Chapter 52

Feyre and her court visit Lord Nolan's fortress to convince him to shelter humans fleeing the continent after the wall's destruction. When Graysen arrives to meet his betrothed Elain, Lord Nolan refuses to help and accuses them of using faerie magic to deceive him—then Jurian arrives and reveals he has been manipulating events from within the fortress.

The group waits outside Lord Nolan's fortress while a guard announces their arrival. Upon entering the guardhouse, Feyre experiences claustrophobia in the cramped space; Nesta confides her own trauma with water, and Feyre promises to help her. Azriel alerts them that Lord Graysen and his father Lord Nolan approach with two dozen guards. When Graysen enters and sees Elain, he is visibly affected, but his father Lord Nolan interrupts, demanding to know the meaning of their visit. Nesta explains the wall's fall, the Cauldron, and the threat from Hybern. Feyre then identifies herself and her companions as High Lady of the Night Court, her husband Rhysand, Morrigan, and Azriel, causing alarm among the guards. Elain pleads with Graysen and his father to open their gates to fleeing humans, but Lord Nolan accuses them of using faerie magic to deceive him and reveals he knows Elain was turned Fae and is mated to a High Lord's son. Before they can respond, Jurian enters the room and claims responsibility for providing this information.