At dawn, Feyre plans to find Lucien alone. Alis mentions Lucien is on border patrol and headed to the stables. On the way, Tamlin appears and offers a guided ride to show her the grounds. Feyre refuses, testing boundaries; Tamlin tenses but withdraws.

At the stables, Lucien invites Feyre to accompany him on patrol, half-mocking her as a human hunter. They ride into the spring woods, where Feyre studies the terrain even as she tries to keep her purpose hidden. She offers condolences for Andras, which Lucien brushes off with wry barbs.

When Feyre probes for a way home, Lucien bluntly states there is no loophole in the Treaty and that she is stuck unless she risks Prythian alone. He explains the masks were once a choice to honor Tamlin’s shape-shifting gifts but are now fixed by the blight. Letting slip that something from “the shit-holes of Hell” and a dreaded she may be behind it, he grows wary of being overheard. He confirms only Tamlin can shape-shift others—Andras was sent across the wall as a wolf—and claims High Fae lack narrow, lesser-fae style affinities. Lucien’s scar came from speaking out; Tamlin later got him a replacement eye.

Feyre learns of the Suriel, beings who will answer questions if trapped, and receives a stern warning not to seek them. Suddenly, Lucien freezes, orders Feyre to lower her bow, look ahead, and not react. The horses flatten their ears as a presence stirs in the brush, and Feyre feels it closing in.