Chapter 16

Rhysand settles Lucien in the House of Wind with strict conditions to protect Elain and Nesta, then convenes with his inner circle at Amren's loft to discuss war strategy. The group reveals their intelligence on Hybern's allies, their efforts to keep continental territories divided, and the critical need to repair the wall before Hybern exploits its weaknesses.

Rhysand escorts Lucien to his suite at the House of Wind, establishing firm rules: Lucien cannot access the sisters' floor, cannot take them anywhere, and the house is warded against winnowing. Feyre reaffirms her protective stance toward Elain, and Lucien thanks her as they leave. The group then flies to Amren's loft, where Rhys, Cassian, Mor, and Azriel have gathered to brief Feyre on their intelligence and strategy. Amren is managing the Book of Breathings, which speaks occasionally since being reunited. Rhys explains that while spying in Hybern and other continental territories, he discovered Hybern's people support the war because their king deliberately allowed their society to stagnate, making them yearn for the pre-Treaty era of human slavery and prosperity. The three territories Hybern claims as allies—Vallahan, Montesere, and Rask—are powerful, but Rhys and Azriel have been spreading misinformation to keep them focused on each other rather than attacking Prythian. Attempts to contact Miryam and Drakon on Cretea failed; the island was found abandoned. Amren theorizes Jurian, working for Hybern in exchange for locating Miryam (whom Drakon resurrected using a Cauldron-made artifact), drove them to flee. Regarding the wall, Hybern plans to exploit existing tears rather than unleash the Cauldron's full power, suggesting he may have depleted it transforming Feyre's sisters and the human queens. Feyre cannot safely attempt to nullify the Cauldron again, but she might be able to patch the wall using her blended magic. When Amren compares Feyre's reluctance to use her sisters to Tamlin's protectiveness, Mor threatens her with the Sidra. Feyre ultimately agrees to ask her sisters voluntarily, refusing to force them. She and Rhys clash briefly over his comment about Nesta, but reconcile. The chapter concludes with Rhys announcing he will summon every High Lord in Prythian to a meeting in two weeks to secure allies for the coming war.