He sniffs, considering me. “My guards stormed the tunnels the moment you stepped foot in the palace. The Colony doesn’t exist anymore.”

My stomach turns to ash. I grab at my heart like I’m going to be sick. “You’re a monster,” I manage through tears.

He laughs, cold and cruel. “Monsters have many faces, Nami. Maybe you should take another look in the mirror.”

“I didn’t want this!” I shout furiously, nails cutting into my palms. “You knew how I felt, even from the beginning. I told you what I wanted—about coexistence, and peace, and a chance to learn—even when you hated me for it.”

“Yes, you did,” he replies, and holds up the Reaper. “And does this look like peace to you?”

My shoulders tremble violently. “Was everything you ever told me a lie?”

“I have played a part since the beginning, and I’ve played it well.” He eyes me carefully. “You and I have that in common.”

I can hardly see him past the salt in my eyes. It takes every ounce of strength to hold myself together, to keep from breaking apart. I told this person everything—my secrets and fears and dreams.

I kissed him.

And he kissed me back.

My mouth feels like fire. How did I not see this? How did I not figure out the truth?

Gil said you didn’t understand this world enough—you should have listened when you had the chance.

“Human emotions are easy to toy with. You all have such clear weaknesses,” Caelan admits. “It’s Victory’s job to create the perfect maze—to study the choices humans make in order to survive.” He pauses to watch as the pain courses through me. The pain he thinks I deserve. “There was a time I thought you might actually be different. That your empathy set you apart from the others. But I know better now.”

“I may have been pretending to be a Resident, but I was as honest with you as I could be.”

“You only ever claimed to care about Residents to make yourself feel noble. When you were given the chance to decide who should live or die, you didn’t hesitate.”

“That’s not true. I did care. But Death wanted to destroy us, and you sent them test subjects by the hundreds. I had no choice!”

“Humans always have a choice!” he shouts.

“You might have limitations, but you are far from innocent.” I shake my head. “I talked to you about coexistence. You shunned me for it.”

“As Gil. Because humans needed to finish the mission. They needed to reach the Orb so this could end. I was there to see the experiment through.”