I approach and wrap my hands around the cool iron, pressing my face close.

“Atlas,” I say softly as he ignores me. “Why?”

The word hangs in the air, waiting.

Slowly, Atlas lifts his head. He scans me from head to toe, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. There was a moment when I thought he felt something for me, and when I thought I felt something for him.

“Because I was destined for more,” he says. There is no arrogance in his tone—only a statement of fact that proves just how deluded he is.

“How did you trick the Mirror?” Gabriel asks. “How were you getting away with this?”

Atlas cocks his head and stares at Gabriel. “I am the most gifted illusionist to ever grace this kingdom, Gabe. It wasn’t hard.”

Gabriel lets out a long breath, and I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

Did the Mirror not know?

“Did you know?” I ask Gabriel.

“I suspected,” he answers. “It was the only thing that made sense.”

“That’s why you kept it covered,” I say. “Just in case.”

“And never stepped in front of it when anyone else was in the room,” Gabriel adds. “It took me a long time to notice it, but once I did, it became so obvious.”

I think back to the times I was in the throne room with Atlas. The day I arrived here when I found out about the Trials, Atlas had sat at the front of the room, out of sight of the Mirror. And at the end when I’d lost my shit, he’d told Gabriel to bring me to the Mirror. He didn’t do it himself.

“Wow,” I say because while it’s awful, I’m almost impressed. “That’s one hell of a cover-up.”

Atlas glares at us both.

“Proud of yourselves?” he asks. “Now that you’ve figured it out, can you leave me alone?”

“No,” I say. “I want answers. What did you want from me?”

I think I understand though. After discovering he was never the true king, it all became much clearer, but I need to hear him say it.

He narrows his gaze. “I was going to be powerful beyond measure,” he says. “She was going to help me.”

It takes me a moment to put it together but of course.

Cloris. I’m so glad I fried her.

“How?” I ask.

He rolls his neck and shoulders, jostling the glowing blue ring surrounding his throat. “There was a magical object that would help reverse the Mirror’s decision and allow me to bond with you.”

“But you weren’t the king, and you could have bonded to her at any point,” Gabriel says, and the heat of Atlas’s glare is enough to melt the bars around him.

“And what good would that have done? Everyone had to see the Mirror choose her.”

I shake my head.