“Proof,” I say again. “You’ve accused her of murder, Shy. You must have proof.”

Isn’t that what the Order’s always asking for? Evidence?

He opens his mouth, but the only thing he manages is, “You don’t trust me?”

If my heart were glass, it would shatter. He looks at me with solid frustration, jaw tight, eyes like lamplights…like he can see all my flaws and fears. It hurts my chest.

I manage to scoff, but it takes a lot of energy to stay angry with him. “This isn’t about trust. You’re targeting Lennon, which is an insult when the Order’s responsible for her mother’s death.”

Lennon’s pain and anger are palpable. She lost her mother. How can I not say something to Shy and Natalie about their precious Order?

“We’ve done nothing but help you and risked everything for it!”

“I’m not arguing about whether you’ve helped me, but murder is a serious accusation, one you seem to be willing to just throw around whenever you please.”

Natalie takes a step forward. “You’d insult the only people who’ve kept you alive?”

“Arguably,” I say, “you’ve almost gotten me killed.”

“You’re not dead, and that’s more than we can say for Lily.”

It’s obvious Natalie wants to keep questioning Lennon, but Shy pulls her away. The stark look of betrayal on his face feels like a slice to my heart.

They leave, entering the school again. When I look up, I see students staring out the windows, watching our exchange.

Bet this will end up on Roundtable.

In the aftermath, Lennon says, “She’s lucky Lily’s the only friend she’s lost.”

I turn to face Lennon, surprised those horrible words came out of her mouth. “Lily’s dead, Lennon. That’s not funny.”

Lennon shrugs. “I didn’t say it to be funny.”

It’s another threat.

Then it hits me: Lennon predicted the posts that would destroy Lily’s reputation. She’d said they would overshadow my weirdness in art. Now that I know her better, I’d say she was…excited.

She also hadn’t thought it was ridiculous that Lily was being publicly shamed for her relationship with a human. At the time, I didn’t think much about her response—

It’s not that she was sexting. It’s who…

“You posted Lily’s texts on Roundtable,” I say. Lennon doesn’t move to deny it, and I feel my heart sink further into my stomach. “Why?”

She shrugs. “I had to show her she couldn’t trust the Order, just like I had to show you.”

Then she walks away as if she hasn’t just upended everything and left me with no one to trust.

Chapter Forty

Anora and the Betrayal