Zara
The silence stretched between us like a noose. My words—By saying the truth—still lingered in the air, heavy enough to choke us both. Atlas didn’t look away, but I saw it. The shaking in his eyes. The war.
His jaw worked, teeth pressing together like he was holding back a thousand answers, and when he finally spoke, his voice was low, clipped, almost dangerous.
“You don’t know what you’re asking, Zara.”
I folded my arms, forcing steel into my spine even though my heart felt like it was battering against my ribs. “I think I do. Stop pretending. Stop dancing around it. Since when did you know I was Mira?”
Atlas’s eyes darkened. “You’re not Mira.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying!” His voice cracked out sharp enough to make the birds in the trees scatter. He dragged a hand throug
