Feyre, Tamlin, and Lucien share a late lunch, trading flirtation and teasing until Lucien delivers grim news: a message from the Winter Court reports the blight killed two dozen younglings, burning through their magic and minds. Other courts are suffering while the Night Court remains unscathed, and the attacks are moving south.

A sudden, ominous silence falls over the manor. Tamlin orders Lucien to hide Feyre; Lucien glamours her and pins her by the window as Tamlin feigns nonchalance. Rhysand—the male who aided Feyre on Fire Night—enters unmasked, revealed as the High Lord of the Night Court. He taunts Tamlin about decades of inaction, Amarantha, and life Under the Mountain, trading barbs with Lucien.

When Rhysand notices the third place setting, he detects Lucien’s glamour and locates Feyre. He disarms her, warns she is in danger she doesn’t understand, and then seizes her mind, demonstrating overwhelming control while exposing Feyre’s private thoughts to provoke Tamlin. Rhysand releases her and coolly predicts Amarantha will delight in breaking her.

Desperate, Tamlin begs Rhysand not to reveal Feyre to Amarantha. Rhysand forces both Tamlin and Lucien to their knees before toying with Tamlin’s fear. He asks Feyre’s name; to protect her family, Feyre lies and gives the name Clare Beddor.

Rhysand ends the encounter by promising to see them Under the Mountain and to give Amarantha their regards, then vanishes, leaving Feyre shaken and Tamlin and Lucien humiliated as the threat of the blight and Amarantha escalates.