Page 117 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“Cloris lied to you,” I say. “The magical object is an ark, and I doubt it can do what she told you. She was using you from the very beginning. She never had any intention of helping you.”

“Why would I believe that?” Atlas asks.

“Why would you believe her? She wanted to use my magic to find the ark for Zerra.”

That causes his eyebrows to pinch together.

“Zerra?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“I don’t understand.”

“No. I wouldn’t expect so,” I reply.

“So explain it to me.”

I look over at Gabriel and then back at Atlas. “I don’t think there’s much point in that anymore.”

“Why not?” Atlas asks, and then he looks at Gabriel, and whatever he sees in his face makes something crumple out of him. I realize then that Atlas really thought he’d talk his way out of all this, but Gabriel must follow through for his kingdom and its people.

Gabriel stares at Atlas, and I watch as a silent message passes between them. I can’t imagine the oceans of hurt and unspoken words conveyed in that look.

“How did you break out of here?” Gabriel asks. “How did you kill Drex and Syran?”

A gleeful light sparks in Atlas’s eyes. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Gabriel growls as he wraps his hand around a bar, his knuckles turning white.

“It means you’ve never understood everything I’m capable of. No one has.” Gabriel just stares at him, clearly at a loss for words. “Besides, I still have some friends left in Aphelion. Not everyone thinks the way you do.”

Gabriel rotates his shoulders. “I suppose you won’t give me names?”

Atlas doesn’t respond. He glares at all of us, his jaw hard.

Gabriel leans in closer. “Why the low fae, Atlas? Why did you do any of it?”

Atlas’s eyes turn flat, the corners of his mouth turning down. He waits on his knees, his hands pinned behind his back, the shine of the once golden sun king tarnished to rust.

“You won’t answer that either?” Gabriel says.

Atlas watches Gabriel, his face unreadable. And all I see before me is a prince who tried to take what didn’t belong to him. He used everyone around him, including me, but in the end, he will not be the victor.

It’s in that moment that I choose to forgive him. Not for his sake, but for mine. I will no longer live with this in my heart.

After we leave for the settlements tomorrow, I will never think of him again.

I look up at Gabriel, who’s still watching Atlas, then he drags in a very long breath and says, “Very well. Then for committing treason, for impersonating the king, for killing two of the king’s warders, you are found guilty. As per the laws of Aphelion, you will be executed for your crimes against the true Sun King and everyone in this kingdom.”

He pauses as Atlas’s face drains of color.

“And though no one can technically punish you for it, for crimes against the low fae as well.”

Atlas’s entire body jerks like Gabriel slapped him across the face.

“Gabe,” he hisses, finding his tongue again.

“Don’t bother, Atlas. After your execution, my brothers and I will be released from our duties as warders. We will no longer be slaves to Aphelion or to you.”