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Summary
Chapters 21-24
Chapter 21
Cassian follows Nesta out of the apartment and awkwardly offers to walk her home despite her characteristically rude behavior. As they walk, he presents her with a wrapped gift, but she rejects it and him. When he implores her to try harder to try harder to connect with the others for the sake of her sisters, she angrily demands that he leave her alone, claiming that she wants nothing to do with any of them. After she walks away, Cassian angrily throws his gift into the frozen river. When Nesta reaches her dingy apartment, she notes that she feels nothing and has not felt anything except occasional anger for several months now.
Chapter 22
In the town house, Feyre observes as Cassian returns in a dark mood. She goes upstairs and finds Rhysand, who winnows her to their log cabin. There, Feyre asks Rhysand where he buys the beautiful dresses that she wears. He reveals that all the dresses he has given to Feyre were made by his mother, a talented Illyrian seamstress, prior to her death. For years, she created dresses for Rhysand’s future mate to wear. Feyre is touched by this information. She looks at her hands, which bear tattoos depicting eyes, through which Rhysand was able to “snoop” on her through magic and declares that she wishes to change the tattoos. Instead, she wants tattoos that depict the insignia of the Night Court: a mountain with three stars.
Before Rhysand uses his magic to alter her tattoos, Feyre announces that she has a final gift for him. Using their telepathic connection, she shows him a vision that makes him very happy. Through this vision, Feyre informs Rhysand of her desire to have a baby with him. Though faerie pregnancy can be difficult and takes a good deal of time and effort, Rhysand is overjoyed. They have sex in the cabin, and afterwards, have sex again. The next morning, Feyre and Rhysand walk along the river in Velaris, and Rhysand announces that he has a final gift for Feyre. He points to a once-grand estate by the river, which has been reduced to rubble. Feyre is confused at first, but Rhysand explains that he has bought the property and ordered builders to come in two days and build a new house on the grounds according to Feyre’s instructions. Though she at first balks at the exorbitant cost, she nevertheless thanks him for this extravagant gift.
Chapter 23
Rhysand savors his memories of the previous night as he winnows to the Spring Court. There, he finds Tamlin in the kitchen of his dilapidated palace, sitting alongside a slain but uncooked elk. Tamlin is in a depressed and disheveled state, and he barely acknowledges Rhysand at first. Rhysand informs Tamlin that he has asked Tarquin, High Lord of the Summer Court, to send troops to the Spring Court to defend the border. Tamlin ignores this announcement and instead asks Rhysand if Feyre will ever forgive him. When Rhysand does not answer, Tamlin asks if Rhysand thinks he deserves to be forgiven, and Rhysand’s expression makes it clear that he does not. When Tamlin asks Rhysand if he has ever forgiven Tamlin for the deaths of his mother and sister, Rhysand merely notes that Tamlin has never apologized. Tamlin sinks back into his state of silent misery as Rhysand, who still hates Tamlin but nevertheless feels he might need to rely upon him in the future, prepares and cooks the meat of the elk, ordering Tamlin to eat.
Chapter 24
Mor tells her friends that she is leaving to visit the Winter Court to visit her friend Viviane, wife of Kallias, the High Lord of the Winter Court. Instead, she visits Athelwood, an estate near Velaris that she purchased three centuries earlier, alongside a number of fine and rare horses. She rides a horse, named Ellia, through the woods. When they pause to catch their breath, Mor notes a strange, dark shadow that appears to be watching them. They leave the area, and Mor reflects on her plans. She does not want her father to think that she has fled Velaris on his account and has worked on a secret plan that she has not told the others about.
Analysis
Nesta’s brusque rejection of Cassian’s efforts to get closer to her reflects the extent of her self-alienation and trauma. She joined her sisters for the Winter Solstice, but she makes it clear that she is not there of her own accord and dismisses Cassian when he attempts to walk her home. When she returns to her own dingy apartment, she notes that she is unable to feel anything. Long simmering anger and her traumatic experiences during the war have left deep emotional wounds.
Nesta’s current lack of feeling is, in a way, worse than her earlier anger. Now, she feels little motivation to do anything and makes no effort to reforge her relationships with others, including Elain to whom she was previously close. This marks a major change in Nesta’s attitudes. Previously, she was angry at the faeries whom she blamed for her transformation, but nevertheless fiercely guarded Elain. Now, however, Elain is making progress in her healing, but Nesta is trapped in a self-destructive pattern. Further, Nesta is, unlike Elain, unwilling to be helped by others.
In his effort to reach out to Nesta despite knowing that she is likely to reject him, Cassian shows vulnerability and thoughtfulness. Still, Nesta remains unmoved as a result of her emotional numbness. In her response to Cassian, she insists that she wants nothing to do with the “happy little circle” that Feyre has made for herself in Velaris. Her outburst suggests that Nesta would prefer to feel the pain of self-alienation than pretend to be happy for the sake of others. Their high spirits have, if anything, strengthened Nesta’s sense that she is isolated from others and unable to join in their cheer and merriment. Though Cassian knows that Nesta is a “wounded animal” who now lashes out at others due to pain and fear, he is nevertheless deeply stung by her cruel words.
Feyre’s growing happiness and contentment offer a stark contrast to the Nesta’s dispirited state. In the log cabin, Feyre announces to Rhysand that she desires two new tattoos depicting the insignia of the Night Court. Rhysand notes that, unlike many of her other tattoos, these tattoos can never be removed. Feyre’s decision to permanently mark her body with signs of loyalty to the Night Court underscores her loyalty to both Rhysand and the kingdom she now rules. As she is now immortal, she will bear these tattoos for centuries or even millennia, and Rhysand is pleased by these tokens of Feyre’s commitment.
Further, Feyre’s decision to have a child with Rhysand reflects her feelings of hope and confidence in their shared future. For a faerie, birth is a long and difficult process, and Feyre’s decision to have a child attests to her faith in their partnership. When Rhysand purchases an estate for Feyre for her to design according to her own tastes and needs, he emphasizes that she can add whatever features would make her happy, from a library to a nursery. After months spent fighting against Hybern, they are now beginning to settle down to a more peaceful mode of life. For Tamlin, however, there is no such relief. He is entirely despondent after Feyre canceled their engagement and sabotaged him politically, leaving him a shell of his former self. Though Rhysand has little sympathy for Tamlin, he finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having to support and help a person whom he detests, suggesting that he understands the importance of putting his own feelings aside in order to secure the safety of his people.
