Chapter 9

Feyre seeks out Lucien at the stables, hoping to persuade him to help her escape the Treaty's binding terms. They ride together into the spring woods on patrol, where Lucien reveals his knowledge of her plan and flatly tells her there is no loophole—she must remain at the manor. During their ride, mysterious information about a powerful "she" who frightens even Lucien emerges, along with details about faerie powers and Tamlin's shape-shifting abilities. The chapter ends with an unexplained, terrifying presence in the forest that causes both riders to freeze in fear.

Feyre wakes determined to find Lucien alone and persuade him to help her escape the Treaty. She learns from Alis that Lucien will be at the stables preparing for patrol. When Tamlin intercepts her in the garden offering to show her the grounds, she declines, and he leaves frustrated. At the stables, Lucien invites her to join him on a hunt through the southern woods, ostensibly curious about her abilities as a "Fae-killer." As they ride, Lucien quickly deduces that Feyre sought him out to request his intervention with Tamlin. He crushes her hopes by explaining there is no loophole to the Treaty—she is bound to stay. During their ride, Lucien accidentally reveals information about a mysterious "her" from "the shit-holes of Hell" whose name he fears to speak aloud, implying she monitors behavior even in the forest. He explains that High Fae like himself have no specific powers and exist only to rule, unlike lesser faeries with particular affinities. When Feyre asks about the Suriel—faeries who must answer any trapped question—Lucien warns her against seeking them out, revealing they lurk nearby. As they continue riding, Lucien's metal eye activates and he detects something in the brush. He orders Feyre to stay calm, look ahead, and not react. Both horses sense the danger; the chapter ends with an invisible, terrifying presence that causes Lucien to go pale.