Tristan and I watch as she scans her surroundings, a tear slipping down her cheek. She scrubs it away with the back of her hand.

“I wish they could have told us,” Willow says. She looks over at me and Tristan as my brother runs a hand over his head.

“I’m angry with them,” he says, and the words sound like a confession he’s been clinging to for a long time. “I didn’t want to say anything, but I’m so fucking angry with them.”

“Tris—” Willow says.

He shakes his head and then rubs his chest. “I miss them so goddamn much. I wish more than anything I could have seen Mother too, but fuck, I’m so furious they left us to deal with all of this on our own.”

“They had no choice,” Willow says.

“I don’t mean that. I know they didn’t. They could have told us. They had to know someone might find out their secrets one day. They just . . . didn’t tell us.”

Tristan paces back and forth, inhaling deep, ragged breaths. While I’ve been bewildered and confused by their choices, I also didn’t know our parents like Tristan did. I don’t remember them the way he does.

“And those people!” he shouts, gesturing towards the library. “Our grandparents! How could they have been so stupid and selfish? How could they have done this to us!”

“Tris . . .” I say.

“No! I’m so fucking mad! Okay? I know Willow can see the bright side in anything, and Lor, you’re dealing with all of this with a lot more maturity than I am because I am so fucking pissed, and I can’t keep quiet about it anymore!”

He spreads his arms, looking left and right.

“This could have all been ours. This life. This place. And not just us. All of those people out there. They left us with nothing! They left everyone with nothing! They just took what they fucking wanted and didn’t care!”

His voice bounces off the stone, echoing in the space with the pain in his words. I agree with every single thing he’s said.

“We could have grown up with our parents! With our family! We could have had a life that wasn’t just existing with secrets. We wouldn’t have spent twelve fucking years in that prison, barely clinging to that pathetic excuse for a life.

“And Lor! Lor—you wouldn’t have been forced into those Trials. You wouldn’t have been forced to do all of this! You found your mate, and now you’re going to lose him, and I might not like him all that much, but you seem to really love him, and fuck, all I’ve ever wanted is you both to be happy!”