Chapter 39

Feyre and Amren retrieve a mysterious metal book from an underwater chamber, triggering deadly flooding and nearly drowning before being rescued by water-wraiths whom Feyre had helped during the Tithe. Back at the town house, they discover the book is written in the Leshon Hakodesh—an ancient holy tongue—which only Amren can read, and Rhysand reveals it may contain the spell to free her from her exile.

Feyre and Amren infiltrate an underwater chamber to steal a metal box. When they retrieve it, a catastrophic flood engulfs the space, trapping them in rising water. Using Tarquin's water power, Feyre fights toward the stairs, but a massive wave seals them inside. Drowning and desperate, they struggle against the lead door until water-wraiths suddenly tear it open and carry them to the surface. The wraiths—sisters of one Feyre helped by giving jewelry to pay the Tithe—release them into the bay, their debt repaid. Rhysand arrives and winnows them to the town house foyer, where they collapse, soaking wet and covered in sand. After cleaning up, Feyre opens the metal box by communicating with it mentally, discovering it is not a book with pages but rather metal plates bound with rings of gold, silver, and bronze, inscribed in an unknown alphabet. Amren recognizes the script as Leshon Hakodesh—the Holy Tongue of mighty beings who once feared the Cauldron and created the Book to combat it. Rhysand reveals he suspected this and chose Amren specifically because she alone can decode it. He also hints the Book may contain a spell to free Amren from her ten-thousand-year exile. Azriel raises the question of why King Hybern resurrected Jurian and how he keeps him bound, a puzzle Rhysand defers discussing. Feyre and Rhysand share a private moment through their bond.