For Lady Marion Lochan - who sacrificed herself to save a little girl, to save her country, to save her daughter’s future.
For Rena Goldsmith - who worked her way to the top so that she could perform for the king, and then was beheaded while she recounted her dead.
For Sam Cortland - who loved a girl so much. Who was tortured and kills for that love, but did not regret one moment of it. Who would love her just as much if he had the chance to do it again.
For Nehemia Ytger - who deserved to live and fight alongside her friends, but instead lived knowing she would never see her country or her plans play out, and died with hope for a better world that has yet to come.
For the girl from Calaculla - who believed so fiercely that Nehemia was her salvation, and who led an uprising in the mines when her princess was killed. She was the first to throw her pickax, and we never knew her name.
For the orchestra after the massacre - who performed the song of each country who had slaves in those mines, and then for their own country in mourning for what they had become. Then were never heard from again. Brave, talented souls who are now lost.
For the demi-Fae outside Doranelle - who were tested on and ruined and tortured. For the girl in the cave that was so far gone, Rowan could not even pull the air from her lungs to gift her a swift death.
For Kaltain Rompier - who suffered so greatly at the hands of vile people, but was able to beat the darkness forced inside her and remembered the kindness of two fellow girls in similar cages. She is why Aelin has a wyrdkey, why the valg-witchlings are gone, and why a third of Morath was destroyed. From her sacrifice.
For Madam Florine and her dancers - who risked everything to help Aelin, and left their entire lives behind in pursuit of a better future. For the dance teacher who gave Aelin music when she needed it most, and promised that she would bring more whenever and wherever peace was found.
For Ress and Brullo and the rest of Chaol’s men - who were tortured by their prince and king, but stayed loyal to their true captain. Who did not break, not one, and were found swaying in the wind from the palace gates.
For all the mortals who were turned into ilken and inhabited by Valg - who were innocent souls, corrupted and violated and did not deserve their fate.
For the shifter turned Bloodhound - who may have been just like Lysandra, but had the unfortunate luck of being turned into a creature of nightmares.
For the healer who looked like Yrene - who did nothing wrong, who cried over a three year old she couldn’t save, and died for the purpose of a corrupt Valg that was bored.
A moment of silence for the people in Throne of Glass who didn’t do anything wrong, and who deserved so much better.
