Trial of the Sun Queen

After the ball, Atlas takes Lor to his private rooms. He demands to know why she danced with the Aurora Prince. Lor explains she was following Gabriel’s instructions. Atlas’s fury gives way to concern. He tells her he wants her as his queen, insisting they can become unstoppable together. They become sexually intimate but Lor reminds him of their agreement to wait to have penetrative sex. He respects her boundary and asks her to stay the night with him. They fall asleep together in his bed. To herself, Lor confirms loyalty to Atlas but registers that she felt a different, unsettling connection to Nadir.

That night in Aurora, Nadir storms into his study and summons Mael and Amya. He tells them what happened at the ball, concluding that Gabriel exposed Lor’s brand on purpose, defying Atlas. Nadir lays out a plan to abduct the girl from Aphelion before the final Trial, convinced she is crucial to both courts. Mael and Amya agree to help.