Trial of the Sun Queen

Immediately after training, Atlas invites Lor to dine with him in his private chambers, telling her to use his name—a privilege reserved for a ruler’s bonded partner. He kisses her hand before leaving. In a corridor, Gabriel shoves Lor against a wall and angrily interrogates her about the king’s interest, warning her to control her temper.

Alone, Lor retrieves the hidden tunic from Nostraza and extracts a small red jewel stitched into the hem. She conceals the jewel inside her locket and puts it on. The jewel is a family heirloom that ties her to her past.

That evening, a stylist named Callias arranges Lor’s hair and offers beauty magic to remove a facial scar, but Lor refuses to hide it, as she got the injury protecting Willow in prison. Gabriel escorts her to Atlas’s apartments, where she and the king dine alone. Atlas explains the history of the Trials: An ancient agreement ensures that the Final Tribute in Aphelion’s Trials always comes from The Aurora, and vice versa. The agreement was intended to ensure balance between the two powerful kingdoms by giving a woman from each kingdom the chance to become queen of the other. In 8,000 years, however, the Final Tribute has never won. Altas also explains that each kingdom has a magic artefact that determines the line of succession. In Aphelion, this is the Sun Mirror, the source of Atlas’s magic. Victory in the trials will grant the winner full access to his magic through the Sun Mirror. Atlas demonstrated his gift for controlling light and illusions by making it seem that they are in the ocean.

Lor asks Atlas to help free her siblings, but he refuses immediate aid, promising to negotiate their release if she wins. On a sea-view balcony, they share an intimate moment and almost kiss before a guard interrupts with an urgent message. Atlas leaves but grants Lor permission to explore the palace.

Prince Nadir is in his study in the Aurora Palace. He receives an invitation to a ball celebrating the Sun Queen Trials. He discusses the disappearance of prisoner 3452 with his captain, Mael, and admits he lied to his father by claiming a monster killed her, when he believes a Fae abducted her. His ice hounds, Morana and Khione, rest nearby.

Amya, Nadir’s sister who manages Aurora’s spy network, arrives. They discuss their father’s suspicious reaction to the prisoner’s disappearance. Amya agrees to deploy her agents to search for the woman but cannot infiltrate Aphelion. Nadir decides to search his father’s study for a missing file tied to the case.

In Aphelion, nearly two weeks after her arrival, Lor trains daily and attends etiquette lessons under Madame Odell. During a group lunch, Halo and Marici offer Lor their first friendly gestures. Madame Odell announces the first challenge will test the Tributes’ knowledge of Aphelion history. Shen then lectures on the importance of the Tributes’ chastity during the trials, as Tributes’ behavior is monitored throughout. Madame Odell especially warns against intimacy with the king which “had never ended well for the Tribute” (147). Apricia insults Lor, calling her a “gutter rat” who has been “used” (147). Marici defends Lor, but Madame Odell demands Lor answer personal questions about her sexual history. Enraged, Lor refuses and storms out.

Lor searches for the palace library to study for the history challenge. She finds Gabriel with a woman and asks him to lead her to the library. Inside the vast archive, she begins studying Aphelion history. Halo and Marici find her, apologize for their earlier behavior, and offer friendship. The three form an alliance and study together. After they leave, Lor continues alone late into the night and falls asleep at a table. Atlas finds her, praises her dedication, and gives her a secret biography of himself. Before leaving, he advises her to wear practical clothing for the challenge.

The first trial is held at an ocean cove. Lor has followed Atlas’s advice and wears armor while most Tributes wear gowns. Borthius explains the rules: Each Tribute must answer history questions while suspended from ropes over the water; each wrong answer will lower the rope toward the water and five wrong answers will release the rope completely. Elanor falls first and is struck by something in the water before rescuers haul her out. Lor misses a question, and her rope drops, injuring her hands. Solana falls and disappears under the water.

Apricia, Griane, and Halo pass. With only Lor and Marici left, Borthius asks for the king’s favorite color. Lor remembers the detail from Atlas’s book and answers “red,” but she says it too quietly and the bell sounds to end her time before she repeats it. Borthius rules the answer is correct but too late and releases her rope. Lor plunges into the sea as the other Tributes watch.

Two sea monsters accost Lor underwater. She fights back, loops a rope around one creature’s throat, and chokes it unconscious. When she surfaces, she sees Marici has also fallen and a second mercreature is dragging her down. Lor dives after them, grapples the attacker, and frees an unconscious Marici. The first creature recovers and closes in again, but something unseen stops it and yanks it into the depths.

Lor drags Marici to the beach. Healers rush to help as Lor reaches the sand and loses consciousness.