A Court of Mist and Fury

Feyre checks Amren’s progress decoding the book, but Amren must master the language first. Feyre spies a jeweled necklace on Amren’s table, a gift from Varian, captain of Tarquin’s guard, as appeasement for the blood ruby threat. Weeks pass, Amren making little headway with the book and Azriel at an impasse with the mortal queens’ court. Feyre continues training with Cassian and Rhys and explores the city with Mor. When Rhys is away on court business, they magically send messages back and forth and Feyre realizes that although Rhys has assumed the mantle of High Lord, he rules with a vision of equality.

The mortal queens agree to meet at Feyre’s family estate. The following day, Feyre, Rhys and the Inner Circle wait in the sitting room with Nesta and Elain. As the clock strikes 11:00, five queens winnow into the house, a shock since mortals do not normally possess such power. 

Rhys, Feyre, and Morrigan meet with the five queens, watched by human guards and Cassian and Azriel on the sidelines. Rhys suggests an alliance in the coming war, but the eldest queen mocks “the High Lord who walks with darkness in his wake, and shatters minds as he sees fit” (386). Feyre pleads but to no avail; the queens vow to never allow the book out of their kingdom. Finally, Mor rebukes the queens, citing her own friendship with the half-mortal, half-Fae Miryam, as well as her part in freeing the mortals enslaved by faeries centuries ago. Mor reveals the secret of Miryam and Drakon, her Fae husband: the couple now rule an island where faeries and humans coexist peacefully. The eldest queen asks for proof, and Rhys agrees, ending the meeting.

Mor recounts the story of Miryam and Drakon who fell in love during the mortal-faerie war centuries ago. Rhys is reluctant to disturb their peace and reveal their secret home. Instead, he decides to show the queens Velaris. He plans to steal a truth-telling orb from the Court of Nightmares deep within the Hewn City and use it to prove the existence of the secret city to the queens.

Feyre strolls down to the artists’ quarter, fearful of the false hope it may awaken in her. She returns to the townhouse to find Rhys waiting, debating whether or not to bring her on the mission. He doesn’t want her to see the side of him he must reveal to acquire the orb. Rhys tells Feyre that Mor was betrothed to Eris, a prince of the Autumn Court with an abusive reputation. Rather than marry Eris, she slept with Cassian, a “bastard-born lesser faerie” (397), and was left for dead on the border of the Autumn Court but rescued by Azriel. Feyre is determined to help.

During their flight to the Hewn City, Rhys and Feyre exchange flirtatious banter, but are interrupted by a barrage of ash arrows. Unharmed, they land in a forest joined by Cassian and Azriel. Cassian scouts for attackers from above while Feyre and Azriel cover the ground, but they find nothing. They abandon their search and head to the Hewn City. As they pass through the mountain gates, Feyre fights memories of her time Under the Mountain, but is relieved to find the Hewn City to be a place of “terrible beauty.” Mor leads Feyre to a throne room where her father, Keir, the Steward of the Court, awaits. Mor announces the arrival of Rhys, and Feyre feels the mountain shudder with his presence. Cassian and Azriel, clad in battle armor, arrive first. Rhysand appears, his full power revealed. He takes his throne, and perches Feyre on his lap. He strokes and teases her before the court, a distraction while Azriel steals the orb. Rhys dismisses Keir, and Feyre, aroused, fears she may literally ignite; Rhys warns her to calm down for fear of revealing her true power. Azriel returns with the orb. Keir calls Feyre a “whore” but Rhys hears and orders him to apologize. When Keir hesitates, Rhys breaks his bones until he finally does so. Rhys orders that no healer tend to Keir.

Rhys winnows Feyre out of the Hewn City to a secluded mountain lake where he apologizes for his ruthlessness. She rejects his apology, claiming control of her own life and choices. She understood her role, however demeaning, and agreed to play it. Rhys knows history will portray him as the villain for stealing Feyre from Tamlin, a scenario that denies Feyre’s agency. Angry, Feyre accuses Rhys of hiding his true self. Taken aback, Rhys winnows them back to Velaris.

Rhys confers with Mor, Azriel, and Cassian. Feyre resolves to make a commitment to Rhys, but he goes off on a mission and doesn’t respond to her messages. Feyre visits Amren who tells her she is to be transferred to an Illyrian war camp in two days, after the celebration of Starfall. Amren confides that Rhys was a shell of his former self after Amarantha, but that Feyre brought him back to life. Feyre sends Rhys several messages and accuses him of hiding from her, but no answer comes.

Cassian flies Feyre to the House of Wind for the Starfall celebration. Mor, Azriel, and Cassian are gathered on the balcony, but Rhys is absent. Feyre mingles until Rhys appears just as the celebration begins. A brilliant cascade of migrating spirits illuminates the night sky accompanied by joyous music and dancing. Feyre watches, saddened by how the looming war may affect her friends. Rhys takes Feyre to a private balcony and tells her that Amarantha was especially cruel to him during this annual celebration. Feyre is hit by a careening star spirit which leaves glowing sparkles splattered across her face. A second one hits Rhys, leaving them laughing and giddy. They join the festivities.

Mor winnows Feyre, Azriel, Cassian, and Rhys to the Illyrian war camp located near the top of a wooded mountain. Devlon, the Lord of the camp, is dismissive of Feyre but Rhys threatens him if he doesn’t show respect. Rhys leaves Mor and Cassian at the camp and takes Feyre to another location for training.

Rhys explains that Devlon, although brutish, is fair, and allowed Cassian, Azriel, and Rhys to participate in the Blood Rite, a deadly survival ritual to achieve warrior status. Rhys reveals how Tamlin’s father and brothers killed Rhys’s mother and sister while attempting to kill him. He wishes he had died instead. In return, Rhys and his father slaughtered Tamlin’s family, then Tamlin killed Rhys’s father. Rhys and Tamlin became High Lords at the same moment. Feyre’s grief sparks the power within her, and the trees below erupt in flames. She feels the power of all seven High Lords coursing through her, and in that moment rediscovers her passion for painting.

That night, Mor, Cassian, and Rhys discuss training Illyrian females, normally not permitted to be warriors. As they retire for the evening, Feyre tries to understand her complex relationship with Rhys.

The next morning, Feyre and Rhys fly to a remote location for training. As she searches for a place to test her fire power, beckoning Rhys to fall back, Feyre is unaware of the members of Tamlin’s court approaching: four sentinels and Lucien.