After they had made their verdict, they released Chase, much to Vivica's disgust.

Eliza didn't think that they'd be able to hold a trial with so many people who didn't know what really happened, but they did it and it was fair in her eyes. At least Chase gets another chance.

But that means he is still in the Game.

Would she really kill someone if it came to it? Would they host a court each time someone dies? What if someone is declared guilty? They'd be killed too?

And if it were truly fair, shouldn't Chase have been punished for what he did to Vivica. Eliza sure wouldn't want to be bonded like she was; that position seemed terribly uncomfortable.

Vivica is very lucky that Jennifer found her so soon and that Eliza was able to free her. Otherwise, who knows how long she'd be in there! Plus, she could've suffocated...

Maybe Eliza should've let her in there after all.

"Okay, I say we head back to the parlor," Eliza says. She isn't going to let anyone else take charge; leading others is her rodeo. Zach still holds this against her at times.

What would Isabelle think of all of this? Jennifer...she reminds Eliza so much of the beloved young girl that she's supposed to be at home looking after.

Izzy never liked conflict. She hated it when their parents argued. The only thing that seemed to calm her down was when Eliza would sing 'You Are My Sunshine'. Eliza is shaken from her thoughts when Zach taps her shoulder.

"We need to talk." Zach puts a hand on her back, leading her away from where the group stopped to argue.

"Chase?" Eliza asks when they're far away from the group.

"Yeah. I don't know if we can trust him."

"He tied Vivica up! Of course we can't trust him!"

"But I don't think he killed Zuri." Zach looks at Eliza.

"Me neither. I think we need to watch Vivica, Katarina, and Sasha. None of them seemed too happy that he didn't get punished."

"I agree that he should be punished—he did tie up Vivica, after all—but not the way they want to punish him."

"Chase also might try something."

"I'm going to keep an eye on him, at least until he proves he isn't trying to kill anybody. Just...be careful, Liz."

"Aren't I always?" Eliza thinks that she'll let him calling her Liz slide, just this once.

She starts to walk back to the group when she hears two voices she recognizes as Vivica and Naomi.

"I knew I recognized you, Nomi, but I wasn't so sure," Vivica says.

Nomi? How does Vivica know her?

"Vivica Bojak, a pleasure as always. You finally speak to me to have a real conversation!" This remark elicits a scoff from the blonde-haired girl.

"Don't say that! We've spoken plenty of times! That is, before we both left high school..." Elizabeth is shocked when she sees high and mighty Vivica hang her head.

Is this the same Vivica that was just yelling death threats at Chase?

"I should've kept in touch," she says quietly. "I'm sorry, Nomi, we could've torn up the world. I promise that whatever happens in this wretched Game, we're in it together."

A small smile tugs at the woman's lips. "Gracias, mi amiga. It means a lot. I have missed hearing your silly smart-aleck retorts."

Both women are smiling now.

Is Eliza the only one that finds this strange?

"And I miss those moments when you'd curse at people with rapid-fire Spanish. Those were the days."

A loud crash draws their attention to Chase. He is standing next to a statue that seems to have fallen from the floor. Eliza takes this chance to get away from Vivica and Naomi without them noticing her.

"It...fell." Chase says when Sasha takes a step towards him.

"Did it? Or were you trying to cause a distraction so you could escape?" Vivica is now back to the same one they all know and hate.

"I wasn't planning to escape. Why would I do that? I was found not guilty."

"Guilty men don't think clearly." Katarina's smug look makes Eliza consider the consequences of punching her.

It is only when Amelia starts walking down the hall again that Eliza realizes how tired she really is. Her head feels like a giant boulder weighing down on her shoulders and her feet ache. She feels that, if she closes her eyes for just a moment, she'll fall into a deep sleep.

As they walk under the dim lights, Eliza counts the chandelier arms. It had been the answer the last two times, after all.

Seven arms. Each chandelier has seven arms. Walking down the hall didn't change that. Eliza is about to give up when she sees it: the chandelier with the eighth arm.

"I think this is where we need to go." Naomi must have noticed the clue, too, "It's pointing towards that door."

The door in question is wooden with a long scratch on it. The door to the parlor. The only thing stopping them from entering the room is the group of Players that just walked out.

Otto, Ricardo, Sabine, Felix, Emilie, and Jason stare at them with varying expressions of confusion.

"Vhat are you doing here?" Otto asks.

"We were just—" Amelia takes charge once again.

"Where's Zuri? She's not with either of our groups." Sabine eyes them, preparing for a fight.

"She's been murdered." Eliza has never been one to sugar coat things, even when it comes to death.

"By who?" Felix looks at them, keeping his face cool.

"Well, Chase obviously did it but I guess most here aren't smart enough to realize that." Vivica pointedly looks at Eliza, as if she has a personal vendetta against her. Chase edges away from her, almost bumping into Sasha in the process. He decides to stand next to Naomi.

"Can't we continue this later? We have things to do!" Jenna throws her arms in the air.

"Fine. Let's go in." Katarina says, lowering her voice, "There must be something we're supposed to do."

As everyone files in, Elizabeth's eyes automatically scan the room for anything that's out of the ordinary. She turns to her right and sees that Zach is doing the same, as well as London.

It is what the Blue Star trained them to do, after all.

While she may not like London, and suspect him to be similar to the likes of Chase, she has a new respect for his cleverness. She can only hope that it won't be his demise.

And if it isn't, perhaps Felix will be.

Eliza may have not seen them show any PDA, but the soft looks they give each other has not been lost on the young woman. She knows love when she sees it. Elizabeth should know, as she had once been in love.

Maybe I still am...

She watches as everyone takes a spot in the room, whether it's on one of the couches, a loveseat, an armchair, or leaning against the wall, lurking in the shadows.

So many things she is unsure of.

Was that chess piece always there? Wait, wasn't that vase blue? Didn't the fireplace have a mirror...following Zach's gaze, she sees something taped to the smooth surface.

Oh. Great.

Another note from the Host.

Eliza walks up to the mirror and grabs the parchment from the reflective glass. She hesitates when she sees the woman in the mirror. Her eyes look different than usual...it's like she has already lost years of her life within the thirty-six hours they've been trapped in this mansion. Dark circles are underneath her eyes, as if there are ghosts haunting her, the hidden guilt of her sins and the weight of her secrets bearing down on her.

This definitely isn't the woman Isabelle used to know.

Izzy knew the best big sister ever, someone who would always make time to play games with her, and binge watch what she claimed are the best 3D-animated Disney movies.

Someone very annoyingly clears their throat.

Oh, Samantha.

Now Eliza sees why Olaf is so afraid of a Samatha. She's the worst! Why must she be so...irksome? Irritating in the way that makes you want to punch her just because she's in the room.

Eliza wishes she could, but doing so would make her seem irrational and dangerous. While the latter is true, she can't have the others thinking she has a temper like some people in this room.

Chase.

Vivica.

James.

Felix.

And...Zach. The last time he fought with her, horrible things were said. But they made up and moved past all of that.

At least, she hopes so.

How he'd get mad when someone insulted him, his ego, or Eliza. Zach would clench his fists and grit his teeth, his mouth forming a thin line. He became dangerous and reckless, which is when Eliza had to step in and keep him from lashing out.

She is the only one that can keep him calm.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth unfolds the parchment, smoothing out the creases before moving to stand atop the coffee table.

"Our wonderful Host has left us another letter!" she calls out, everyone turning their attention to her once they situated themselves.

With an encouraging nod from Zachary, she begins to read aloud: "My Players, I see that there has been a death. I know who did it, but I won't spoil the surprise. You have all made the choice: the Game has officially started!" Eliza pauses, scanning the room to see what the others think of this. Most of them seemed indifferent, but she catches Otto shifting from his spot on the couch next to Jennifer and Chase. She clears her throat before continuing.

"Such a creative thing some of you did; to host a trial seemed much too civilized for the likes of you, but the world is unpredictable. Of course, you already know that because here you are playing with me, instead of committing the crimes that you love." Eliza rolls her eyes and there are some protests from the others.

"What is this?" Sasha shouts at no one in particular. "Are we just some fools that you're messing with?!"

"I commit no crimes, thank you, Mysterious Host." James mutters.

Katarina is the only one that appears not to care, instead smiling as if she is in on a dirty secret. Her gaze meets Eliza's.

The smile dissipates immediately, turning into a scowl.

Elizabeth tries not to show her uneasiness as she reads over the loud clamor of the room, "I wouldn't trust anyone, even an old friend. People change. Attached is your first clue to the location of the Doll. Winner brings home ten million and leaves this place alive. Only ten of you can win. Good luck."

Sighing, Eliza carefully tears the small card from the bottom of the letter to find a riddle.

"I used to be a tree, until I traded my roots for routes. I have a rose, but I'm not a garden."* She furrows her brows. "What does this mean?"

Everyone looks at each other in the room and Eliza already knows what they're thinking. Who do I trust to work with? Who can I easily manipulate to win the prize for myself?

Elizabeth and Zach's eyes meet. "We're in this together," he had told her. It would be with him that she will explore this estate with, because although she hates to admit it to herself, she once loved him and trusted him with all of her heart.

She walks over to him with a small smile tugging at her lips. Zach tilts his head slightly, looking curious. That little moment of contentment, just being there with Zach and enjoying it, is what Eliza has missed most since they've separated.

They may not still be together, and she may not love him like she used to, but at least they still have all those memories, all those inside jokes and late nights together.

And that's what really matters.

"Hey," he murmurs. "Do you have any ideas?"

Eliza brushes some lint off his shoulder. "None. You?" Zach gives her a fond look.

"Maybe. I guess this means you'll work with me?" he asks.

Eliza looks up at him, taking his hand with a grin on her face. "We're in this together, remember?"

He nods. "You and me against the world."

They gaze at each other for a moment before turning their attention back to the rest of the room. It is a bit odd, Eliza thinks, to not have Zuri there fighting with James and annoying everyone.

Speaking of James, a half-eaten sandwich sits on one of the end tables.

The one that James had shared with Zuri.

And then it all clicks.

The one James had poisoned.