Chapter 12: Feyre

Rhysand visits the deteriorated Spring Court estate to confront Tamlin about his unguarded borders, revealing the depth of Tamlin's decline and his own lingering rage over past betrayals. After an intense but ultimately non-violent confrontation, Rhysand encounters Feyre on the street, and later shops for Solstice gifts for her and Amren.

Rhysand arrives at Tamlin's Spring Court manor in spring, finding the once-beautiful estate in ruins—roses turned to thorns, fountains dry, the great oak doors scarred with deep claw marks. Tamlin answers the door himself, haggard and hollow-eyed, with no servants remaining and the house in various states of destruction. Rhysand notices Lucien has apparently abandoned Tamlin out of mercy rather than reconciliation. In the library, the only intact room, Rhysand presses Tamlin about his unguarded borders and comments on how thoroughly Feyre accomplished her aims. The conversation escalates when Rhysand refers to Feyre as his mate, deliberately wounding Tamlin. Rhysand's rage intensifies as he recalls that Tamlin's father and brothers killed his mother and sister centuries ago, and he unleashes a bitter tirade condemning Tamlin's self-imposed misery and past actions toward Feyre. Tamlin, broken and defeated, refuses to fight and simply orders Rhysand to leave. Rhysand then encounters Feyre walking through the city with shopping bags. He confesses everything he said to Tamlin, and she assures him he is entitled to occasional loss of composure. Rhysand leaves her to run errands, heading to the Palace of Thread and Jewels to shop for Solstice gifts. At the jeweler's shop, he browses sapphires, emeralds, and rubies before deciding Feyre doesn't need jewelry. The jeweler, Neve, offers items she had selected for Amren instead, and Rhysand purchases all three pieces.