A Court of Mist and Fury (Maas)
Short summary
Three months after escaping Amarantha's captivity, Feyre struggled with severe trauma and nightmares in the Spring Court.
Tamlin's overprotective control suffocated her as he forbade her training and confined her to the manor. Rhysand appeared, invoking their bargain to take her to the Night Court, where he revealed the King of Hybern's plan for war and offered to train her powers.
After Tamlin's rage destroyed a room and he locked Feyre inside the manor, Rhysand rescued her and brought her to Velaris, his hidden city. There, Feyre met his Inner Circle and learned about Hybern's plan to use the Cauldron to destroy the wall between human and Fae lands. She agreed to help retrieve the Book of Breathings, which could nullify the Cauldron's power. Feyre successfully stole the book from the Summer Court and survived dangerous tests, including facing the ancient Weaver and the monstrous Attor.
During a mission to save Rhysand from poisoned arrows, Feyre discovered he was her mate. After initial anger at his secrecy, she accepted their bond and they declared their love. However, their mission to Hybern's castle ended in catastrophe when Tamlin betrayed them, having allied with the King. The King forced Feyre's sisters into the Cauldron, transforming them into Fae.
Rhysand was on the ground, roaring ... I was being shredded, I was dying, I was dying— No. No, I didn’t want it, I didn’t want to— A crack sounded in my ears. And the world cleaved in two as the bond snapped.
To save her sisters and friends, Feyre pretended to break her mating bond with Rhysand and return to Tamlin. In truth, she became a spy for the Night Court, secretly remaining the High Lady as she infiltrated Tamlin's territory to destroy their enemies from within, preparing for the coming war.
Detailed summary by parts
Division of parts into sections is editorial.
Part 1. The House of Beasts
Feyres trauma and suffocating life with Tamlin
Three months after escaping from Amarantha's reign of terror, nightmares tormented the protagonist relentlessly. She dreamed of killing innocents under Amarantha's command, haunted by memories of blood on marble floors.
I was the butcher of innocents, and the savior of a land. “Whenever you’re ready, lovely Feyre,” Amarantha drawled, her deep red hair as bright as the blood on my hands. On the marble.
She woke screaming, her new Fae strength shattering furniture and walls. The magical tattoo from her bargain with another High Lord marked her hand, a constant reminder of obligations she barely understood. Though she had been remade as High Fae and saved Prythian from Amarantha, she felt broken inside, emotionally numb and detached even from her lover.
At the Spring Court, her home with the High Lord, she desperately wanted to help rebuild the village and use her new powers, but he forbade it, citing danger. Wedding preparations consumed her days while she felt increasingly confined. The High Priestess assisted with planning and tried to befriend her, but she remained emotionally distant. When she discovered she would only be 'Lady of the Spring Court' rather than sharing equal power, her unease deepened.
Rhysands interference and introduction to the Night Court
During a village inspection, she confronted the emissary about lies regarding attacks, revealing the High Lord's overprotective nature. She learned of horrors from Amarantha's camps and felt the weight of her immortal existence. At her wedding, dressed in a gown she detested, she walked toward the altar haunted by trauma. Overwhelmed by anxiety and unworthiness, she froze just as another High Lord dramatically interrupted the ceremony.
He invoked their bargain to take her to the Night Court. Despite the Spring Court High Lord's fury, he whisked her away to his stunning mountain residence. There, he revealed his ability to access her mind and critiqued her lover's lack of understanding of her trauma. He then informed her that he intended to teach her to read, sparking her resentment.
Growing conflict and Tamlins controlling behavior
He pushed her to learn reading and mental shielding, sparking a battle where she successfully repelled him. He revealed that war was coming and urged her to embrace her latent powers. After a week, she returned to the Spring Court, where the High Lord, distraught and possessive, dismissed the war threat and forbade her training, demanding details about the Night Court. She began questioning her loyalty and agency.
During the Spring Court's Tithe ceremony, she was appalled by the High Lord's ruthless denial of a starving water-wraith's plea. Defying him, she gave the faerie her own jewels. At dinner, he condemned her actions for undermining his authority, leading to a heated argument. In intense emotion, she involuntarily intruded upon the emissary's mind, revealing a disturbing new power. She fled, leaving mysterious burn marks behind.
Breaking point and rescue from the Spring Court
She struggled with her new powers and confinement. She confronted the High Lord about her suffocating life. He gifted her a painting kit, hoping to appease her, but his restrictive control led to an explosive argument. His power destroyed the room and her gift, reflecting their fractured relationship. After his rage shattered the study, she protected herself with an unseen shield. He apologized, promising to change, but the Night Court High Lord unexpectedly appeared, challenging him and revealing his continued influence through their bargain.
The Night Court High Lord confronted her about her emotional state, offering help despite her resistance. He revealed his own past trauma and attempted to provoke a reaction. The Spring Court High Lord confined her to the house, refusing to let her train despite pleas from others. Trapped and suffering flashbacks, she tried to escape, only to find the house magically shielded. The Night Court High Lord's cousin and he rescued her, effortlessly breaking the barrier. She woke learning she had manifested darkness while screaming in her sleep. She refused to return, agreeing to work for him and join him on a trip to the City of Starlight.
Part 2. The House of Wind
Discovering Velaris and the Inner Circle
The Night Court High Lord welcomed her to his protected home in Velaris, a city untouched by war. His boisterous Inner Circle arrived, and she, overwhelmed, retreated to a private room. She questioned the city's untouched state, learning it was due to his power. Recovering from trauma, she was introduced to Velaris's beauty, which contrasted sharply with Prythian's suffering. She confronted him about his choices.
He introduced her to his powerful Inner Circle, preparing her for dinner at the House of Wind. She met them all, learning about their pasts and the brutal Illyrian culture.
Facing the Bone Carver and the Weavers test
The Night Court High Lord revealed the King's plan to resurrect a legendary warrior for war, and she agreed to confront the dangerous Bone Carver to find a way to stop it. She uncovered his profound sacrifices to protect Velaris from Amarantha's tyranny. A nightmare triggered her new fiery powers, which he helped her control by sharing his own trauma. Their trip to the formidable Prison was cut short when her past trauma prevented her from entering.
Given an amulet, she journeyed with him to the Prison. They encountered the Bone Carver, who revealed the King's plan to shatter the wall using the ancient Cauldron and that the Book of Breathings, split into two parts, could negate its power. He revealed the King's aggressive actions and their need to find the Book. He planned to use her unique powers to track it and tasked her with a dangerous test to retrieve an object from the ancient Weaver, then appointed her as Emissary to the human realm.
He took her to an ancient, dangerous wood to face the Weaver, a powerful being. He used flirtation and provocation to distract her from the harrowing test. Inside the Weaver's cottage, she found a sapphire ring connected to him. Trapped by the monstrous Weaver, she narrowly escaped by setting fire to the lair and climbing a chimney. This ordeal served as a test of her abilities and panic control. After demanding training, he revealed a brutal memory, highlighting the dangers of mental intrusion and the darker aspects of the Fae world.
Reuniting with her sisters in the mortal lands
The group prepared for a trip to the mortal realm. The cousin shared her traumatic past regarding women's roles and arranged marriages. They journeyed through the magical wall into the human lands. She returned to her mortal home, confronting her past and her sisters as a newly remade Fae. She revealed the threat and asked for their help, proposing their estate as a safe haven. One sister initially refused due to fears, but the other persuaded her to agree to help in secret.
Her sisters met the Night Court High Lord and his warriors amidst strained introductions and a tense dinner, where old family wounds and Fae-human prejudices clashed. He established her financial independence within his court and reflected on her past sacrifices.
Training begins and the Attors attack
She trained with the Night Court High Lord in a snowy forest, attempting to wield her powers. After exchanging witty notes, she, distracted, was suddenly attacked and abducted by a terrifying creature. He saved her, interrogating the creature about the King's plans. The spymaster took it away, prompting her anger at being used as bait. In a fit of rage and rediscovered power, she challenged him and ultimately replicated his winnowing ability. She confronted him after he used her as bait, demanding to be trained as a weapon, not a pawn.
You want to save the mortal realm? ... Then become someone Prythian listens to. Become vital. Become a weapon. Because there might be a day ... when only you stand between the King of Hybern and your human family.
Combat lessons and the Summer Court mission
She returned to Velaris after a visit to her sisters, where he revealed the creature's interrogation was complete. He showed her a memory of information extraction about the King's plot and sealed borders. She wrote a letter asserting her independence, then prepared to explore Velaris at night. She experienced the vibrant, peaceful city with him and his Inner Circle. They shared a meal, and he revealed the secret of Velaris as a hidden sanctuary. She realized he had sent music to her while she was imprisoned, saving her. They engaged in a playful, flirtatious written exchange.
She trained with the general, struggling with combat. He announced a trip to the Summer Court to steal the Book of Breathings. She, the ancient being, and the Night Court High Lord traveled there to steal a magical book, with her disguised as his 'pet.' They met the Summer Court High Lord, who subtly challenged her presence. Tensions rose when a princess reminded her of her legal ties to the Spring Court High Lord.
Stealing the Book of Breathings and its consequences
They arrived for a secret mission to retrieve a book. He instructed her to get it without making enemies or getting caught. She discovered new water powers. She processed her role as a 'weapon' and flirted with the Summer Court High Lord to gain intel. She searched for a crucial book and discovered a hidden temple. She subtly infiltrated his mind to confirm her suspicions. With her companions, she planned a nighttime infiltration. Guilt-ridden, she continued her charade, planning to steal a powerful object. She and the ancient being navigated a foul, hidden temple, using her cunning and borrowed power to bypass magical defenses. They located a lead box containing a potent artifact. She and the ancient being narrowly escaped drowning, rescued by a past kindness. They returned with a mysterious metal book, which the ancient being identified as written in a divine language. He revealed his plan to use it to combat the Cauldron.
Meeting the mortal queens and the Court of Nightmares
After she recovered from exhaustion, she found him on the rooftop. He revealed he stole a book, leading to the Summer Court sending them blood rubies, a declaration of war. Their playful banter escalated into a sensual exchange. Later, she found him in a nightmare-induced transformation, and she calmed him through their bond. She visited the ancient being, providing lamb blood. The protagonist trained with the general and the Night Court High Lord, developing powers. The mortal queens finally agreed to a meeting at the family estate.
She and her companions met with five mortal queens to warn them of war and request a magical book. The queens dismissed the threat, angering her sister. The Night Court High Lord was chastised for his past, but his cousin revealed a long-held secret of peaceful coexistence, shocking the queens. He promised proof of his peaceful intentions. After an unsuccessful meeting, he revealed their plan to use a magical orb from the Court of Nightmares to project an image of Velaris as proof. He struggled with the cruel persona he must adopt and confided in her about his cousin's traumatic past.
Starfall celebration and journey to Illyrian camps
She and the Night Court High Lord traveled to the Court of Nightmares, facing an attack. She insisted on joining the hunt, then played the role of his consort in a power display to distract the court while the spymaster completed a mission. He brutally punished someone for insulting her. He winnowed her to a lake after a tense encounter, apologizing, but she pushed back against his overprotective instincts. He revealed his fear of being seen as a villain. She grappled with her feelings for him. The ancient being informed her she was leaving Velaris in two days for a war-camp, due to a celestial event and enemies tracking his magic. She also revealed his dreams of peace and his transformation, crediting her.
She, transformed and dressed exquisitely, attended a celebration at the House of Wind. She reconnected with the warriors, learning about the cousin's past. The Night Court High Lord arrived, eventually revealing the painful truth of his experiences. A playful encounter with falling star-spirits led to shared laughter and vulnerability, culminating in his confession of deep feelings and their decision to dance together.
Confrontation with Lucien and growing intimacy with Rhysand
She and her companions visited a harsh Illyrian camp, where the Night Court High Lord asserted dominance over the misogynistic lord. He then revealed to her the tragic history of his family's murder by the Spring Court High Lord's father and brothers, and his own revenge, triggering a powerful outburst of her magic. She and he experienced intense mutual attraction. Later, she experimented with her fire magic in the forest but was ambushed by Spring Court sentinels.
Cornered by the emissary and his sentinels, she refused to return to the Spring Court, revealing her newfound Illyrian powers and sharp resolve. The Night Court High Lord arrived, supporting her as she confronted the emissary about his past inaction and warned him to stay away.
Rhysand poisoned and the mate bond revealed
She and the Night Court High Lord shared a cramped attic room at an inn. Despite the cold, their intense attraction built through teasing and intimate caresses. He revealed his deep desire for her, promising future intimacy. She woke with him, who explained their bargain. During a flight, enemy soldiers ambushed them with poisoned arrows, gravely wounding him and nullifying his magic. She fought her way into their cave, brutally killed the soldiers, and removed the arrows from his wings. She winnowed them to a safe cave, where she tended to him as he drifted in and out of consciousness.
She frantically sought a cure for the poisoned Night Court High Lord. She consulted a magical creature, learning her blood and a specific weed were the remedy, and that he was her mate. Enraged that he kept this secret, she forcibly administered the cure and confronted him, leading to a heated argument. She and he arrived at a mountain cabin, where she, distressed, asked the cousin to take her away. The cousin took her to a warded, secluded cabin. She, now aware of her mate bond, sought solitude.
Part 3. The House of Mist
Mountain cabin retreat and accepting the mating bond
She, recovering in a mountain cabin, grappled with her mate bond and her past. She processed her guilt, then found solace and self-expression through painting the cabin. The cousin arrived, revealing insights into the Inner Circle's dynamics and encouraging her to reconcile, leading her to accept her new role. After the cousin's departure, she envisioned a hopeful future: opening an art shop in Velaris, enjoying summers at the house, and sharing joyous evenings with friends. This vision gave her purpose.
The Night Court High Lord visited her, who admitted her fear of painting his eyes, leading him to confess his deep, hidden love. He revealed his harrowing past under Amarantha, his role as her captive and spy, his discovery of her through dreams, and his desperate actions to protect her, culminating in their fated mating bond and her resurrection. She confessed her love to him, affirming their mating bond. Their intense passion culminated in a deeply intimate encounter. They discussed their future, the war, and the complexities of their bond, ultimately choosing to enjoy their present while acknowledging future challenges.
Securing both halves of the Book and attack on Velaris
They arrived at an Illyrian camp where the general provoked the Night Court High Lord into a fight, serving as an emotional release. The group formally accepted her into their family, then departed for the mortal lands to reveal a long-held secret. They met with two Human Queens to seek alliance. Despite revealing Velaris through a magical orb, the Queens remained noncommittal, with her sister fiercely defending their need for help. Just as the Queens departed, one secretly left the second half of the Book of Breathings and a note.
The group returned to Velaris after retrieving the Book, but two days passed with the ancient being unable to decipher it. An invasion of Velaris by enemy forces began with a brutal attack. As the warriors fought, she engaged the enemy, unleashing powerful water magic to defend her city before pursuing the escaping creature. She, ignoring mental calls, relentlessly pursued and engaged the creature in a deadly aerial battle. She crippled its wings with poisoned arrows, engulfed it in flames, and repeatedly stabbed it, executing a brutal vengeance before leaving it to crash. The Night Court High Lord then arrived, comforting her after her victorious, yet harrowing, ordeal.
Mission to Hybern and her sisters transformation
Following an attack, the Night Court High Lord and his inner circle assessed the damage to Velaris and planned their next move. The ancient being volunteered to defend the city while the others attacked the Cauldron. She and he discussed their relationship and future, with him acknowledging her autonomy. They decided she would go to the King's realm, and he gave her his mother's ring, a symbol of her strength. She declared her desire for marriage and celebration after the mission.
Heavily armed, she and her companions prepared for a dangerous mission to the King's realm. After tense goodbyes and warnings, they flew towards the ancient, guarded castle to retrieve the Cauldron, guided by its pull and the lethal efficiency of the Illyrian warriors. She encountered the Cauldron, a dark, powerful artifact. She connected with it, experiencing immense power and pain. Retrieving both halves of the Book of Breathings, she intended to cast a spell, but just as she began, the spymaster pulled her away. A legendary warrior then appeared, revealing his familiar, menacing eyes.
She and her companions were trapped by the warrior and the King, losing their powers. The warrior injured the spymaster with a poisoned bolt, forcing the group to comply. They were led to a bone-adorned throne room, where the Spring Court emissary and High Lord shockingly appeared, revealing a deeper betrayal. She and her companions confronted the Spring Court High Lord in the King's court, where he had bargained her and access to Prythian for the King. Her magic was suppressed, but she eventually broke free, leading to a confrontation. The King revealed her mating bond with the Night Court High Lord and, to ensure her compliance, brought out her bound sisters, threatening their safety.
Feyres sacrifice and becoming a spy in the Spring Court
She witnessed her sisters forced into the Cauldron by the King, who sought to demonstrate the power of transformation to the mortal queens. The warrior and the High Priestess were revealed as collaborators. One sister emerged as a Fae, terrified. The other fought defiantly, pointing a damning finger at the King before her transformation, and upon emerging, exhibited intense power and rage, claiming her sister from the emissary, who recognized her as his mate.
She, facing the King's threats and a desperate situation, used her hidden power to subtly break the castle's wards. She then staged a dramatic plea to the Spring Court High Lord, feigning a desire to return to him and break her bond with the Night Court High Lord, all to secure the safe departure of her sisters and friends. Despite his broken protests, the King agreed, and the mating bond between her and the Night Court High Lord was agonizingly severed.
She fainted and awakened to chaos. Her Bargain tattoo was gone, revealing her sacrifice. The Night Court High Lord and his allies escaped as the cousin rescued her sisters. She confronted the King and the warrior, vowing revenge for her sisters before winnowing away with the Spring Court High Lord, leaving the King enraged about the missing Book of Breathings. The Night Court High Lord and his companions grappled with the severe injuries of the warriors, learning she sacrificed herself to the King after the Spring Court High Lord's betrayal. She, now a spy and secretly the High Lady of the Night Court, feigned breaking her bond to infiltrate the enemy.
Help lead you in the wrong direction. Help bring you and your court to your knees ... And then tear Ianthe into tiny, tiny pieces and bury them in a pit no one can find.
She returned to the Spring Court High Lord's manor, feigning relief after her supposed rescue, while secretly plotting against him and his court with her true love, the Night Court High Lord, through a hidden bond. The emissary suspected her deception, but was powerless to act, as she, the High Lady of the Night Court, infiltrated the Spring Court territory.