Tonia's POV
My fingers ached to grip the fabric of my dress, but I kept them still at my sides. Kermit had been clear about his instructions - no fidgeting, no signs of weakness that would betray my nerves.
The massive hall fell into complete silence. Every face turned toward me with expressions that shifted from confusion to shock, then settled into something far more dangerous. Whispered conversations erupted at the tables as they processed what they were seeing. Only the Executioners remained motionless, their cold stares fixed on me like predators sizing up their prey.
"You're a Siphon." Zack's voice cut through the murmurs, his statement carrying the weight of a death sentence. "And you're responsible for Ruby's death."
My throat felt dry as sandpaper. "It wasn't intentional. I never meant for it to happen."
