Summary 

Chapter 12 

Disturbed by her nightmare, Feyre walks the halls of the house. She makes a map using rough sketches and Xs since she can’t read or write. Tamlin returns in beast form before changing to his human appearance. Though Tamlin killed the Bogge, he’s been injured. He leads her to the house’s small infirmary where she cleans and bandages his hand. He questions her hunting ability and her inability to write, telling her she’s not what he expected of a human. The next morning, Feyre longs to examine paintings in the hall, but she’s distracted when she overhears Lucien and Tamlin arguing about the worsening blight. Lucien accuses Tamlin of growing soft in spite of his heart of stone. Caught eavesdropping, Feyre asks Lucien if he’s patrolling today, and he tells her to go with Tamlin instead. She doesn’t want to hunt, so they walk the house. Tamlin reveals that he knows that Feyre took a knife from the dinner table. Feyre asks if they should expect more creatures like the Bogge. Though Tamlin believes the blight will pass, he expects other dangers to enter the lands. 

Chapter 13 

Tamlin opens the doors and lights the candles in the study with a wave of his hand. Feyre’s impressed by the room full of books. She wants to write a letter to her family to let them know she’s safe and warn them about the blight that may spread to their lands. She attempts to teach herself to write. Ashamed to ask Tamlin or Lucien for help, she tosses her list of words in the garbage. As Feyre wanders the room, she discovers a mural illustrating the story of Prythian, including the battle between humans and fae and the redistribution of lands. It also details the seven courts of Prythian: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Dawn, Day, and Night. Tamlin enters and offers to help Feyre learn to write, but she refuses. She goes to Lucien’s room to ask him how to trap a Suriel, hoping to get information to break the Treaty. He tells her that if he were a Suriel, she could find him in the western woods near young birch trees. He recommends using slaughtered chickens and a snare with a double loop. He suggests making sure that there’s running water nearby since the Suriel do not like to cross it. He makes it clear Tamlin would not approve of her plan or the information he shares. Lucien also tells Feyre he’s beginning to like her, even if she’s a human. 

Chapter 14 

Armed with a bow and arrows, Feyre goes to the western woods, sets a trap for the Suriel, and climbs a tree to wait. A shriek confirms that her trap worked and she climbs down the tree to confront the Suriel, a thin creature with a bony face, white eyes, and yellow fingernails, dressed in tattered robes. The Suriel tells Feyre she cannot go home without risking death for her and her family. He reveals that Tamlin is the High Lord of the Spring Court and tells her that staying with Tamlin will keep her safe from the blight. As she seeks more detail, the Suriel tells Feyre about the King of Hybern, the land across the sea. Angered by the terms of the Treaty, the king sent creatures to infiltrate the courts. One of these, the Deceiver, betrayed the King. The Suriel suddenly stops the story and tells Feyre they are not alone. He begs Feyre to free him and run, telling her that the naga, shadowy, hateful faeries, were drawn by his scream and her scent. Before Feyre can act, four naga approach.   

Analysis

For Feyre, gaining knowledge is essential to her survival. When she wanders the palace halls, Feyre utilizes the instincts she learned hunting and marks places to hide and ways to escape. Though Feyre feels frustrated by her inability to read and write, and is embarrassed that Tamlin knows, he’s impressed at all she can do without these skills. Ironically, Feyre has access to Tamlin’s extensive study yet can’t access any of the knowledge in the books. Feyre displays her usual determination as she copies words from the books so she can eventually send a letter to warn her family. Though Tamlin has guaranteed their care, she’s still doing everything she can to protect them. When Feyre discovers the mural, she realizes that books offer just one way to share knowledge. By examining the mural, she learns about the creation of Prythian, the war, the different territories, and the seven courts. Each bit of information serves as an arrow in her quiver, another piece of knowledge that may assist her one day. When Feyre returns to her books and writing, she reveals another facet of her personality—frustration at not being able to succeed at a task on her own. Feyre feels like a helpless child, growing increasingly uncomfortable and angry, particularly when Tamlin offers his help. Hearing Tamlin and Lucien argue, knowing they’re not telling her everything about the blight, convinces Feyre they don’t trust her or think she’s not worthy. If knowledge equals power, a lack of knowledge leaves Feyre feeling powerless and insignificant. 

While knowledge allows Feyre to increase her ability to survive, the irony is that her quest for knowledge also puts her in danger. Feyre displays dangerous naivete when sets out to trap the Suriel, even with information from Lucien and her hunting skills as protection. The knowledge she gains adds to her arsenal, though significantly, she does not get the answer she was seeking regarding the Treaty. The dark conversation with the Suriel foreshadows doom. Feyre learns of the King of Hybern and the Deceiver, but rather than putting her mind at ease, this partial knowledge leaves her with more questions. The fact that Tamlin holds the title of High Lord surprises her. The Suriel’s revelation that Tamlin cannot give her answers, rather than will not or has not, foreshadows a crucial element of the problem in Prythian. The most vital bit of knowledge the Suriel imparts, so crucial that he repeats it three times, is that Feryre needs to stay with the High Lord. Tamlin represents safety. Ironically, this knowledge comes too late, as Feyre’s compulsion to know more puts both her and the Suriel in danger. In this scenario, knowledge does not bring the power of survival, but the risk of death. 

Both Feyre and Tamlin illustrate the value of mercy in overcoming misconceptions about the other. As Tamlin returns in beast form from killing the Bogge, walking with a limp and leaving a trail of blood, Feyre does not fear him, but shows concern. While she certainly could have let a servant tend to him, Feyre chooses to clean and bandage his wound herself. The extreme care she takes in binding his hand reveals a growing tenderness between Tamlin and Feyre. Feyre’s advanced skills surprise him and help dispel his misconceptions about humans. Though his killing of the Bogge reinforces just how dangerous a creature Tamlin can be, Feyre puts her fear aside to show him mercy. Tamlin shows mercy that contrasts with his beastly potential. At the manor house, he provides Feyre with a level of comfort she’s never known. Not only does he give her access to the study, he’s willing to help her learn to read and write, even offering to help her write a letter to her family. He does not mock her, convinced that she makes up for this inability with other skills. The fact that Feyre’s pride keeps her from accepting his gift of mercy does not diminish its value. 

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