads it, but I catch the slight tightening around her eyes, the way her fingers grip the card just a little too hard.
She doesn’t look at Knox, which is al
