At the first major postwar meeting, humans and Fae speak for hours, exhausted but trying to open channels between their divided worlds. Feyre tells her full story to strangers, friends, and Tamlin alike, laying bare her poverty, her suffering Under the Mountain, and the loves that hurt and healed her. Miryam and Drakon then share their own history as proof that humans and Fae can build a life together, while other speakers recount wrongs, crimes, and wounds that remain unresolved.

The gathering makes progress, but only barely. Many participants doubt whether a new wall should ever be built, and the humans are wary for good reason, especially with other Fae territories still capable of siding with Hybern-like promises. The High Lords argue most fiercely about the wall, and their wartime unity begins to fray, yet everyone stays long enough to agree that further discussion must continue later, because peace will require time, healing, and trust.

After the meeting breaks up, Feyre watches the groups depart into the night. She notices that Elain has been watching Graysen leave without even looking back at her, confirming that he meant his earlier rejection, even though Elain still wears his ring. Jurian joins Feyre and says that Queen Vassa has offered him a place in her court, but he doubts what kind of court a cursed queen can truly keep while bound to the death-lord on the continent; when Feyre asks whether peace has any chance, Jurian quietly says yes, and his confidence comforts her.

Days later, once the war-camp is dismantled, Feyre returns with her court to Velaris. The city is outwardly unchanged, full of sunlight, bread, sea air, and children laughing, but Feyre realizes that while home is the same, they are not. Amren complains about having to eat real food now, then makes a sharp joke to Nesta about taking Hybern’s head as a trophy; Mor calls the joke cruel, Amren storms out, and Elain’s mild comment that the new Amren is even crankier briefly makes everyone laugh except Nesta. Feyre notices again that Nesta has barely spoken, barely eaten, avoided Cassian, and may or may not still carry what the Cauldron left in her.

Rhys offers Feyre comfort and playful reassurance before slipping away to find food. Alone with her sisters, Feyre reflects that Lucien stayed behind to heal wounded humans and will likely deliver her note to Tamlin, a short message thanking him and wishing him happiness because Feyre no longer wants to spend her life feeding hatred. When Feyre asks what comes next, Nesta silently retreats upstairs, still buried in grief over their father and everything else. Elain gently asks whether they should help Nesta later, then answers the larger question for herself by saying she wants to build a garden, because after all the destruction, the world needs more gardens.