Saphira's mom came home late that evening.
The lights were on.
She frowned the moment she stepped inside.
There were too many shoes by the door.
Too many voices that stopped the second she walked in.
She smiled weakly. "I thought Saph was spending the week at Lyrelle's house."
No one answered.
Her smile faltered.
Jason stood up slowly. "Aunty…"
She looked around the room. "Where is she?"
Lyrelle's throat tightened. "She hasn't come back yet."
"Come back from where?" her mom asked, confused now. "She left with you people."
Summer turned her face away.
Kaida couldn't move.
Saph's mom laughed softly, nervously. "Okay. She's probably with one of you. She forgets to text sometimes."
Jason shook his head.
Very slowly.
"No," he said. "She didn't go anywhere else."
The room went quiet.
Her heart started to race. "What do you mean she didn't go anywhere else?"
Jason's voice cracked. "We lost her."
That word.
Lost.
She staggered back a step. "You're saying that like she's an object."
Kyra whispered, "We tried to find her."
Saph's mom stared at them. "Find her… where?"
No one answered.
And that was when she knew.
Not fully. Not logically.
But mothers know.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
"She's dead," she whispered.
Jason dropped to his knees.
"I'm so sorry."
She didn't scream.
She didn't cry.
She just sank into the chair like something inside her had shut off.
"No," she said quietly. "You don't get to say that."
Her voice started shaking. "She's seventeen. She has school on Monday. She has clothes in the washer. She hates being cold."
No one could look at her.
"She can't be dead," she said again. "Not without me knowing."
Kaida felt sick.
Because Saph was dead.
And they knew.
And they were watching her mom find out without being able to tell her how or why.
Saph's mom stood up suddenly.
"I'm calling the police," she said. "I'm calling everyone."
Kaida's phone felt like it was burning through her pocket.
Because the game had already taken her.
And it wasn't done.