Chapter 69

Feysande sacrifices her own freedom to save her sisters and the Night Court warriors. She reveals she destroyed the castle wards and does not have the Book of Breathings, allowing Mor to whisk her sisters to safety while Rhysand and his brothers escape. The king realizes he has been deceived and demands the Book's retrieval.

After fainting briefly, Feysande regains consciousness to find Tamlin removing her glove, revealing no mating bond tattoo on her hand. She witnesses Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel bloodied on the floor as the king grants Rhys freedom, claiming the poison is gone but the other warriors' wings are damaged. Feysande silently communicates with them to take her sisters and escape through the broken wards she has dismantled. Mor swiftly winnows to Lucien and Feysande's sisters, subduing Lucien and vanishing with them. Rhysand follows, carrying Azriel and Cassian away without looking back at Feysande. The king erupts in rage at his guards and Jurian for failing to stop the escape, demanding answers about the castle wards. Lucien, recognizing Feysande as Tamlin's mate, urges Tamlin to restrain her, but Tamlin ignores him. The king orders the assembled queens to begin their approach to the Cauldron. Jurian taunts Lucien about what Illyrian warriors do to females, and Feysande spits at Jurian in response. When Lucien questions how she can be calm about her sisters being taken, Feysande states quietly that they will get her back, though Lucien watches her with suspicion. As Tamlin prepares to take her home, the king demands to know the location of the Book of Breathings, realizing Feysande was not carrying it in her jacket. The castle shudders with his fury. The king orders Tamlin's presence when the Book is retrieved and begins to winnow them away through the destroyed wards. Before leaving, Feysande threatens to light the king's pyres for what he did to her sisters.