This will definitely be an unpopular opinion, but I actually consider Cairngorm's fate to be worse than Phos'. Because for all the torment Phos is experiencing, at least they have FREE WILL and more importantly, REALIZE just how screwed up their situation is. Admittedly I'm biased, seeing how I strongly value free will, but seeing Cairngorm, a character I loved, reduced to a trophy wife... I'd rather be free and in pain than happy in bondage.
but do they?
phos has free will, but that will has been redirected and exploited from day one in order to lead phos to the most excruciating (and convenient for the lunarians) conclusion.
cairn started off with little free will and ended up embarking on a journey of self-discovery which they think has led them to become free but that just resulted in them becoming a trophy wife
in the end, both of these characters willingly became aechmea’s pawns. we can just hope that they change their mind eventually