House of Flame and Shadow
by Sarah J. Maas
Contents
Chapter Forty-Nine
Overview
Tharion marries Sathia in Morven’s throne room to protect her from the king’s coercive marriage-or-deportation edict, even as Flynn warns the match could trap Sathia permanently in Fae eyes. In Lunathion, the Under-King claims Sigrid’s unmoored soul and turns her into a Reaper, leaving Ithan devastated and blamed. Hypaxia offers a risky path to reverse Sigrid’s Reaperdom using thunderbird lightning, but Sofie Renast’s body—the key—has ended up on Avallen with the Stag King, tying the rescue attempt back to Morven’s territory.
Summary
At Morven’s castle on Avallen, Flynn argues with Tharion in the throne room shadows, warning that marrying Sathia is permanent among the Fae and would ruin her prospects if they later separated. Tharion, shaken by Morven’s mind-creeping “Murder Twins” and determined to keep Sathia from being sacrificed to Morven’s demands, insists divorce would matter less outside Fae society and challenges Flynn to offer a safer alternative.
Sathia, overhearing and furious, storms up and bluntly asks Tharion if they are proceeding. With Bryce, Hunt Athalar, Baxian, and the Hind watching, Tharion agrees. Morven immediately summons a Priestess of Cthona to force the issue, and within minutes Tharion is formally married to Sathia.
In Lunathion’s morgue, Sigrid—now a stitched, green-eyed Reaper—awakens and snarls at Ithan. Hypaxia and Jesiba reel as Sigrid explains she and Hypaxia reached a “doorway,” and when Hypaxia chose one path, Sigrid chose the other; the Under-King appears and claims he took Sigrid because her soul was unclaimed and he offered “freedom” from Hypaxia’s control.
The Under-King takes Sigrid by the hand, thanks Ithan for inadvertently delivering Sigrid’s soul, and vanishes with her, while Sigrid spits that Ithan killed her and promises she will not forget it. Ithan demands Hypaxia fix what happened, refusing to accept Sigrid’s Reaper state as final.
Hypaxia proposes a desperate solution: necromancy might pull Sigrid back across the threshold if they can use a thunderbird’s lightning to draw the soul toward life and allow Sigrid a second choice. They identify Sofie Renast as a dead thunderbird whose body might still hold usable power, and Jesiba leaves to locate the corpse; she returns with the lead—Sofie’s body is on Avallen, in the hands of the Stag King.
Who Appears
- Tharion KetosDesperate to protect Sathia; agrees to a rushed marriage despite grim consequences.
- Sathia HawthorneFlynn’s sister; accepts Tharion’s marriage proposal to escape Morven’s coercion.
- Ithan HolstromHaunted by Sigrid’s death and transformation; demands Hypaxia undo the damage.
- Sigrid FendyrRevived as a green-eyed Reaper; blames Ithan and leaves with the Under-King.
- Hypaxia EnadorNecromancer who tried to raise Sigrid; proposes using thunderbird lightning to reverse Reaperdom.
- The Under-KingLord of the dead; claims Sigrid’s soul, turns her into a Reaper, and takes her away.
- Flynn HawthorneProtective brother; argues the marriage will trap Sathia socially and permanently among the Fae.
- Morven (the Stag King)Avallen’s king; pushes forced marriages and swiftly arranges Tharion and Sathia’s ceremony.
- Jesiba RogaColdly pragmatic; helps evaluate reversal plan and locates Sofie Renast’s body on Avallen.
- Ruhn DanaanPresent at Morven’s court; speaks with Sathia before the marriage proceeds.
- Declan EmmetAt Morven’s court; confers with Sathia alongside Ruhn before the ceremony.
- Bryce QuinlanObserves the forced marriage outcome at Morven’s court with her allies.
- Hunt AthalarWatches events unfold at Morven’s court beside Bryce.
- BaxianStands with Bryce and Hunt during the throne room confrontation and wedding.
- Lidia Cervos (the Hind)Present at the back of Morven’s throne room, observing the marriage decision.
- Priestess of CthonaSummoned by Morven to perform Tharion and Sathia’s rapid marriage ceremony.