Feyre paints a cheerful view of the Spring Court rose garden, but she knows the image is false, just like the calm, recovering persona she has built since returning. While thinking of what Hybern and Ianthe did to Elain, Nesta, and Cassian, Feyre snaps a paintbrush, destroys it with hidden fire, clears the evidence with wind, and quickly resumes her act when she senses Tamlin and Lucien approaching.

Tamlin interrupts to bring Feyre to a meeting with Ianthe, and Feyre carefully performs subdued gratitude and fragility. After changing clothes, Feyre remembers that her old bedroom has been left wrecked and overgrown with thorns, a sign of Tamlin’s loss of control. In the hallway, Lucien confronts Feyre about the threats she made in Hybern, warns that Ianthe will manipulate her, and then presses Feyre for information about where Rhysand might be keeping Elain. Feyre lies to protect the Night Court, dismisses Lucien’s desperation as mating-bond instinct, and uses a show of fear at the mention of Rhysand to preserve her cover.

At the formal dining table, Feyre faces Ianthe and barely contains her hatred. Ianthe offers an apology, claiming she acted to give Feyre immortal sisters and to preserve both Hybern’s alliance and Elain’s future with Lucien. Lucien rejects the excuse and makes clear that he sees the forced transformation of Feyre’s sisters as unforgivable, while Tamlin treats Ianthe’s actions as a terrible but survivable mistake.

Lucien warns that Hybern cannot be trusted, based on what he witnessed there, but Tamlin insists that the Spring Court has already agreed to sacrifices and must remain united with Hybern. Ianthe frames cooperation as the only way for their lands to survive, and Tamlin continues to trust her. Feyre recognizes that both Tamlin and Ianthe remain blind to her true loyalties and intentions, which makes her infiltration easier.

Feyre then steers the conversation toward the safety of the Spring Court’s people. Tamlin says Hybern has promised to leave them untouched and reveals that he has already ordered families to relocate to the eastern part of the territory for now. Feyre quietly stores away the strategic value of that information, concluding Hybern will likely approach from the west. The meeting ends with Tamlin announcing that Hybern’s first delegation will arrive the next day and that Jurian will be among them.