Chapter 37

Feyre, feverish and desperate in her dungeon cell with an infected, life-threatening arm wound, is visited by Rhysand. He offers to heal her in exchange for two weeks per month at the Night Court, leveraging her fear of death and abandonment. After refusing initially, Feyre ultimately accepts a bargained compromise of one week per month. Rhysand heals her but marks the bargain permanently with magical tattoos covering her left arm and hand, a mark meant to provoke Tamlin's reaction.

Feyre lies in her cell days after her trial victory, suffering from a severe embedded bone wound in her arm that will not stop bleeding. She fears infection and cannot eat, burning with fever while remaining covered in mud in the freezing dungeon. Rhysand materializes from darkness and examines her wound, offering to heal it in exchange for two weeks per month at the Night Court, starting after the three trials conclude. He manipulates her by revealing that Lucien has been keeping a low profile after his outburst at trial and received twenty lashes from Tamlin as punishment from Amarantha, making her doubt whether Lucien will come to help her in time. Rhysand threatens to leave and tortures her by twisting the bone in her arm when she refuses, then gives her one final chance at his offer. Desperate and convinced she is dying, Feyre capitulates. She negotiates him down from two weeks to one week per month in exchange for accepting his help. When Rhysand heals her, the magic involves shattering her arm bones again, but she awakens fully healed and clean, her fever gone. However, she discovers her entire left forearm and hand are now covered in intricate black tattoos—magical marks of the bargain including a large feline eye in her palm. Rhysand reveals this marking is custom in his court and departs, making clear he orchestrated this bargain primarily to hurt Tamlin rather than to help her.