“Nesta scanned the shelves while we walked, and I read the titles- a bit more slowly, still needing a little time to process what was instinct for my sister.

'I didn't know you couldn't really read,' Nesta said as she paused before a nondescript section, noticing the way I silently sounded out the words of a title. 'I didn't know where you were in your lessons- when it all happened. I assumed you could read as easily as us.'

'Well, I couldn't.'

'Why didn't you ask us to teach you?'

I trailed a finger over the neat row of spines. 'Because I doubted you would agree to help.'

Nesta stiffened like I'd hit her, coldness blooming in those eyes. She tugged a book from a shelf. 'Amren said Rhysand taught you to read.'

My cheeks heated. 'He did.' And there, deep beneath the world, with only darkness for company, I asked, 'Why do you push everyone away but Elain?' Why have you always pushed me away?

Some emotion guttered in her eyes. Her throat bobbed. Nesta shut her eyes for a moment, breathing in sharply. 'Because-'

The words stopped.

I felt it at the same moment she did.

The ripple and tremor. Like... like some piece of the world shifted, like some off-kilter chord had been plucked.”