Trial of the Sun Queen

These chapters escalate the theme of Deception as a Tool for Survival and Control, revealing it as the fundamental organizing principle of the Aphelion court. The masquerade ball provides a centerpiece for exposition of this theme, a setting where identities are obscured and ulterior motives drive every interaction. The third trial—to retrieve a sentimental object from a target without revealing one’s identity—codifies deception as a valued skill. This institutionalization of duplicity is mirrored in the actions of powerful figures. Atlas’s secret assistance, which Lor confirms, reframes his apparent kindness as a strategy to control the competition’s outcome. His manipulation parallels Gabriel’s, whose sabotage of Lor by assigning Prince Nadir as a false mark is a more overtly hostile form of deceit. Deception also extends to the secret, treasonous romance between Halo and Marici, demonstrating that in Aphelion’s rigid social structure, authenticity is a liability and survival necessitates performance.

The dynamic between Atlas and Gabriel further exposes the contradictions within a hierarchical system where personal loyalty collides with political duty. Their overheard argument reveals a deep fracture in their relationship, with Gabriel demanding Atlas “[g]et rid of her” (267), framing Lor as a threat to the established order. Gabriel’s subsequent sabotage during the ball becomes a duplicitous form of protection, an attempt to steer his king away from a choice he believes is catastrophic. Within the novel’s presentation of deception, Gabriel’s actions suggest that in Aphelion even loyalty is manifested through deception. Atlas’s response—a public and brutal stripping of Gabriel’s command—is foremost an assertion of absolute power. By making an example of his closest confidant, Atlas quashes dissent and reinforces his authority. Although his decision appears to support Lor over Gabriel, the novel will show this to be yet another deception, as Lor will find that Gabriel has been reinstated after the fourth trial.

By providing access to Nadir’s internal monologue, the text destabilizes Lor’s limited viewpoint and introduces an external agent of truth during the masquerade ball. Nadir’s perception of the Sun Queen Trials as a murderous sham offers an alternative critical view of the spectacle. Nadir’s recognition of Lor’s Nostraza brand is a pivotal moment, connecting her constructed identity directly back to her origins and the machinations of the Aurora King. Nadir’s presence breaks the claustrophobic confines of the Aphelion court, linking Lor’s personal struggle to the cold war between the two kingdoms.

The novel uses the image of gold to reinforce the theme of Self-Determinism and Justice as Conditions for Freedom. Gold is the aesthetic signature of Aphelion’s opulence—adorning the ballroom, gowns, and roses—yet it simultaneously signifies the gilded cage Lor occupies. Her transition from the grime of Nostraza to the glitter of the Sun Palace is merely a transfer to a more luxurious confinement: This is illustrated when the sight of golden roses transports her back to the memory of her stolen soap, collapsing the distance between her past and present. While she is no longer physically bound, her actions are dictated by Atlas’s whims and the rules of the Trials. Her success depends on her performance within this controlled environment, a reality underscored by the gold paint applied to her skin, marking her as an object owned by the court. Halo’s desire to fail the trials to become a handmaiden further complicates the idea of freedom, suggesting that a life of explicit servitude is preferable to the high-stakes imprisonment of being a potential queen.

The masquerade ball serves as a microcosm of Fae high society and a critique of The Dehumanizing Effects of Power and Privilege. The event is a stage for performative civility, where political tensions are masked by etiquette. Atlas’s tour of the visiting rulers reveals a web of alliances and animosities. The empty throne for the lost Heart Queen—a sign of authority missing its rightful occupant—is an image that contrasts with the true hollowness of Atlas’s tyrannical rule. This dehumanization is also evident in the social hierarchy, as court chatter about the “Umbra rat” and Madame Odell’s open contempt for Lor reinforce the deep-seated classism of their world. The novel again argues that privilege renders the powerful blind to the suffering of others, allowing them to frame a life-or-death struggle as a glamorous social event.