Lila’s POV
The morning sun spills lazily across the path as Maren and I make our way toward the game area—the same spot where everyone played yesterday. The air smells faintly of salt and hibiscus, warm and sweet against my skin. Everything looks normal, but nothing feels normal anymore.
Not after last night.
Maren walks beside me quietly, her gaze flicking toward me every few steps. I can feel the weight of her curiosity pressing against the silence.
Then she finally speaks, her voice low and uncertain.
“Lila… where did you go last night?”
I freeze. My breath catches before I can steady it.
“What?” I manage, my tone too sharp, too quick.
Maren stops walking, and I stop too.
“Come to think of it,” she says, frowning slightly, “after you excused yourself from dinner, you weren’t se
