“Card of Betrayal”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMkqgcnqS3
The girls Assembly Hall the following morning is the venue for the second Tribunal. Curtains drawn; bell silent. Only selected prefects, Order affiliates, and nominated students have been summoned. The rest go about their normal school routine mostly unaware of the tension in the hall.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuG40xDLNM6
Naomi stood at the podium under dim, deliberate lighting.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUorFkY9sk
To her left: June and Mary. To her right: Kim, silent, unreadable. In front of her: the M.O.3 crate, now cleaned, re-sealed, chalk mark intact.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkDRwdr3GR
“Today,” Naomi began, voice crisp, “we close a page.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XnylOxAJT
“The ledgers within this crate represent the past we choose not to forget—but to contain.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jqj0DRqYG
The prefects stood still. No movement.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDuF28jRZk
Naomi leaned forward. “Let it be known: Mercy’s ledger, last of its kind, is here. And this assembly will witness its archiving.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCR4mPqWnL
She lifted the lid slowly. Tissue and canvas inside.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JvmiTtRUR
Perfectly wrapped.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvThJ9FPss
She reached in.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym8DuCqqvT
Paused.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoTf3sR8mC
Her hand emerged—not with a ledger. But with a flat black card, stamped with a silver serpent.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRhWbCr9Fd
Gasps rang through the hall.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPXQm8bzNf
Naomi stared at it, frozen.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWStBVcjaGh
She whispered sharply, “That wasn’t in the crate.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgmXq05iaG
Mary stepped forward, too late.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSB6g7KC4z
“There’s been a switch—!”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM6cW3JyQ0
But the room had already turned.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsSRQN0Biv
“Is that… Mercy’s mark? Did Naomi fake the crate?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0cQXyvuEo
“Was this whole thing a setup?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9E8iaPFJiH
From the back of the hall, a junior whispered to another:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJthEv5p1de
“She said she had nothing left to hide. Then what’s that?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhneLnJA8t
Naomi placed the card down without a word.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwA5NEkKPo
The silence was suffocating.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9SqqtygTC
Then she said, slowly:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopH3SdyFEH
“This is not the card we inspected last night.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08rbqDupAX
Murmurs spread. A few laughed nervously. Others stepped backward.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DOzTa7XyA
Kim whispered, “There were two?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmklRBU9gF1
June’s face hardened. “Or someone replaced ours after we destroyed it.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAnqT1ElaL
The room was already vibrating with uncertainty.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIancctapbY
Naomi's fingers hovered over the black card, but her composure had cracked. Whispers were no longer whispers.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B3aemsJR4
“She’s not in control.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcQR08lcWS
“This was never about safety.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjmwLlvx9y
“Mercy’s winning.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmElXRohZq
Suddenly—94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZvyKSieMW
June stepped forward. Without asking.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GqNwOIwIO
She snatched the card from Naomi’s hand — held it up to the hall’s filtered light.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIZHlfNtWi
Gasps rang out.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMp5xnZyfzx
In the upper right corner, only visible at an angle under the glow of the nearby reading lamp:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xRwY5xccT
A faint signature. In soft gold ink.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHz4CHgyEF
One name:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZVQCSP51k
Ayo.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkanMZyY6ul
A prefect shouted, “One of the boys?!”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtzL7y0uVW
Another hissed, “So they set us up?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkFk9vIyjq
Kim’s jaw tightened. “That’s why the card wasn’t just symbolic. It was bait.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw2GL23zDz
Naomi stood frozen — trying to catch her breath, the weight of the card finally gone from her hands.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegxLOnKZ9L
June turned to the room:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmdLm9s1FU
“This is not Mercy’s card. This is a forged threat. It carries the signature of a boy who helped deliver the crate.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ESzkHQPzm
Gasps deepened into murmurs.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7LZVMZgpS
“It was a plant. So, the alliance wasn’t fake—someone tried to make it look fake.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWzHJk5tTq
June turned toward Naomi — not confrontationally, but like a scalpel in a surgeon’s grip.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBi0RoSgiZ
“You need to decide, Naomi. Either call this what it is — sabotage — or let them write your ending for you.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9An7K3LCG
Naomi finally nodded.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpKKrW4CVz
She turned back to the room.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7FwRsepQT
Naomi quietly sealed the box again, her voice calm.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7fFdRmdhe
“The Tribunal is postponed.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdNNIL41cg
The Tribunal Hall had half-emptied. Girls were filing out in low whispers after Naomi’s announcement suspending the boys’ alliance.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaZwiWEuSW
But Mary stayed behind, unmoving. June stood by the crate. Kim lingered at the base of the lectern. Naomi had turned to leave.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyJQ0qs76Q
That’s when Mary stepped forward.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyUNi58Ltd
“There’s something else,” she said quietly.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpBPRcPUUp
Naomi turned.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnd1iP53OJ4
“Not now, Mary—”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlG1xus6ZFH
“Now,” Mary repeated, louder.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZ9hvkjNUi
From her jacket, she pulled a tightly rolled bundle. The room stilled again.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rCiEt7lgM
“This passed through the old herbarium drain vent.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9os38Ml7Q
She unrolled the pages on the center table.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwIGB0iFQI
Real ledger pages.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsTej0IBYC
Stiff, yellowed, handwritten. Dated.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoatO7lnCv
June stepped in, scanning the topmost page.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpK87semJZ
Mercy’s handwriting. Pages of surveillance. Fabricated claims.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2gYMEksok
Invented correspondences.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbbucMl0sf
Mary flipped to one marked in red:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHFKgnYefN
“Naomi collaborated with external prefects to remove dissenters in Form 3. False medical reports approved.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WznJb6Jjr
Naomi stared at it.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7JhpAlJwS
Kim stepped forward. “Is it real?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lXl5aZtxF
Naomi didn’t speak for a long time.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMOceke8Cb
Then — finally:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yRuoKS0mL
“Partially. The cover-ups happened. But I didn’t know about all of them. I let the fear run the archive. And I let Mercy control that fear.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5KSQXHkxv
She stepped back from the lectern.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YXavggldl
“I wasn’t innocent. But I wasn’t the architect either.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5PIGuRd56
Mary rolled the pages up again.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhd8tp8LP3g
“How can we trust that you are not trying to protect yourself. We need to decide what to do with this. Not the Order. Not even you, Naomi.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHy9Se2J1m
Naomi nodded.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgtTW5Bh5B
She looked at Mary with a hint of something close to gratitude.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrrAC7Up6s
“Then make sure whatever truth you choose next… doesn’t turn into another cage.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiTUIec1U7
As Mary rolled up the real ledger pages and Naomi sat in quiet resignation, a slow clap echoed from the back of the Tribunal Hall.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQutB5dANs
All heads turned.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdobJWOSBT
Seline stepped forward, eyes blazing.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FsN1Xirov
“So that’s it? We’re supposed to believe the Order was never complicit? That Mercy lied, but Naomi just… forgot?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6swvtdgDND
June’s jaw tightened. “Seline—”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZU121EZsg
“No. I’ve listened long enough.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6cTabJMm5
She pointed at Naomi, then Mary.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbrkPwW9d2
“You covered for each other. You buried girls under perfect files and soft threats and fake silence. And now you want to be forgiven because someone else did worse?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIvifyk9Wh
Kim stood, but didn’t speak.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQHf4fB3OH
Seline stepped onto the tribunal platform.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NnljWBb1K
“You all failed us. Naomi with her scripts. Mercy with her games. Even June with her riddles.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTrXRTygf0
You think you saved us by picking the cleanest villain.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaQQ128FnX
She pulled a thin red ribbon from her wrist and tied it around her thumb.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyElx04tVYU
“I don’t owe this school another secret. I don’t owe this Order another name.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZYHi3hUlZ
She faced the remaining prefects.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOTTJak18I
“As of today, I start my own record. One that doesn’t vanish in burn bins or whisper vents. One that remembers.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2oZO6HLH5
She turned.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73XroJE0Nm
“You can keep your confessions. I’ll take the truth.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAApkv6JFY
And she walked out.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDWXDJyNhM
No one followed.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLpf6Ttb6G
But several girls looked at each other with new uncertainty.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63rHeMZWFb
As Naomi walked out, her fingers are trembling though nobody notices.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOTjRzPpWX
In the archive box beneath Kim’s bed that night, a second folded black card is found — unsigned, but marked with a blue thumbprint.
*****94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6u8f0Fqov
The Assembly Hall had nearly emptied.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WCMmEh8HK
Seline’s vow still echoed in the minds of those who remained. Naomi had retreated behind the archive walls. Mary and June spoke in hushed tones beside the crate.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HrgqU1DK0
Kim slipped outside.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpKBdn2O6W
She didn’t notice the breeze at first, or the swirl of jacaranda petals on the stone steps. Only when a shadow moved beside her did she exhale.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uvtcbG95p
Shiko.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrNR1qT0ui
No words — just presence.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ISYuoLlQI
For once, Kim didn’t resist the comfort. She leaned in, and Shiko placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctzm0o0gEy
“You were right,” she whispered.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nxHZQIE4Q
“You didn’t flinch.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWum6IiNMo
Shiko gave a nervous smile. “I still wanted to.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmenJHQ73g
Then — just above the wind, quiet enough to be mistaken for breath:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbzBxp279L
“I think I’ve always wanted to tell you.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0Tx4WkPNZ
“That night by the wall. The message in the atlas. The fake card I planted to protect you.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ637VlF4y3q
Kim turned her face toward her.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzF2dpwmKUU
“Why?”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY6M7aQPMs
Shiko swallowed. “Because… if they ever turned on you, I wouldn’t be able to stand behind a wall.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF4ZDz6D1C
A pause.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GVCnDtAgM
Their foreheads touched for half a second. She almost let it linger.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYwn0d0Aty
But then — her eyes flicked.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXeySmk4jP
Across the courtyard. Toward the boys’ side.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9EQZunHPH
Toward Jabari, standing with Musa beneath the awning, just beyond reach — half-shadow, fully watching.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RpTF9BAcK
Her breath caught.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx2krd3qul
She pulled back gently.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EsdbdM44C
“You’re brave, Shiko. You always have been.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsXueMQeFN
“But sometimes the person you trust the most… isn’t the one who unlocks the map.”94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX5xEQKJcR
She squeezed her hand once. Then walked back away.
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