Chapter Fifty-Two

Nesta attends a sunset service at the House of Many Waters where the priestesses sing in an ancient, mystical ritual. During the music, Nesta is drawn into an unwitting scrying vision that reveals the Harp of Healing is imprisoned beneath the Prison itself—and her presence has awakened it. Shaken by the discovery, she reports this to Cassian and Rhys, who begin preparing to visit the Prison.

Nesta joins the priestesses in their red-stoned cavern for an evening service. She is surprised to discover that Gwyn, her friend, is among the seven priestesses leading the ceremony. As the priestesses sing in intricate, layered harmonies, their ancient music draws Nesta into a deep trance-like state. Through this involuntary scrying, guided by the song and her own bones as a conduit, Nesta's consciousness travels through a mist-veiled mountain and passes through sealed doors containing terrible beings—one more horrible than the rest, which watches her as she passes. She descends into a dark cavern beneath the mountain, nearly identical to the chamber where the priestesses sing, and discovers a golden harp lying in the center of the floor, surrounded by powerful spells and wards. The Harp itself seems sentient and beckons her to play it, promising freedom from earthly constraints through music. Nesta nearly complies before the song abruptly halts and the vision shatters, leaving her collapsed and shaken. Later that evening, Nesta informs Cassian of her discovery. She reveals that the Harp is hidden beneath the Prison and, more troublingly, that her scrying has awakened it. Cassian immediately brings this information to Rhysand. Rhys reveals he anticipated such trouble and has already placed a shield around the Prison, similar to one he put around Feyre. He agrees to spend the night unraveling the shield so they can enter the Prison the following day. Rhys gives Cassian the great sword Nesta Made, suggesting he wants to observe what happens if Nesta uses it, though Cassian questions the wisdom of conducting experiments during a Prison visit.