𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 - 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘱𝘯

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘐

𝐉𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐀𝐑𝐂

𝐒𝐈𝐗
___________

"We know you're a traitor, Y/n."

Your entire body becomes stiff with shock, every muscle in your body frozen in disbelief. The questions reverberates through your mind: How did he manage to find out? Was it a slip-up on your part, a subtle mistake that gave away your whereabouts? But there could be no way.

With a calm and collected tone, you ask, "What are you talking about?" You carefully mask any traces of shock, ensuring that neither your voice nor your expression betray the surprise that courses through your veins.

"I know you and Ray are the traitors. You've been spying for mom."

You glance over at Ray, noticing that he avoids making eye contact with you. It's as if he carries a burden of shame. Anger begins to well up inside you, fueled by the realization that he must have either been caught first and decided to implicate you, or Norman had suspicions from the very beginning.

"How did you find out?" you ask, your voice tinged with frustration and curiosity. There's no denying it now.

"It was obvious. I just had to remember something and piece it together." Norman replies. "I remembered when you went to the gate six years ago to see Aether leave. You came back, and you were never the same. It was a dead giveaway that you had witnessed the harvest. I only had Ray confirm."

In that moment, you realize that you inadvertently revealed yourself from the start. The memory of that day had slipped your mind, and now you berate yourself for such carelessness. How could you have been so foolish to forget about it?

"So, what's the plan now? Are you going to threaten me? Or maybe abandon me here while you all make your escape?" you questioned, closing the book with a definitive snap as you lean back in your chair.

He shakes his head, a determined look in his eyes. "No, neither of those things. But before we proceed, I need to understand why you did it."

Curiosity piqued, you respond, "Did what specifically?"

He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before replying, "Why did you choose to keep it a secret for so long? Unless, you found yourself in a similar predicament as Ray."

You take a moment, deep in thought, as his words sink in. The reason you've kept this secret locked away for so long is because of the agreement you made with mom. It's been your personal sacrifice, a pact to ensure the safety and well-being of Norman, Ray, and Emma for as long as possible. You were willing to bear the burden, even if it meant being shipped out first, just to give them a little more time to experience happiness because, deep down, you believe they truly deserve it.

But when it comes to yourself, you can't help but feel sense of guilt. You carry the weight of all those lost lives, the children who met unfortunate fates under your watch.

However, admitting this to him feels too embarrassing, too vulnerable. It's a secret you'd rather keep hidden.

"What's wrong? You don't want to say?" Norman's words hit you like a punch to the gut, his tone dripping with a hint of mockery.