Riley's POV

I stepped toward them deliberately.

The sound of my boots against the floor echoed through the hall, steady and controlled. The knife hung loosely in my hand, but the blood still dripping from it made its own quiet rhythm against the ground.

Ethan, Daphne, and Wendy reacted immediately.

Their formation broke.

Daphne grabbed at Wendy's arm, trying to pull her forward, but Wendy jerked away, shoving her back in return. Ethan took a step back, but there was nowhere to go. The guards had sealed every exit, and the walls behind him offered no escape.

"Go," Daphne hissed under her breath, pushing at Wendy again.

"Why me?" Wendy...