Chapter 12

Feysand and Lucien are ambushed by Eris and his brothers in a cave in the Autumn Court. After a violent confrontation, Feysand unleashes her fire magic and collapses the cave to escape, forcing them to flee through the brutal mountain pass into Winter Court territory. Weakened by faebane, they struggle through freezing conditions, reach the Winter Court's ice plains, but are cornered by Eris at the chapter's end.

The chapter opens with Eris, the High Lord's heir of the Autumn Court and Mor's former betrothed, holding a knife to Feysand's throat alongside his brothers. Lucien attempts to negotiate, but Eris reveals their father Beron wants to see them. Feysand feels her fire magic beginning to break through the faebane's suppression as she recognizes Eris and remembers what he did to Mor. When Eris shoves her, she seizes the opportunity, striking him and unleashing a wall of flame between them and his brothers. Working together, Lucien and Feysand bring down the cave ceiling to seal their pursuers inside, then flee into the night. Stripped of their supplies and weapons, they traverse treacherous snowy mountains in brutal cold. Feysand's fire barely sustains them as they struggle upward, unable to contact Rhysand through the bond or winnow due to lingering faebane effects. They finally crest the mountain pass and descend toward the Winter Court border. Unable to find wood for a fire, they huddle together in a cave for warmth and body heat. During their desperate night, Lucien asks about Elain, and Feysand reveals her sister is engaged to a human lord's son whose father hunts faeries. Lucien reacts with shock and suppressed anger, then confronts Feysand about when she knew Rhysand was her mate and when she stopped loving Tamlin. The conversation turns accusatory as Lucien suggests she abandoned them, but Feysand counters that he never truly belonged in the Spring Court. They reach the Winter Court border the next morning and traverse the vast ice plain. Feysand's power slowly returns as the faebane weakens. They plan to build shelter on the ice to survive the crossing, but as dawn breaks, three figures appear at the lake's edge: Eris and his brothers have caught up, and Eris raises his hand wreathed in flame, threatening to melt the ice beneath them.