Chapter 38

Feyre endures two impossible household tasks set by Amarantha's guards as punishment. The Lady of the Autumn Court secretly helps her complete the first task, and Rhysand confronts her during the second, revealing more about his powers and then using mind control to protect her from further torment.

Feyre is forced to scrub a marble hallway with filthy water, an impossible task designed to torment her. She despairs over the bargain she made with Rhysand, marked with a dark eye tattoo on her palm. When she attempts to ask for clean water, she finds the door locked. The Lady of the Autumn Court appears and, stating her debt is paid for Feyre giving her name instead of her son's life, magically provides clean water that allows Feyre to complete the task. The next day, guards assign her to sort lentils from ash and embers in a massive bedroom's fireplace before its occupant returns, threatening to flay her skin if she fails. After hours of fruitless searching, Rhysand enters the room. Feyre grabs an iron poker in self-defense. Rhysand reveals that Amarantha likely ordered the task to test him, suspecting he lied about knowing Feyre during her first trial. He explains he can still access remnant powers despite Amarantha stripping most abilities from the High Lords, demonstrating a partial shift into his beast form—black wings and razor talons—before returning to his normal appearance. When Feyre asks if he knows the riddle's answer, he refuses to help, explaining that Amarantha's orders bind them all absolutely. However, he uses magic to clean the soot from Feyre, fill her bucket with lentils, and complete the fireplace task. He then uses mind control on the guards, compelling them never to harm or touch Feyre again under threat of self-inflicted death. Feyre leaves under their dazed escort.