Chapter 13: Feyre

Feyre and her inner circle decorate the House for Solstice, with Cassian and Azriel arriving to help. During dinner, tensions emerge around Nesta's absence and refusal to participate in family gatherings, prompting Feyre to track down her sister in a seedy tavern across Velaris.

The chapter opens with Cassian arriving at the House with pine boughs for Solstice decorations. Feyre, Cassian, and Azriel spend the afternoon drinking wine and decorating before others arrive. Amren announces that Nesta will be coming to Solstice in two days, causing visible tension among Cassian, Mor, and Azriel. Feyre silences Amren's goading remarks. Elain is working in the kitchen and reveals that Nesta has refused to attend any family events, telling Elain they each have separate lives. Feyre notes Elain's ongoing recovery, including visits to their father's memorial. At dinner, Azriel demonstrates unusual concern for Elain's comfort and propriety, waiting for her to sit before eating—behavior Rhys explains stems from Azriel's trauma regarding how his mother was treated as a servant. Amren struggles with her new High Fae body's physical needs, leading to comic relief. When Elain questions Amren about choosing her female form, Amren pointedly remarks there's no going back to being human, a comment that upsets Elain. After dinner, Feyre uses magic to search Nesta's apartment and finds it empty. With Rhys's help locating her, Feyre discovers Nesta in the Wolf's Den, the seediest tavern in Velaris, and prepares to retrieve her alone to avoid antagonizing her sister.