Chapter 40

After a day of rest, Feyre finds Rhysand on the rooftop brooding over blood rubies sent by Tarquin in retaliation for stealing the Book. Through flirtation, she draws him out of his dark mood, but they are interrupted by Azriel's arrival. Later that night, Rhysand suffers a severe nightmare from his trauma Under the Mountain, and Feyre uses her newfound darkness to soothe him back to consciousness, offering comfort and solidarity.

Feyre wakes after sleeping off her exhaustion from the previous night's ordeal. She finds Rhysand alone on the rooftop in the afternoon and discovers a box containing three blood rubies—Tarquin's formal declaration of a blood price on Rhysand, Feyre, and Amren for stealing the Book. Rhysand expresses regret over his methods, believing he should have used mind-wiping instead of violence on the guards. Feyre reassures him and suggests he focus on neutralizing the Cauldron first, then deal with Tarquin later. Their conversation shifts into flirtation when Feyre teases him about buying provocative undergarments on his credit. The banter intensifies as Rhysand responds with predatory interest, but Azriel's sudden arrival interrupts them. Alone afterward, Feyre fantasizes about what might have happened between them at a shop. Rhysand mentally sends her a detailed vision of such a scene, which she experiences vividly before cursing him through their bond. That night, after chatting with Mor, Feyre is awakened by Rhysand's house shaking as his nightmare-induced darkness floods through it. She navigates the impenetrable dark using their bond as a guide, finds him in his room, and physically snaps him out of the nightmare by slapping him. Using her own darkness in tandem with his, she soothes his terror and helps him regain consciousness. When the darkness clears, she sees him fully exposed—both physically and emotionally—displaying signs of his beast form (talons, claws, fully manifested wings). Rhysand apologizes for the disturbance and reveals his nightmares occur as frequently as hers do, stemming from traumatic memories Under the Mountain that he cannot share. Feyre offers her support without pressing for details, and before leaving, she kisses his cheek tenderly. As she departs, she has a vision of a painting—Rhysand as a dark, fallen prince—which leaves an indelible mark on her healing heart.