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ACOTAR Refresh Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury · Cait & Court's Cozy Corner: Romance Readers

• Cait: Hi. Court: Hi. Cait: Welcome back to season two of Cait and Court's Cozy Corner: Court: Romance Readers. Cait: Where we only talk about books that we love. And we're bringing you all of our favorite romance and romantasy reads because Court: Mm-hmm. Cait: our motto is Court: When people say that you don't need spice to make a book good, well you don't need running shoes to run, but it helps. Caitlin Stryker: And you know the drill, like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcasts. Hi. Courtney Richter: Hi. Caitlin Stryker: All right, we are back with you. This is, both laughing because today we are actually re-recording an episode about Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas because we recorded an episode already. And you know, we should have known that we were gonna have to do this because like, I think we were about halfway through and neither of us could remember Azriel's name. Which. Courtney Richter: know, which I mean, I I know in my day to day life, just in that moment, I like blanked. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yes, it was like total blank. Exactly. And And then we were like, I think we got it. And then Court was like, I just did like a little bit Mor of a reread. We missed so many details about like the gang, you know, like the friends anyways. Courtney Richter: everything. Caitlin Stryker: And so I was like, okay, we'll rerecord it. We'll get Mor details because I just, as I was just saying to Court right before we started recording, this is kind of a seminal work of romantasy. Like we got to give it... Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It's huge. Yes. That's That's what I said to Cait. I'm like, I'm actually embarrassed as myself being a romantasy expert with how many details I forgot. Cause I've read it multiple times, but I hadn't just Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: reread it. And then, so I did. And I'm so glad I did because again, you can jump back into these anytime. It's just such a fun ride, but I wasn't ready to give the like, I Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Well, because the world is so... Yeah. Courtney Richter: didn't want to give the little like overview of it. I wanted to give the details for you all to listen Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: to because it's so delicious and so worth diving back into. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, because There are so many details in each book, you know, and it's interesting because Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: we started the first podcast last week about ACOTAR and I was like, the first four chapters felt like kind of like thin world building, like we're in this human, whatever. And then you realize, and Court made such a great point, she's like, that's because we're in the human world and the fae see it as that, like as you go along, you realize, and as you dive into further into this series, it just gets like deeper and deeper and deeper and like so multi-layered. Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: And so much fun. And so many characters that you fall in love with that you want to know Mor about them. Anyway, it's just, it's delightful. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: So we're taking another crack at book two in ACOTAR, Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: also known as we're texting each other back and forth, just trying to be fast, like the Green One. Courtney Richter: Yes It's true, the Court of Mist and Fury and the Court of Ruin and Wrath? Is that the third one? Wings and Wrath. That's my point. I can never keep all the actual names correct other than a Court of Thorns and Roses. They all like kind Caitlin Stryker: Wings in ruin. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: of, I just know the color. Like this one. Yeah, yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Exactly, but I think that's true for everyone. I think that's why everyone just goes at guitar like blanket statement for the entire Courtney Richter: Yes, exactly. Caitlin Stryker: series, you know? And then we just, yeah. And each book is so amazing, but they kind of I think the first three kind of tell us certain section of the story and you could stop there and we'll go further into that when we do the third book and then it carries on further into the world, you know, should you want to and at this point like we want to. Yeah, yeah, we'll get there. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. So it's hard. Courtney Richter: You want to you should it's worth it. But well well so I don't say any spoilers because I'm bad at that. We won't talk about it. Yes. I don't trust myself. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: That's why we had to read because you kind of start to be like, wait, did that happen in book two or book three? Or did that happen Courtney Richter: Exactly. Caitlin Stryker: in book, you know, like, there's a lot. There's a lot. And I also I've sort of seen things floating around out there that there's this theory about like, Sara J Maas books, I guess, and the last hundred pages. Courtney Richter: Well, yeah, this is a pattern that happens. There's quite a few books that the first one, well, three series, each of them, the Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: last 100 pages really like gets you going. Yeah, then Caitlin Stryker: like, whoa. Courtney Richter: you're in. Caitlin Stryker: And then you kind of finish and you're sort of like, what just happened? Courtney Richter: I know! I tried it whenever I see people buying the series like if they're just buying book one I try be like you should really just get book two now because you're going Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: to want to dive right in like you're not going to want to break you're gonna be like what?! And like need Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, no. No, Courtney Richter: to know the next. Caitlin Stryker: That's what's so wild. Like this is like, this takes, takes you away from your reality. This takes you away from your family. You get Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: really mad when they interrupt you for like food or just survival needs while you're reading it. Courtney Richter: yes, it's not great for my anger. Like I do, really, like you don't understand where I am right now. And like, I don't care that you want another drink. Like I just, just let Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, like myself, right? Courtney Richter: me figure out what's happening. Let me finish this chapter because you're so immersed and there's so much happening. And you're like on Caitlin Stryker: Exactly. So immersed. Yeah. Courtney Richter: the edge of your seat. And then you're like, wait, what? When they bring you back to reality, you're angry at them for it. Cause you don't want to leave. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, you really are. It'll It'll be like, I love to get up and read on Sunday mornings. Like not up, I to just like lay in bed and Courtney Richter: Mm-hmm. Caitlin Stryker: read. And I mean, we're always up, I'm always up early. We're early risers in our house. My husband and my son are both morning people. you know, I'm just like dragged along to survive. Ideally, I'd be a night person and I wouldn't be up until at least nine in the morning, but... Ever since having Beckett, I've been awake. So for the last decade, I've been up by like six is the latest I get to sleep in. But... So... Courtney Richter: I can't even, every time I wake up Every time I wake up at six, I'm like, why am I awake? Caitlin Stryker: Ha ha ha! Courtney Richter: What is happening? Caitlin Stryker: So I like to read first thing on Sundays. Cause I'm like, we don't have to race off anywhere. And I'll just be like curling and reading my book and like having a good time. And then all of a sudden, like, Becks will come in and it'll be like nine in morning. like, mom, I'm starving. And I'm like, you've been playing with your dad. He hasn't fed you? Like, why Courtney Richter: I Caitlin Stryker: do you need me right now? I'm very involved in a fae battle scene. Like, I can't help you. Courtney Richter: Go check the cupboard, see what you come out with. Go try and we'll see. Caitlin Stryker: Honestly, does that mean I can have Does that mean I can have candy? Fine! Courtney Richter: If it's a really spicy part, yes, and ice cream! Caitlin Stryker: Exactly, just stay away! Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Anyways, alright, so without further ado, Court is gonna... Courtney Richter: I did want to say it's the worst It's the worst when they remind you of like a shortcoming of your spouse because when you're in the middle of the fantasy and you're reading it, you also Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: have your spouse up on a pedestal for those few minutes. Caitlin Stryker: You do. Courtney Richter: So when the reality comes crashing in, you're like, okay, right. Let's, yeah. Caitlin Stryker: He didn't feed the kid. Damn it. Courtney Richter: Okay, but yes, jumping in back to our reality. What we call reality but isn't. Back to the book. As a bad to refer it to Caitlin Stryker: I know it's true. We really do. Courtney Richter: that as reality and get out of our real life talk. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Oh my goodness, what a day. So at Court, I'm gonna say the wrong thing, of Mist and Fury, correct? Thank you. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: There's the book. Okay, the second book. So we come back three months post Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: them killing, I keep saying Amaranth, but I think it's Amarantha. Amarantha. Thank Caitlin Stryker: Amarantha, Amarantha. Courtney Richter: you. I realized when I was reading also side note, because I heard our last episode, I kept calling it. Calamari, just Calanmai I went for the appetizer. I know I'm correct. I just said calamari and I heard it. I'm like, oh my goodness, Courtney, Calanmai which is the party, but... Caitlin Stryker: Every time Every time you were saying it, I was like, I really want some calamari. Courtney Richter: Right? I think both represent a good time. Calamari is when you're having an easy night, when you're ordering the calamari appetizer, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: you're there for fun and drinks are going so they work. Caitlin Stryker: You are. And I was thinking to myself, I think she's pronouncing it wrong, but whatever, we'll just go with it. Courtney Richter: It was just, Yeah, it was just like my brain just went to the word association of Calamari, but Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: no, it's Calanmai. Anyways, this is three months post them destroying her. Post Freya- Feyre being back in the Spring Court with Tamlin. And... Caitlin Stryker: And she's And she's been three months fae now as well. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Three months, fae in her new fae body. So, And she is not doing well. She is having a very hard Caitlin Stryker: No. Courtney Richter: time coping. You know, killing the two fae at the end of her test with her third task was killing three people. The last one happened to Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: be Tamlin that she stabbed in the heart because it was made of stone, but killing the other two really destroyed her. It's really against everything. She's a kind person. Caitlin Stryker: I just want to like yeah Quick time out here. I don't- I mean kind person, bitch, whatever anyone Courtney Richter: Any person, human, human. Caitlin Stryker: if you kill like another living thing right so and this happens all the time too like she killed two fae so she didn't kill people but like you know they look like people Courtney Richter: No, but they're people. Caitlin Stryker: they're humanoid we often just we're gonna call them people we're gonna call them fae we're gonna call the male Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: man whatever but, but I think killing like something that is an intelligent sentient like being that's going to leave an impact on you, you know. Courtney Richter: It is but she's in a world where this is happening all around her right everyone is constantly killing Caitlin Stryker: all the time. It's very violent. Courtney Richter: people she's watching Rhys do it and have to kill a man in front of her the guy from Summer Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Court. She's watched Tamlin like- seeing people get killed as it's been hard for her and we've read that all along but we have just been in this like violent world where it almost Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: seemed like the norm because most people around here don't- didn't care. Caitlin Stryker: That's like what That's like what I'm saying. It's like, it's so weird because, because it's so normalized as you're reading the book, then she's suddenly like struggling at the beginning of this one. And there's a, there was a part of me that was like, girl, get it together. And then you think about it, I'm like, if I had killed two people, basically, like I'd be pretty fucked up. Courtney Richter: Yes. She, I I mean, she saved the Suriel too, like she freed him, which most people wouldn't do. And she's already done these things. She's proven Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: she's different. She's as they say, she's an immortal with a mortal heart, because us as mortals and the, you know, in real life too, we only get this like maybe, maybe, 100 years if you're extremely lucky, likely Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: like 80, 85. Like we, this is it. And we know that. And then the author is putting her in this world where they live for like thousands of years or 500. So like until like it just they don't have they do care but not all of them care the same way and she does and so she's in PTS not to mention aside from the fact she killed two innocent fae and one even knew and like told her like kill me now don't let me go back as their prisoner like gave her permission to do it but aside from the fact she's reeling from that also just what she went through under there she was tortured she Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: was kept in a dark freezing cold cell like everything she had to see. She's not doing well. Her and Tamlin, he knows she's not doing well, but he is not talking about it. It is just like brushing it under the rug. They sleep in her room. She hasn't gone to his quarters yet. They sleep in her room and every night she wakes up puking her guts out because she's having these nightmares and he never talks to her about it. He also has nightmares sometimes and ends up like curling up on the end of the bed in his beast form protecting her. They're Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: still like intimate together. That still, bond is still there, but they're not talking about what happened and he has like become super protective mode. Caitlin Stryker: Well, and she even talks. Yeah, and she even talks about how like one time she goes back into the bed and she's like, she almost can't tell she's like, does he know that I'm getting up and vomiting every day and pretending to stay asleep? You know, she kind of has this feeling like he's avoiding... Courtney Richter: Yeah, she's not sure. She's like, his breathing sounds the same, but she's not sure if he's, yeah, fully aware or not. But whatever, regardless, it's not being talked about. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: So they're three months in and she's been there now engaged. She talks about when he proposed out in this field. And he really seems to be having this habit of like being there and super about her and then disappearing and there and about her and disappearing. And she has Ianthe now who's this high priestess who came to stay with them after they came back from Under the Mountain who apparently just like fled when Amarantha that took over and is now like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: reappeared and has become her constant companion and friend. And like she listens to her, trusts her. She's taking on everything to do with the High Court and what they should be doing. And she's taken on the wedding planning and Feyre for right now is happy to let her do it because she's a shell of herself and has no interest in helping in doing anything. So the only thing she does like I don't want red flowers basically. And this has been going on. And she's getting worse and Tamlin is like, not letting her out of his sight, not letting her leave the grounds. She has to have guards around her all the time. And she started telling him like, need, I need to do something. Please just let me do something. And he's ignoring her. They get to the wedding day and she's in this horrible poofy dress that she hated from the get-go. Even Tamlin like laughed when he saw it and but was Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: like, Ianthe knows best. And Ianthe's like, this is the best to appease all the Courts and all those people. And she's like, it's like an ugly Princess Diana dress. Like it's a Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: horrible version of that dress essentially. And she's in it and then... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Well, listen, The Princess Di dress was hot at the time, but like doesn't age well. Like it's just... Courtney Richter: No, No, but if anyone can pull it off, she did. But this is like a worse version of that, essentially. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: So she's in this dress. She hates she's looking out at this wedding. And of course, Ianthe put red roses in it anyways. And that seems to be like her meltdown. And she's begging, begging for anyone, someone to save her from this wedding. She doesn't want to do it. She doesn't want to walk up there. She looks up at Tamlin. She's literally walking down the aisle and Ianthe like sees her and she hesitates and they're like, come to your Lord who will be here for you forever. And she's like, pause, and is about to say no. When all of a sudden, Rhysand shows up. Rhysand, who was with her all Under the Mountain and used her to paint her up and party and basically torture Tamlin, but then fought for her at the end. He shows up finally calling in their bond. It's been three months and they hadn't heard from him. And he's Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: there and he's like, I'm here for my bond. And Tamlin's like, no, you can't. He's like, actually I can. And then Tamlin's like, at least let me, you know, marry her first, let's have the ceremony and then take her for the week that she has promised you. And he's like, I think your wedding's over. Even the priestess has like disappeared at that point. And he even says like, and right Feyre I think she was about to say, like he points out that she was about to say no. And Tamlin knows he can't do anything about it. So even though she does say like, don't let him take me, but Tamlin is like, I have to. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah Well because of the bond. Like because of the bond you know the tattoo on her hand like the deal Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: basically she made. Essentially the deal she made with the devil when she Courtney Richter: No one can stop him. Caitlin Stryker: was Under the Mountain. There's nothing that can be done if they break the bond Courtney Richter: Yeah, there's nothing can be done. Caitlin Stryker: someone dies, you know, like so Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: she has to go. Courtney Richter: And part of it, she's terrified because she still believes all the things she's heard about Rhysand of being the Lord Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: of Court of Nightmares. She doesn't- she knows that Under the Mountain was fastened after the Court of Nightmares and she doesn't want to go back underground. She doesn't want to go back to the dark. She's terrified of darkness since coming back. Rhysand takes her and then they arrive at what we learn is the House of Wind, which is this like beautiful open house on the side of a mountain with this like wintry landscape. Beautiful skies, but is like the perfect temperature even though it should be freezing cold based on what's outside. It's this gorgeous open marble house. Amazing. Like the most amazing thing. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. I mean, it's amazing. Like it sounds like reading about it. It's so magical. And it's hard almost to like, really get the vision of it in your brain. Like for me, I was reading it. I was like, this is extraordinary. I kept being like, there's no walls, but it's warm. And she out. I'm like, how? And I was like, Oh, I Courtney Richter: This is insane. Caitlin Stryker: love this. Like, I'm like, Oh, we're really Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: in another world. You know, it was really, I love that. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yeah, I was thinking of I was thinking of you with your house porn and I was like, this should check those boxes. Although it's like a whole other... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, did it ever. Courtney Richter: place. But, so he brings her there and she is like shocked. Where are we? What is this? And he kind of explains this is this house in the mountain. How is the temperature like this? I don't know. People before me made it this way. I don't know why they carved here, but this is one of my houses and I have another one in the city. Um, and basically he's like, you're here. You are free to go wherever you want in this house. You're not slave to me. Like just come for Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: dinner at some point. And she's like shocked. She expected to be somewhere else. She's kind of taking it all in. She's still in her wedding dress and he's like, go rest. We'll talk later, essentially in a room. And she can't resist like the idea of a bath and like getting this wedding dress off, doing Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: anything. So she does. And then she gets into like Night clothes and comes for dinner. Cause she assumed she has to and she can kind of feel his bond tugging her, like forcing her to come to the dinner table. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: And so she comes and there is, and she meets Mor who is Rhys' cousin for lack of a better term introduced her and Mor is so excited to meet her and overwhelming her. And there's very like standoffish and he's like, just ignore her. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: She's there. And they kind of like banter. And that's her first meeting of Mor and her first kind of feel for like what this place is. And she's so confused cause she's just expecting it to be nightmares the entire time. And then the next day they're there and he basically says, while you're here, what I'm going to do is you're going to learn to read and write and practice your shields. And she has nothing else better to do. So he said to like, why not? I can tell you more why it serves my purpose, but you need to learn to read and write do your shields. And he teaches her how. And so that is literally what she does that first week. She's just shields up and down reading and writing. He's making her write things like Rhysand is so gorgeous. Caitlin Stryker: You Courtney Richter: Rhysand is like the best person to ever exist. But generally Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: kind of leaves her alone. He tells her like, you know, if you, if you're ever open to working with me or coming, there's a lot happening. There's more at stake than the war, you know, but like can't Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: give her. any details, essentially. Let's her go back home. She's so excited to see Tamlin, like rushes into her arms. Lucien sees her first, brings her Tamlin, it's big hug. And she's expecting, basically she wants to like go to bed. Like she wants to Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: lose herself. Sex is the one thing she can escape into. Like that's still her place that she can forget everything that happened. And he's like, we need to talk this through interrogate. She's like, surely it can be after. Caitlin Stryker: He's like, I want to know everything that happened with Rhysand Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: and all this stuff. She's like, but can't we like go fuck first? Like, aren't you excited to see me? Let's, you know, have a loving reconnection. Courtney Richter: like literally says like, yeah, After let's wait. And he's like, No, now. And she's so like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: kind of shocked by it. And kind of goes back to the numb and him and him and Lucien and literally like interrogate her and get her to tell her every little thing. And she ends up going and then he's off having meetings about that with Ianthe and then Tamlin, and leaving her out. So she goes back to bed alone and is in like a state of shock. Like she can't believe that's how he responded to her coming back and shutting it Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: down. Like it's just insane. Caitlin Stryker: It It sucks. Like even as a reader, like what? Like, Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: okay. You know, oh, and also like at this point for sure, but before this pretty much right when she showed up, I was like, Ianthe, no, like don't, I do not trust this bitch. No. Courtney Richter: Yeah. No, we've never liked her. Never. There's no moment of liking Iain. We know she's We know she's up to dirty. She's getting her hands way too in the closet, advising Tamlin too much, advising Feyre too much. Like there's something about her that we don't trust. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, and like not Exactly. And she like pretends to be like Feyre's girlfriend but like doesn't listen to any of her requests, you know, about the wedding and stuff. There's Courtney Richter: Yeah, no, it's still her way. Caitlin Stryker: just something so off there. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes, She's very much, you know there's something wrong with this woman. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: But she's there and that keeps making Feyre feel more isolated as well and what they'll talk about. And there was a moment Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: I forgot before the wedding even, when Feyre was like, what will they call me? Like feeling like, will I be High Lady or High lo-? And he's like, no, there is no High Lady. There are no High Ladies. Caitlin Stryker: There are no high ladies there haven't ever been And there's that moment and then she's, she has this thing where she goes I'm so relieved that I won't ever be like his High Lady, his equal. Like she actually thinks that. And then Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: she's like and then as she thinks that she sort of has this thing where she says she's like and then something like deep within me sort of like recoils or growls at that idea, but that's what she's thinking at the time because she's just so like totally in true post-traumatic distress, you know. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: She's very much so like, I just a shell of herself, like doesn't want to be anything, but there's a part of herself that knows like, this is not for me, you know, that's not my real future. And it's interesting because it's like little nuggets that you're being given at this point, you know. Courtney Richter: Yeah, Yeah, exactly. There's something happening. So she, so they're back and then she, he's like, keeps encouraging her with gifts and like to paint and do things. She's not interested. That's like the last thing she wants to do. All she sees with paint is blood and like that part of her is not there. And she keeps begging him like, let me do something. Let me do something. You take Ianthe, I need it. And he's like, you're here, you're safe. You're my-. She's like, no, and he's fighting against his power to want to like protect her. And it comes to an argument and he blasts his anger out and she ends up shielding herself without realizing it and he can't get through it and then he begs and she's like so upset because if she didn't shield herself she would have been really hurt because he lost his Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: temper and he's like I'm trying and like it breaks something in her but it breaks something and he agrees to try to like do better and he like lessens the amount of sentries on her. Lessens like his hold and lets her explore a little bit more trying to find something, but he even said like he's trying but like it fights everything in him like his need is to protect and just have her and wants her just to be happy being in the castle. But he's trying to help her she's getting a little bit- Lucien takes her to like meet some of the people but they're like we don't need your help like he's trying they're trying to show her like there's nothing for you to do here but just like be in the castle and plan parties and whatever. So Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: they get to that point and then she hears Rhys and Tamlin arguing in the hallway And she goes out there and he's like, leave, have to leave now. And she's like, he's like, nope, I don't think I will, Feyre, it's time to go. And he looks at Feyre and Rhys' first reaction is like, do you not have any food here? Like he's just shocked to Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: see how much weight she's lost again since the last time he saw her last month and Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: like how much she's deteriorated. And Tamlin kind of looks at her and just looks back and it's like, anything, name your price. I'll give you anything you want to break this bond. And he's like, nope, I've got everything I want. Feyre, let's go. Takes her again. That time he like, lets her be is like, here's what you're going to do. You're going to do the read the shielding doing it and like basically leaves her on her own. Let's her have that time to like just work on that stuff. Be in the house to keep her away from Tamlin and keep her fed, but not bother her. But she has showed him at one point that she has extra strength. She threw a shoe at him and it hit him in the head and he was shocked by it. And he's like, interesting. And he Caitlin Stryker: And at At one of the meals she bent a piece of metal in half easily and he was like... Courtney Richter: Yeah, on the same night she had like thrown the shoe and then she'd gotten angry Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: and done it. And he's like, has encouraged her like, maybe you should try training those gifts. But when she brought it up to Tamlin and Lucien and it was like shut down so hard. I'm like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: no, it makes you a liability makes you a liability. Anyways, this time she goes back after the week is ready to go back and she can see in Tamlin's face, any of the stuff he had done before any of the loosening any of the loosening of the reins all that's gone. He's like, in more super protective mode than he ever was before. He's just got her, the sentries are back. She's not allowed to go anywhere. He's insane. He goes off for days at a time, comes back and just like meets her in the bedroom, but that's it. They really don't have a relationship, have a talking anytime it's brought up. She keeps pushing Lucien to like try to talk to him, try to talk to him. And he's like, I'm trying. You don't understand how hard it's been for him and like having his powers back. Like he's not, you just gotta give him time. Give him time. Like Lucien keeps saying he's gonna try for Feyre, but also like try to give Tamlin a break. He needs this right now. He needs us to like follow his orders Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: and let him feel like powerful again. Caitlin Stryker: You just get this sense that like Lucien's not on Feyre's side. You know what I mean? He's like that friend, you know, like if you're having problems with a boyfriend or whatever, you go to the boyfriend's friend and then you sort of realize like, okay, like your loyalty, like Lucien's loyalty is to Tamlin. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah, he has a clear line of loyalty. Like he will, He'll go to bat for a little bit, but he's still always going to bow to Tamlin. Like, and Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: he's letting it happen because Lucien can see what's happening to Feyre. He can see how she's being destroyed and he's, that's why he keeps Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: saying, I'll try, I'll try. And he tries to talk to Tamlin to like, let her have her to train her powers. Like it might help her train a little bit. And Tamlin's like, absolutely not because Ianthe says like, no, imagine what they'll think. She's gonna have your children. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: It'll put targets on your children. If people know how powerful she is and their point is like she's powerful, whether we train her or not, but at least then she's like, then I could defend myself. And they're Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: like, it would send a bad message. It would look like you're going to war. If you start training her, if people found out you're training her, it'll send a bad message. And Tamlin listen to this is like, no, we're not training. Like you are not doing this. You're staying here. Just be happy. And he even says like, why can't you just paint and like, be happy and dance like you did before? Why can't you just be that woman that before Under the Mountain? She's like that woman died. Like I'm not that girl anymore. Literally and came back. Caitlin Stryker: yeah that woman actually literally died and then she's being reborn as someone else yeah Courtney Richter: Yes, and then he's going Caitlin Stryker: Which- Courtney Richter: out. There's some kind of battle at the border and they Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: are going. She's like let me come. Let me come. I'm strong and he's like absolutely not. You're not going near danger and he's she's like please like I'm begging you for my life like let me come. I can't stay here like I can't. do this. I am dying like you are killing me. Please let me come. He's like no. She's like I will and he's like you will not. And then he sets a shield on the house that locks her in and then Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: she's losing it. She looks to Lucien and like you can't do it. He's like it'll be okay just like give him time like we won't be gone for long. Even though it'll be days. Like just stay in the Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: house like, which she's locked into. And then she loses it. Like this is her nightmare Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: being locked anywhere from being in the cell, everything going on. She was at her wits end. Darkness, power, everything swirls around her. Her ring melts off her finger. And all of sudden Mor appears and all she hears is her, um what did you say your name was? Asil, Asil her like the lady maid that's been tending to her just says to Mor like take care of her. Treat her kindly. And Mor carries her out of the house, carries her through the courtyard where guys are like passed out Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yeah. Courtney Richter: and then takes her into the tunnels and comes up in the Court of Autumn where Rhys is. And all she does, she hands her to Rhys and this is from Feyre's point of view. All she hears is like, did you do it? She's like everything by the book. I knocked the guards out myself, walked in, broke the shield myself, walked in, got her. We did it all by the book and Rhys just says good. And then they winnow away and appear again in the Night Court. That's like the first like little part one of this book. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. It's like the first little section. And I think it's very interesting how like on the kind of like reperusal that I gave, so I would have like a bit of a better idea, even though I read these very recently, but it's still all meld together. Courtney Richter: No, there's so much. Caitlin Stryker: But the, you know, the whole thing that goes on with Tamlin with his like lashing out at her and then being like, I'm so sorry, I won't do that again. And then like controlling all of her movements and everything. I mean, it's an abusive relationship. Like that is the pattern that it follows. Courtney Richter: It is, it's guzzling. Caitlin Stryker: And I love the way that it's written here because you can see how it could happen to anyone. You know, like there's no Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: failing of a person if you find yourself in an abusive relationship. Like that's just, that's how easily it can happen. How easily it goes from like wonderful to... you know, sideways. And as much as Tamlin's like, I'm working on this and all these other things. And it's like, well, then guess what, bro? You need time on your own to like work your shit out. And she needs like her space, like you're not ready. Courtney Richter: Yeah, But he wasn't working. That's the thing he was, he worked for until he got her and then he was just like, No, I'm the High Lord now. You are going to be my wife and you will just be happy. Like, be happy with this be in this house. And that's it. I know what's best. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And that was, that's the way. And that would be it. That would be it forever. Like that would be like the end of the line. Like she would be planning parties and painting and like just sort of like basically for someone like her given a lobotomy, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: because he could already see that she was unhappy. mean, it was such a physical transformation that it would have been obvious to Tamlin and he ignored it. Like, because I have to say my first read through on this when later when she's looking back and like going back through things with Tamlin, I didn't see him quite as level of a villain as he ends up painted, like how awful Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: and how much they hated him and like that he's really is this hor- I didn't quite get that my first read through and then Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: different times reading and even this time again, like really picking up how much he truly did ignore her and her look compared to like Rhys. And we, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: in this little time that she's had with Rhys, these little weeks, like we're really starting to see the guy underneath it all. Like the one that truly just cares and like wants to take any weaknesses she has and like, boyster them up and make her filled with power and wants her to live Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: to like her strongest self and like. It takes- notices all the details that Tamlin isn't and cares about all Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: these things that Tamlin isn't. While also caring about her choices and what she Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: wants. Like if she still wants to be a Tamlin and live that world, he would absolutely do it. He sends her back every time he gives it the free will. And that's, so when they get to that, that's kind of the first question. She's like, well, when do I have to go back? And he's like, you're here. This isn't part of our bond. Like, so you are free to come or go back whenever you wish. You just have to tell us like, Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: this is it kind of thing. And it kind of starts right away with him going, like he's talking to her and kind of letting her know a little bit more. And he tells her like, listen, there's a war coming with the King of Hybern. We were 500 years ago, like Amarantha was just his, like one pieces of his minion that he sent here to get a lay of the land. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And then she cast a spell of his book on her own vision. And he like, let that happen basically for the last 50 years, but he's been readying to come here. And I think he's Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: searching for something that- something's happening where we got to find out what and why. And he showed her like a map and there were still some like empty things on the map. But he was like showing her some of the world because she didn't know Prythian. She doesn't know anything. And she'd find herself wanting to ask questions that normally she'd just be waiting for him to shut down like Tamlin would. But Rhys actually gave her answers. And finally, he's like, I have to leave after she was like, I have to go to my house in the city. And she's like, please take me with you. And he's like, OK, but if I do, and there's been a couple of days here that she's kind of eating, kind of getting like, if I take you with me, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: This is it. Like you can never tell anyone what you see here. And she knows he means Tamlin like with how much she was interrogated every time she came back. Like she knows this is her first step to really making a choice. Because if she Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: agrees to go see this, like she is saying that she will not bring this back to Tamlin which is like a big thing for her. So Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: she agrees and he's like, takes her to this house. It's this townhouse, but it feels like a home. Like it's a home Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: in a city that she's like, What is this place? She can just feel the difference. Like this is a really, this is his home. Caitlin Stryker: It is like, Yeah. It is like a beautiful- I just picture like the most perfect, gorgeous, like, you know, someone who gets to own the entire brownstone, which they're huge inside. Courtney Richter: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: They look so small from the outside, and you go on the inside, and you're like, this is ginormous. And just Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: like so like all the beautiful details, but also still has the feeling of being an actual home. You know, it's not a giant manor. It's cozy, which is like, yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah, it's cozy. And And then there's someone like banging on the door right away. And he's like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Rhys, let us in like, we're here for breakfast. And someone else was like, why are we awake right now? And they're just arguing and having Caitlin Stryker: you Courtney Richter: banter. And we don't know who they are. But she's like, he's like, if you don't want to meet these like children out here that I'm going to beat senseless, for not having manners, like go up and rest, you can meet them later. And she decides like, okay, I'm not ready yet. We can hear them talking. We can tell there's some kind of relationship with him and these people. And he's like, it's my inner circle. They don't say much, but like we can hear them all and can tell they're like they have a loving relationship. Feyre Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: decides to go and sleep and not meet them yet. And Rhys goes, Later. She wakes up. They at least like, let me come show you the city. And she's- and it's daytime. Like they're walking around the city in the daytime the first time. And she's like, how can this exist? Like, how is this world here? And he said, when Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Amarantha came and put the spell on everyone, he used, she left him with a bit more magic than everyone else. And he used that to hide the city of Velaris and all of his inner circle from everyone, literally everyone Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: Under the Mountain in the world. Like he sent his magic out and he was like, if she'd asked questions, they'd suddenly like forget or their mind would be destroyed or like he used his, um, dumb, what is he called? Daemati? Daemati powers to control his brain so that she would never find out about his inner circle or this city. It was like he only had time and a split second decision to protect one thing and he protected this Caitlin Stryker: Daemati Daemati. so yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: city. And at first she's pissed about it. She's like, how dare- like, how did they get to like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, they didn't. Courtney Richter: survive and not have to have war? Like, why did they get to deserve to like be spared than anyone else? And he explains like, I had to Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: make really quick decisions really fast. And he basically made himself Amarantha's whore for 50 years to like distract her and keep her from ever looking for them. Like he did it for them thinking he'd never be back here. And she kind of gets it. She's like, it is beautiful. is like the best. Velaris is the most beautiful city you'll ever go to. Like all the descriptions of Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: in the art and the buildings and the culture and the people. But they're still a part of her like, yeah, nice for you. Like I just got tortured and Caitlin Stryker: Yeah Courtney Richter: went through all of this and cool you guys got to hang out here. But Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: they do the walk and she's starting to understand starting to see a little bit more about Rhys. Get a feel for that. And then he's like, we'll have to next time we'll have to go for a walk in the evening because it truly is beautiful as in the day like it's meant to be seen at night because it is the Court of Nightmares, Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: of course, or the Court of Dreams. So, and he explains that the underground, like the Night Court that she saw is actually the city of Hewn, it's called, and it is still there and run by people of his Court and still very much exists, but that's the Court that they show the outside world. That's what everyone Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: thinks the Court of Nightmares is. And they leave this one separate, and it's always been that way. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, and that's And that's a power play move. Like that's like, if you think Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: we're so terrifying, you know, you'll leave us alone. You won't come anywhere near us. And, to protect the actual like good part of their world. Courtney Richter: Yes, because 'Cause once upon a time, the whole place was like City of Hewn and then people, many, many High Lords before Rhys changed that and built this world Caitlin Stryker: you Courtney Richter: for dreamers and then kept that one there. And yeah, as a power move, so they wouldn't be seen vulnerable, kept it hidden. And then then people have just put wards and spells and wards and spells over the years and generations and centuries to keep it hidden. So. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, kind of like Kinda like to protect the world of dreams, you know, that the world of nightmares is the shield that protects the world of dreams. Courtney Richter: Exactly. And then he basically says, like, I want you to come work for me. I want you to use these powers to help us find a Cauldron, something that may be made. And if you will come work with us, like I'll put you on my staff. You can be part of the team. Come meet my inner circle tonight for dinner and think about it. Like there's no pressure. The second you want to leave, the second you wish to go back to Spring or to wherever you want, or you just want to live here and have nothing to do with us, like anything you want, can do. But come meet my inner circle and see what you think. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: So she agrees and they go up to have dinner at the house of wind. And this is when we properly meet Azriel, Cassian and Amron and Mor who we've already met his inner circle who we heard behind the door. And they're just And they're just, instantly like she gets there and she sees these huge Illyrian warriors with their huge wings, bulking muscles like the same size, even bigger than Rhys by all Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: means are just like the most gorgeous men descriptors you could ever have. Dark hair, tattoos, just like these... Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: And their first thing there is like, Cassian is just like, we won't bite. Like just to break Caitlin Stryker: You Courtney Richter: the ice of these huge men. Like it's, they are imposing and gorgeous and sexy, but then have the most playful personalities instantly. Like instantly warm Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: to her, instantly in their banter between Mor and them and drinks and Amren. Like she can tell there's a camaraderie here and she sees that side of Rhys. Like this is when he lets himself down. This is his true family. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. Courtney Richter: and how close they are all are to each other. And they kind of tipped around her, but some won't, some do. And Amren, who she learned is from another realm, like thousands of years old, another being Rhys kind of warns her about her. he, she is, he's like, I've merely interrupted her once in my 500 years of knowing her. And even that I did with caution. Like she is not someone to mess with essentially. And she meets him, she can tell that, but Amren can also sense on her like, oh you are other as well. Now there are two of us. Like we are both made, we are something different. You were remade, reborn into something. You're not of this world or the other. And that's like Amren, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: she's been put into this body, but it's not what she is. She's in a human looking Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: body, but her essence is something else. So she decides she has dinner, gets to know them and she's like, okay, I'm in. And they're all like surprised, like they didn't realize they were like being interviewed essentially or being put out there. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: But she's like, okay, I'll work with you. And the first thing is they need to go see the Bone Carver and find out and ask what's happening with the Cauldron. If the King is indeed Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: trying to put or why, because all these priestess, what's the word I'm looking for? Where they all live, the priestesses, they're... Like their congregation, it's not congregation, temples. Yeah, the different temples have Caitlin Stryker: yeah, it's where I am comes where I am is one of them. Yes. Courtney Richter: been being ransacked. That's what they've been working on. They've been interviewing them all, trying to figure out what someone's looking for. So they're going to go see Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yeah. Courtney Richter: the Bone Carver who's in the prison, which is like, yeah, of Prythian but it's kept in the Night Court. Yeah. So, and Amren, that's where Amren came from. She was there for like thousands Caitlin Stryker: of the night Court, yeah. Right, right, right, right, yes. Courtney Richter: of years. And Rhys let her out. So, Feyre obviously is terrified to go in there and terrified to go in the dark. And then Amren has this moment that she gives her... Well, yes, it's... Caitlin Stryker: Right, Felizda. I mean, this place This place is like Courtney Richter: The worst of the worst. Caitlin Stryker: The worst of the worst. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Like beyond human comprehension of the worst of the worst are kept in here. And once the prison is its own entity and once someone enters the prison, like you can't come out. It keeps you forever. And Rhys says that like that he... All the monsters in your nightmares are in this prison. Amren Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. It's all the monsters you are afraid of. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: gives her a necklace and is like, wear this necklace. It's what got me out. They can't keep you there. And it like bolsters Feyre that like, okay, I can go, I can do this. She goes with Rhys. Caitlin Stryker: Mm. Courtney Richter: They go down there. He warns her like the Bone Carver will appear something to you and something to me. Caitlin Stryker: Mm. Courtney Richter: Pharisees Feyre sees this little boy with blue eyes, black hair. Like that's actually what she sees. She doesn't know what Rhys sees. So creepy. It's creepy kids. Caitlin Stryker: Which is so creepy. Why are like creepy things are so creepy. It's so creepy. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And so Rhys gives him a bone. It's from the one that killed the Miryn Worm, whatever it's called that she killed in Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: the first book. And she's like, I didn't even see him keep that bone. Like, how did he even know that he would need it then? Like she's just kind of confused, but anyways, gives it to him. And the boy is obsessed with Feyre because they're like, he'll only talk to you because you're something new. He won't talk to Rhys. He won't talk to him. It had to be Feyre to go to talk to him. And he wants to know what it was like to die. And what she saw. And if she saw a bright light, trying to find out, he's like, it's been a long time since someone's come back from the dead. And he has all these questions. And she does explain that she was floating. She saw, and then she looked through Rhys' eyes and saw her dead body. She knew she was dead, but there was a bond, a tether. And she thinks it's from the bond that they had made that was tethering her to Rhys and that she had a choice. She could go and she's like, I don't know what it was. But I knew that I could fade into the darkness. I knew I could just fade away. I don't know if that would have been a white light or what that would have been. But it was something I could choose or I could choose to fight and live. She knows that Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: and she chose to stay and she says like she felt it from Rhys and she chose to follow that tether that bond to Rhys to come back to her body. Like that's the path she followed. And he lets them know yes, there's a Cauldron that once upon Caitlin Stryker: Hmm. you Courtney Richter: a time was broken into three pieces. It's the beginning of the end. It made and ends the world. It can't be destroyed or else literally the world as we know it will also be destroyed. So it was just separated, broken into three pieces. But if someone tried to put those three pieces back together, the feet were broken off. That's what it was. The feet were broken off and put into three different places because that way the Cauldron existed, but it didn't have its full power. So if someone found those three pieces and put them back, they could indeed use a Cauldron for something as awful like taking down The Wall, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: which is what he's basically eluded to is what King Hybern is doing. And he said, and maybe, oh they went there because they wanted to know if it would be possible to resurrect a person based on body parts because the eye Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes. Courtney Richter: and the finger of Jurian are gone. And they got the feeling that that's what he was trying to do was resurrect Jurian. And I can't remember how they even got that note, but they figured out King Hybern is trying to bring back Jurian. So they went to the Bone Carver to find out, is it possible to bring back a human from that? Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: And that's when he goes in about And that's when he goes on about the Cauldron. If someone had a Cauldron, they could do that possibly with the Cauldron. And then if someone did use the Cauldron to test that to see if it works, they would then need to let it rest and regain its power again before they could use it. So there'd be like a waiting period which they were currently in. And then he tells them, you can't do anything against it. There's nothing you can do except if you can find a book that Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: was said to have existed years and like millennia ago, that's in two Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: pieces and was hidden in two different places. One was given the Queens of the Humans and one is rested in the Summer Court. It tells them like where they are. And he said, the Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: only thing is like the Human Queens have to, the spell is put on it, like they have to willingly give it to you. You can't steal it. You can't winnow in. They have to willingly give you this book. And the other one is in the Summer Court. Leave the Bone Carver and let's meet. They're like, okay, we need to reach out to the Summer Court and we need to make a plan to see the Queens. That's kind of what they come up with. And then Cassian's like, and you need to learn to fight, essentially to Feyre. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Courtney Richter: As our trainer. So slowly like while they're waiting to hear from the Summer Court and they're waiting to hear from the Queens and make a plan, like they're going to have to go see Feyre's sisters, go visit them in the human land to try to connect with the Queens. It's kind of like their best option. And through all this like Rhys and Feyre have kind of been like their bond has been growing, their friendship, their kinship has been growing a bit, but they agree they're going to go see her sisters. So they, and in that she like is like Azrael will fly me because she just like doesn't want to be that close with Rhys or Cassian or are all of them like surprising them all but she's like, I'll go with him because he's the hot like shadow slinger. So he flies her they fly in, they land she goes up to the sisters and this is the first time she's revealing herself to be fae to the sisters. They don't know that she's turned fae. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Hmm Courtney Richter: They answer it and like the housekeeper can see it's her but knows something's different and is like wary of opening the door because humans are afraid of fae they always have been. Elaine sees her just crying her eyes out like Feyre and then Nesta is on the top of the stairs and it's like, what are you doing here? She comes in. She's like, I need to talk to you. And Nesta of course is just like stone faced and holding her sister's stare. So Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: she tells them the whole story brings in Rhys and Cassian and Azriel to meet the sisters. And they are like, Nesta is like, we will have a meal and decide like you can tell us what you're here for basically like. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which is amazing Courtney Richter: Let's do this. So they have dinner and it's bland, like Feyre's choking down the food because it's human food and she's tasted fairy food and it's not the same at all. And Nessa's like calling her out on him, being a bitch basically. And Violet like resets that enough. Caitlin Stryker: because like, Feyre has done so much for them over the course. Like the only reason they Courtney Richter: my gosh. Caitlin Stryker: have like any status back in the world is because of Feyre. Like all of it and they're still both just like Elaine's like slightly scared of her or worshiping, you know, and then and like is now like engaged to a guy who hates fae. And then Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Nesta is just a total bitch all the time. Like there's this thing with her sisters where I'm Courtney Richter: She's so brutal. Caitlin Stryker: like, I don't know why Feyre keeps trying. But like, but then that that's also like true of family though right like family dynamics are weird Courtney Richter: Exactly, you do it. Caitlin Stryker: and we you know, keep trying to find a way. Eventually sometimes you kind of do break through, you know, and find a way if you're lucky and then some families that's not the case. But I just think it's so interesting how horrible her sisters are. Courtney Richter: much they really They really are and like especially Nesta but true to Nesta I mean she stays that way for a very long time. We will get to her later. But she is there and yes so Feyre finds out Elaine is engaged. I thought it happened the first time but it didn't. It happens now that Elaine's gotten engaged to this Lord whose house is like Caitlin Stryker: She does, yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: this huge wall of concrete that like thinks he will kill every fae and is like fae are the enemy. Her engagement ring is made of iron. Like she is now engaged to the enemy. Basically, her son's nice- as Nesta says the son's nice enough and the dad will die at some point he's old. So like it'll be okay. But yeah, they're not going to be happy about you being fae or being here. They can't know. And they pitched them that they need their help. They need them to let them use their house to communicate with the Queens because the world's gonna end and if Prythian falls human world also will end like everything. Hybern wants humans back as slaves like his number one thing is like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: take out the humans. So like, we need to do this and you need to do this. You won't survive. Like you need our help too. Yeah, essentially. And Nesta's is like, no, no, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, it's like, this is in your best interest. Yeah. Courtney Richter: not here. Find someone else. Not going to do this for you sister that did everything and literally died for us. Nope. And then, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Cassian and her immediately have a thing like they get under each other's skin and they're like, gonna fight Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: for it. Rhys gives a big speech about like how she did die all these things she did so that they could live and like, forgive me if I can't sit here and listen to you talk about her when you guys did nothing. When you were a coward and your father and everyone was happy with her, you know, dying for you. You can at least do this for her. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Which, I love this trope in romance and romantasy where like the guy defends the girl to her family if they're nasty. Like it doesn't always happen, but I do love that. Yeah, either or, but I do like, mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Courtney Richter: Well, either or I've also seen it when the woman defends a man to his family that were awful either one when the partner takes that step for them. Yes. Yeah. Cause that's because that's when you become your partnership because you have your family and then you've chosen family and friends. But like when you truly do find that love and they're not there yet, but that partner, you are your own family now. And like, that's the Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: big change and it's a change for everyone. And some adapt to it. Some don't. It can cause bristling within families, but you now are who are supposed to have each other's back over anything and everything. And this is like a first representation of that when they have your back against your siblings and you're not alone Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: anymore. You're not alone in your family because no matter what, if you fight within your family unit, when you're fighting your family unit, you feel alone. And it's that first indication that you're not. Someone else is there with you. And it's so great. And I agree. I love it. It's Caitlin Stryker: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: such a nice moment. And then Elaine, because she is still Elaine, she's scared of them, but she's still sweet and like does care about Feyre she's just lost in her own world. But she's like, we can make it work. It's fine, it's fine. We will send the servants away whenever you need to come. We'll send everyone, we'll give them holidays. Dad's not gonna be back. Father won't be back for months and months because he's gone somewhere. And like, this is fine, we will do this, we will make it work. We owe you for everything. Like, yes, we're going to do this. So they agree. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: They send everyone away. They all come in like, and they write the letters to the Queen and they're waiting to, see if they hear back or to send it and they go Rhys and um Feyre go and train in the woods. They're to go train in the snow and like to see what her powers are to try to get her to do something. He puts like a candle there and it's like try to light this candle. She's like, I can't. And he's like, okay, I'm going to go. She tells me to go away. I can't do all you're watching me. He's like, okay, I'll go have breakfast. And he gets bored and he starts writing her a letter while she's out there training. Like anything yet? I'm bored. I'm watching Cassian and Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Nesta like try to kill each other with their words. She's Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: like, as entertaining as it is, I don't wanna be alone, I want you here. And they flirt in the letter, more than they do in person. Whenever they're writing each other, they flirt. It's like a thing that keeps happening. But this is the first time. And then all of a sudden she's attacked by an Attor. An Attor, the horrible guy that was Under the Mountain that beat the crap out of her and that brought her to Amarantha in Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: the first place. And they found her like that's who's there and has her captured. And then in like a breath Rhys is there, darkness is there, they've got the Attor, strapped around a tree. They're interrogate, like, what are you here for? And he's like, I'm here for her. King Hybern wants her. Like he's going to get her. And basically he's like, okay, Azriel take him, go find out, go interrogate him, torture him, find out all your info. Is gone. And then Feyre realizes she's like, you knew he was gonna come. And he said, I was curious who would try to steal you the first second they got, the first chance they Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: had. I didn't know who it would be, but I was curious and I would do it again because you were never safe, you were protected and she loses it. She's like, do not use me as a pawn. If you want to train me into a weapon, use me as a weapon. Like tell me, do you not, you don't get to like the fact that someone was making a choice for her again. She loses it. She unleashes her power. She's trying to chase Rhys. He's kind of laughing, running, and she manages to winnow for the first time, which is when you disappear from one spot and kind of like portal to another spot. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Courtney Richter: and launch on him and he's laughing. And then he realizes how serious she is, like how mad she is that he did this to her and he promises he would never do it again. But also she figures out how to winnow and use her powers. It's her first time like kind of finding them all, which is amazing. They leave, they go back, they're waiting to hear from the Queens and from the Summer Court. And so they keep training, she's learning her powers and she decides to write a letter to Tamlin. Is the letter then or the letter after the Summer Court? I can't remember. I don't remember if she writes the letter before or after. It might be after when she Caitlin Stryker: I don't remember. Yeah, Courtney Richter: hears about him going to war for her. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah, it is after when she hears about him. Courtney Richter: or it might be before, because she fights Tamlin and punches through his pads and burns. Sorry. I literally just read this, But I'm like, I, okay. At some point she decides, but either way, so they go to the Summer Court. It's going to Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. That's okay. Let's get to this summer quiver. That's like how small are you? Courtney Richter: be, Feyre and Amren and Rhys. And at this point, her and Rhys had been writing a bit. They're a bit flirty, but nothing's past that. She's still like mourning her relationship with Tamlin, still having flashes Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: of seeing how dumb things were with him. Like, when they start training her, she's like, won't it look bad if I start training? And then she realizes how ridiculous that even sounds out loud. And Mor is the one that's like, no, like I know what it's like to have had men try to diminish you and make you like resent your powers and think that it's not enough. And she's like, and it's, it's okay. And it's okay. Don't feel stupid. Like I know what it is to be gaslit and it's okay. And no one here is ever going to do that to you again. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Basically. So they go to Summer Court. And she recognizes him immediately as a guy that was Under the Mountain when Rhys was breaking his like cousin's mind and killed him. And Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: she also recognizes the power, the power of Summer that she got from him when he like helped bring her back to life. She sees it, like, like calls to like. And she's like, does he recognize that I have his power or does he just like have some kind of sense of knowing me? Like, she's not sure yet what he's going to tell. But basically she's there to find the book to try to use. Oh my God! Oh my God, Cait. We did it again. Caitlin Stryker: I know I was like you just get Courtney Richter: We skipped the Weaver. Okay, before they go to Summer Court Rhys is like, we need to test and see. Caitlin Stryker: The witch. The Weaver. You were just saying that and I was like wait because like calling to like and then I was also like I remember Courtney Richter: I know, I know. Caitlin Stryker: it went like Bone cover- Bone Carver, sister's house, Weaver, Summer Court. Courtney Richter: Weaver. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I think the Weaver is even before the sister's house. I think the Weaver was before, but both of them, cause she forgot to fight for both. So, okay. So the Weaver, he brings her, he's like, we need to test this. I have a test. There's a, this Weaver has something of mine. She's gotten an item of mine. He doesn't, he doesn't tell her what it is. He's like, you need to go in and retrieve it and test and see if you can do this. And at first even Cassian was like, no, this is a bad idea. Like, Caitlin Stryker: The weaver is awesome. It's somewhere in there. That's okay. Yeah. Courtney Richter: do not Do not send her in there. And he's like, no, she can do it. She needs a test. And he's like, she's blind and deaf. Just go touch the ring only, make no other sound and like, you'll be fine. So she goes to this cottage inside. She sees this woman with like long black hair sitting at this like weave, weaving away and singing this like ethereal song. And she sees her face. It's like this void mass with like black eyes and this super old beyond age face. But the rest of her body's like flawless. But this face is this like terrifying thing. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: She finds the ring, she gets it. She's about to leave. takes two steps to leave and all of a sudden The Weaver pauses and is like, who's in my cottage? What little mouse is in here? Panics, starts around the door, slam shut, the window slam shut. She can't leave. She bolts for the fireplace. Is trying to get up the fireplace. The Weaver's like coming. She can see her, gets wedged in. She throws a brick and hits The Weaver. Weaver screams and then she remembers. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Remembering brick that she's strong and has power and strength. She's panicking. Just trying to say, I'm going to die here. I'm going to die here. Panicking. Remember she's strong. Bust Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: out. Hits Weaver. Busts out of the chimney into like the thatched roof, which she realizes is hair and oil, like human innards and is like disgusted. Comes off, runs, leaps into the tree, runs and finds Rhys, who's like waiting for her. And I was like, well, that's one way to do it. And she's like, fuck you. What the hell was that? You fuck, like... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: She's like, I could have died. He's like, you didn't. I'm just like, no, but I did. And that's when she realizes that she forgot. Like she forgot she could fight. And he's like, exactly. You forgot. He's like, here's your stupid fucking ring. She gives it back to him. And he's like, thank you. It's important to me. And puts it in the pocket. And he's like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: what is it anyways? And he's like, it was my mother. It was an heirloom from my mother. She gave it to me when I was a young boy and then took it away when I reached maturity and gave it to The Weaver. And she's like, why? He just said, so I wouldn't waste it. And like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And that's it. Eventually, that they go back. They're all like, what happened? What did you let her do? Like with Cassian and then they see the ring, give it a weird look. And he's like, all right, now we know she can figure out power. Essentially Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: like sums it up into that she can find power. So they decide that they're going to go to Summer Court back to the Summer Court. Now her goal is to do the same thing. Find the Cauldron, the Book of the Cauldron and see if she can use his power to like get it essentially. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: Because If she pretended to be Rhys' power to get the ring, she should be to pretend to be the Summer High Lord to get the Book. So, Caitlin Stryker: Correct. Yeah. Courtney Richter: they're there. They start meeting. There's like some questions. They're trying to feel each other out. The Summer, the High Lord of the Summer kind of gets taken with Feyre. And they do have a true genuine bond because he's actually a really good guy. He's lovely. He's gorgeous. He has like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: dreams. He's a dreamer. He wants a better world where High Fae and lesser fae are equal and that they don't have such stature, like that's his dream. He kind of shares that with Feyre and she appreciates him. She says to him like I think you would be easy to love and easy- even easier to call my friend and the same they kind of this bond and he agrees he's going to show her his treasures. She sees how the lock works. She sees all the treasures he gives her a necklace. But the book's not there. So they keep working to like find out where. She sees this thing out in the sea on one of the days just like I she can feel power and she's like, I think that's it. She asks at dinner that night. They start to like question them. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: Rhys has been flirting away with the sister, the princess who's his cousin. It's not his sister. It's his cousin, I think. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: sister, cousin, something like that. like, Feyre is not liking it, you know? Yeah. Courtney Richter: No, they're very jealous. So she's been flirting with She's been flirting with the High Lord. He's been flirting with her and there's a lot of jealousy happening. And she's like not looking Rhys in the eye anymore to like go look through it. Like she's fully jealous. He's like, you know, brushing a hand against her shields and she can feel that he feels the same kind of thing. And they finally call it out to each other. Like what is happening? Why are you like, did you sleep with her? Did you mess? Cause he disappeared with her off the boat when she was flirting with the High Lord. And he's like, no, like, do you think I like this? Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: Like leading her on but I need to keep her distracted so you can keep him distracted. Do what you want. She's Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: like, you're jealous. He's like, I'm jealous that you smiled that him. I'm jealous that like it'd be easy to love him because I will not ever be easy to love. I will always put a target on who's ever with me. Like I can't- I'm not an easy Lord for someone to fall in with. Summer's neutral and I'm jealous of that. And have you so they kind of like have this moment together and they cheers each other without saying like to the dreamers and those that respond. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: So Then they go to dinner that night. She asks about that place. He starts to get wary. And for the first time she uses the, what is it called again? Daemati, Demitei powers, the mind powers to go into his brain and like coerce his thoughts to make them change. Like she's my friend. She's just curious. She's been through a lot. We owe her everything because they do. They're alive because of her and everything she did Under the Mountain. But it's the first time she does it. And then she pulls out and she can tell Rhys is like, Caitlin Stryker: The mind powers, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: appreciated that she did it and impressed, but also she's kind of like feeling super guilty about it. Like feels gross. It feels gross to go into someone's mind and take advantage of them, even though it's for the greater good. And a big part of it is like, I think we could just ask him for the book and he would give it to us. And Rhys also agrees, but then it's they're too worried about everyone else finding out about it and it getting back to Hybern. Like it's just not worth the risk for what this book represents. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: But she appeased him. So they kind of have that connection. He's like, I never feel good about it either. Like it never feels great to go into someone's mind, you just kind of get used to it. But it's never like, yay, I'm doing this now. Like it's. Caitlin Stryker: And he's also like And it's also not ever like the first recourse, you know, it's not something you use lightly. Yeah Courtney Richter: Yes. And And that's him with everything in his power. He's the most powerful High Lord that's ever existed. But we learn Rhys is cautious and aware of what that power costs and what it means Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: and uses it all with grave like reverence, which is another quality about him that's so wonderful. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Courtney Richter: So they go, they go to steal this book, they sneak in at night like just doing it old school of like in the cover of night going in to get it. They expect Amren Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: to be able to protect her and Rhys is staying out so that he can take down any guards. They go in, they get through all the locks. It believes her until they get to the actual box and they're like, who are you? And she's like, I am the High Lord of Summer. And it goes, it's like liar. And then it like shuts down the powers. The water comes, they're going to die. The place nullifies their power so like, Amren can't use hers. She can't use hers. They're trying to get out. It seems like they're about to die when suddenly a water wave that comes back because, oh I skipped it this time. Sorry. Cause it's a recap. Water wave saves her, pulls them to the tide, pulls them to the land. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's okay, doesn't matter. Yeah. The typing. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And Rhys just lands, he's like, what did you guys do? Like you set off every alarm possible. And they just like, where were you? And he winnows them away and they're like, you were supposed to be there. She's like, that place nullified my powers. We almost drowned. And he's like, he's in shock. He's like, I didn't feel it through the bond. She's like, well, it probably nullified. This is Amren's like, probably nullified that too, you idiot. We basically just about died and you did nothing. Is what she's saying to him. And he realized like the nullified power he can't feel her. He can't do anything. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And she explains, Amren's like, why did that wraith save us? And she's like, well, back in the Spring Court, they did a teeth, which is a tax for all the people and she had no money or gold and Tamlin was going to punish her. And so I gave her my jewels, tithe, tithe, tidhe. I try and to picture the word in my head. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, a tithe. It's called a tithe. It's a tax. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah, the tithe, right? was IE. she's like, and basically Tamlin was going to hurt her. And so I gave her my jewels and she said they'd never forget it. And Amren just like laughs and was like, all that luck, thank the Cauldron because like how anyone only she says only an immortal with a mortal heart would ever help those horrible creatures of the waterways so like you're the only person that ever would have done that and that's how they survived Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: this so... And then they're laughing hysterically and then they fill in what happens basically. They Caitlin Stryker: Mm. Courtney Richter: got the book Cauldron sees that it's like this ancient language that only only Amren can read and she's beside her, and Rhys is like, this is why I wanted you to come. And then at first they're mad that he didn't explain that to her. He's like, well, I hoped that it would also have a spell that would release you from this human body and let you go back home one day, but I didn't want to get your hopes up. So I didn't tell you. And so that settles and they realize they need the other book to decode the first book, but they have it essentially. So Amren takes away to work on decoding it. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Rhys is like brooding and upset because he receives three rubies the next day from the Summer High Lord that it means your death. So there's three huge rubies, one Caitlin Stryker: you Courtney Richter: for Rhys, one for Feyre, one for Amren. And Rhys upset him. He's like, I could have probably asked him. I could have, I got sloppy. I could have just not like wiped their minds. I didn't need to knock them out. Like I made a mistake, and he's brooding. But Feyre kind of sees that and sees that he's in pain and remembers how much he never gave up on her and never let her disappear. Cause she's already realized he's the one that sent the music to her when she was in the cell. He kept visiting her. He kept her going. And so she tries Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: to play with him too, and uses flirting and they kind of get flirtatious and into it. And she pulls him out of it and he's like, okay, fine. And they get talk about licking and she's like, well, I hope you're better at licking than you were Under the Mountain because that was horrible. Basically, like, and they get talking about that. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah Yeah Courtney Richter: And he tells her he needs to go, to go see, they need to go, they get word from the Queens to go see them. They go to see the Queens. The Queens were like, no, we're not Caitlin Stryker: Hmm. Courtney Richter: giving you this book. And they're like, devastated. Like, how can you not give us the book? Like your world's going to end, give us this book. Like, no. And they're like, well, we'll prove to you that this is like worth saving, that we can, cause they're like, how would we know that you would have any power to even destroy the King? Like how would we know to be on your side? And he was like, basically they decide they're going to show them Velaris. That's the going to give them. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: their word that like it's possible and that like good exists and it just shows darkness in Prythian but like faeries can be good. And they're gonna do that by showing them Velaris but they need to go get an orb first from the Night Court to show them this. So they agree to like re-meet with them in a few weeks. So they come back they're gonna go to the Night Court Rhys tells Feyre, like listen you're not Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Courtney Richter: gonna like what you see. I'm gonna be wearing this dark mask like I have to be the King of King of Nightmares basically when we go down there and it's not me and I don't want you to come and she's like, I want to come I'm not scared to see it like just let me see it. So he tells her what her part is going to play is. They go. She's dressed in like barely there flimsy kind of the outfit she had to wear back on in the underground when he brought her up to dance for everyone Under Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah, Under the Mountain with an antelope. Courtney Richter: the Mountain rags like red lips super sexy her and Mor both and then Rhys comes in is the first time she sees that he's let the damper off his power. He's just full power, the most powerful High Lord there is. Everyone's on their hands and knees. He grabs her by the chin, like brings her up to his throne, sets her on his waist and is just like teasing her and like tickling her and running his fingers up her thighs and around and under her breasts and like they're being very sensual and purposeful to like keep Mor's dad who runs the Hewn City distracted while Az looks for the orb, essentially. They're using this as distraction. He's talking to him like go get her some wine and she's asking, they're asking questions. And these two are flirting Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: so heavily as part of the mess, like keeping it indifferent, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: licking their necks, kissing, like, and then he like trails his fingers. She feels that he's hard and rubs against it and he trails his finger hard and then can feel her wetness because she's getting so turned on. And the whole time she's talking about not wanting him to like get too high, cause then he'll know that she's actually turned on and it's not part of the act. And it's such like a hot moment that they're back and forth. It's so hot. They just literally, Caitlin Stryker: yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's so hot. And we need And we need it at this point too. Like we've, you know. Yeah. Courtney Richter: We need it without getting sexy at between them, but because it's because we're not quite ready, but like the teasing and the stroking at first is like his hand is cold and flinch and then he warms it and like apologizes and the little like nips of the neck and everything is this like slow foreplay build. It's super fun and hot. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. It's very fun. Yeah. And it's so like, we're in The Hewn City, we're in the Court of Nightmares, like everything is like dark and sexy Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: and bad. And it's just fucking hot. Courtney Richter: It's super hot. And then, so when he does reach up and then actually feels her wetness, he like startles for a moment and then is like, it's fine. It's not, I know it's not real. It's just your body's response to it. She cuts it off and like covers it. Cause she's a bit embarrassed for him to know because she's still not quite, doesn't feel right moving on from Tamlin quite yet. Like she's torn. Even though she's incredibly attracted to him and turned on, but like is torn by. But it is so hot. Okay. They leave there. They have the orb. They are... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: They have a big fight. He doesn't talk to her for few days. She keeps writing to him and is like, come face me. Like, what is your problem? Because they call each other out on their fear. And she's like, we're friends. You, and he's like, you've got, I'm not treating you like him. Like you've got your freedom, but like, I will protect you. And she's like, you protect everyone. You hide your mask even from your best friends. Like you never, cause you're so afraid if someone really knows the true you, like they'll leave you. And then what? Because everyone's always left Rhys. And he leaves her three days. It's like a big moment of the two of them kind of like having this argument. Comes back. And like for the City of Starlight. And that's the night that all the shooting stars are going across the sky. It's most beautiful night there. He reveals that like Amarantha made him like service her all night long every year during that time and like how important it is. And they share that first moment of a true laugh together when they both get hit by the stars and he kisses her cheek. And it's their first moment of like open honesty. Yes. And it's... Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah Yeah, and they spend it just the two of them Yeah, and they both and he reveals his sort of like his trauma He reveals his sort of trauma and his weakness to her and they are they're helping one another together like instead of being down at the big party event they're up on their own. And it's a really beautiful like bonding moment. Yeah. Yeah. . Courtney Richter: Yes, it's a beautiful moment for them. It's really the start of something new for them. They've like building, building, they had it out and now they're like building into something. They go to the Illyrian War Camp, which is what Azriel and Rhys and Cassian and all are. That's where they met. We had the story that they were They were all three. Azriel- Rhys was there with his mother. Cassian was an orphan and Azriel was rescued from his father and stepmother who all just like tortured him and the three of them bound together, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: hated each other, but were the toughest and then became like a force to be reckoned with, the three of them. That's where they built it up. They go there because they're going to train Feyre how to use her stuff. And like, they want to go to a mountain with the force where she can't hurt anyone and no one will see her training her powers. They go to do that. That's when Lucien comes across them, tries to steal Feyre with winnowing and she has it out with him. He's like, you have to come back. Tamlin's not the same. Like he needs you. We need you, please. Caitlin Stryker: . Courtney Richter: She's like, no, I'm not coming back. I'm not doing it. Like I'm happy, leave me. And he's like, they've broken your mind. Cause they know about the mind powers. Like Lucy's convinced that they've told you this at the place. Like you have to come back. They disappear. They don't get to take them back, but it like set something emotion with Lucien and Tama. Cause he's convinced that Feyre now has been brainwashed and thinks she wants to be part of the city. So she's already written the letter. All of that's happened. They go Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: to do this. They stay in this inn up by the Illyrians because she's like, doesn't want to camp in the outside freezing cold. And they have the small bed. And this is when they have their first intimate moment. Basically, he pleasures her. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. mean, I mean, would we ever get together in romantasies if it weren't for the inn in the woods with a single bed? We need it. Courtney Richter: Right? The force proximity. We need, we need the force proximity to happen. And that happens. And he talked about earlier, like a couple chapters before about wings and how he's never had his wings out during sex and how sensitive they are. And a man, Illyrian, can come from like the right touching of wings, essentially. And she's like, Oh, have you? And he's like, I've never let them be out with sex or anything else. I've never given anyone that trust. And in this case, he does have them out. He has a bed on this small bed. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: They're in his form because he wants to be able to protect her. She plays them a bit. He plays with her. They can't have sex because it's too small, but she allows him. They finally allow each other to have that Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: moment and that intimacy. It's our foreplay. It's a very hot foreplay because right after this, they're flying and they get attacked by this unknown again, attacked with ash arrows. Someone takes down Rhys and her and they get separate and Caitlin Stryker: It's our foreplay. It's our foreplay moment, you know, like, yeah. Yes. Courtney Richter: he gets captured and she's trying to find him. She finds him. He's chained up and captured and she doesn't know how to save him. So she goes and snares a Suriel again, the same Suriel. Gets him snared. And he reveals to her that Rhys is her mate and that he's the High Lord that he was talking about when he said, go be with the High Lord, stay with the High Lord, all will be well. It wasn't Tamlin, it was Rhys. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: And she is like pissed. Because as we talked Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: about before, all these men always keeping the fact that they're their mate from the mate, which it's so annoying. Even I- understand in this case specifically why he did, but... Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yes. I get I get it. But it's always like, I don't know. Again, it just, you know, it just feels like, oh you like helpless little woman. You can't handle the truth, you know. And the whole time Courtney Richter: Yeah! Caitlin Stryker: she's like, I just want the truth from everybody. And again, I totally get it. I get why and for the stories, thinking everything has to go this way Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: that he doesn't. And I do understand where he's coming from because again, he is still trying to protect her, you know. And not in the way that Tamlin necessarily was because he's let her in on so much else. He's trying to not make her feel forced to be with him. Courtney Richter: Yeah, he didn't want to take away a choice or make her feel overwhelmed. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: He wanted her to get there on his own. I get that, but I do get it. So she's, she finds out, oh my God. So she has to get, she has to go find some flowers. She brings them, cuts them down. He's got chains through his rings. They're shredded. He's barely alive. She shoves the like flowers into his mouth and gives him some of her blood from her wrist and it like helps heal him and does, and he's fine like Feyre. And then she's like, okay, you're better? Good, cool. And like, gets it out of like, winnow Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. But I get her side too. Like she's rightfully pissed. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: us out of here. And takes them back to the Illyrian cabin. He's like trying to call her name because he's still in shock. And she's like, you lied to me. Like you lied to me. This is like my number one boundary, which most people really for her, the betrayal, like gets him back alive. And it's like, fuck you. Goes right to Mor and is like, get me out of here. And Mor takes her to this cabin, another cabin, but they're log cabin that we find out later, like their cottage. Um, and lets her sets her up in there. It has all the like, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: food and things she could want. And she's like, don't tell Caitlin Stryker: you Courtney Richter: him here, tell no one, like just let me be. And she's like, okay, I understand you're angry. No one will bug you, but like, take your time. And it's the first time she has felt like painting. She's had images and flashes with moments of being like, I want to paint this, I want to paint you, I want to paint. And she did on the starlight night, actually, she grabbed some of the like luminescent splatter of the stars and like painted on Rhys' hand, which was her first moment of painting, which was this big moment between that like intimacy of them. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: Anyway, so she starts painting, eating two days later, Mor comes back and was like, couldn't you like, he's going out of his mind, like, can you talk to him? Can I bring him? She's like, no, I'm not ready yet. He deserves it. And it's like laughing at what you're painting and she's like, okay, take your time. But like Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: also understand like he's a good male. Like he's done everything for everyone would do anything for you. Like don't, you know, be hard on him, make him pay for it, but also like give him a chance, essentially. Mor is there to like say that to her. And then the next day Rhys arrives, like has a feeling and she lets him come in. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And he's like, I've been looking for you. Caitlin Stryker: Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: I've been searching and hiking through and Mor finally told me. And he comes, she's like, do you want me to warm you up some soup? And he's like, you would do that? And he explains that that's like a big thing between mates. It means you accept the bond. And she's like, start talking and we'll see how I feel by the time you're done talking. And Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And he explains how like he had dreamt of her. That's why he was at Calanmai. He didn't know that she was his mate yet, but like he dreamt of a woman, knew that, saw her paintings, her stars, like. knew something was there, saw her that night and had told himself like, would be enough. He just needed to see her once. And then when he saw her in Tamlin's dining room, he knew like, that was it, he needed to get her out of there. That's part of why he told Tamlin like that would have worked and to like send her off to the humans. Again, didn't know that it was soulmate, but it was someone important. He wasn't quite sure. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And then underneath he had the bond and he could feel the bond and thought it might be, but wasn't till she was leaving that time when he left her, when they said their final goodbye. that the bond actually like snapped into place. That's why he looked so shocked. He realized it was her. That that was- she was his mate. And after that, then he swore to himself, like that's why he didn't contact her for three months. He was reeling from it. He ran into Mor and was like, it's her, I found my mate. He was like, if she's happy after everything she went through Under the Mountain with Tamlin, I will let her be. I won't call in the bond. But he was like checking on her Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Courtney Richter: and feeling it. He even on the day of her wedding was rip roaring drunk, like just, again, convincing himself if she was happy, then he would be happy for her because originally made the bond to taunt Tamlin. He didn't need to do that anymore. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: And then he felt her call through the bond and like, anyone save me from this marriage, calling out for help, rescue me. That's why he went and got her. And then from then on, everything that happened after, but like, yes, she is his mate. He's obsessed. He's there for her. She realizes that she feels it too and how much love and everything he's done for her and how different it is than Tamlin and what he has sacrificed for her. And she lets the bond snap into place for her. And then, Cait, one hour into this, finally, sorry, these books need long episodes. There's so much that happens. Finally, we get the spice. And do we get the spice! Caitlin Stryker: Finally. Finally, Court. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay, so Court. Now it's time. Courtney Richter: yes. Okay. Caitlin Stryker: We didn't do our pumpkin spice meter for book one ACOTAR. Courtney Richter: No, Caitlin Stryker: So quickly, where does that one land for you? Book one? Yeah, you're right. It is super sexy. I would give it a three. Now, Courtney Richter: no, we can do that. That's a three and a half, a three, three and a half. Book one is the three and a with her and Tamlin when they get there. It's not, it's not, it's not this, but it is sexy and hot. Like they do, yeah. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Book two, Court of Mist and Fury. One more. Yeah. then I guess it is a three and a half, because it is hotter than that. Courtney Richter: But wait, wait, wait, if you're giving it a three, if you look at like in your dreams, which was a three, because it is open door sex, it's like a step past that. Exactly. Caitlin Stryker: It is hotter than that. That's true. But Courtney Richter: Exactly. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: it takes a long time to get there. Okay. Yeah. Courtney Richter: It does. It's a very short, very quick three and half, but it happens. Caitlin Stryker: This one, thankfully this book, you have some sex right away with Tamlin. So you like you get you get something right, which is hot. It's still hot. It's still hot at that point. And Courtney Richter: Yeah, and that's still hot. It's still good. Yeah, it's true. Caitlin Stryker: then you know, we do all this building, you're talking and then we get some foreplay with Rhys. And we're ready for it at that point. And it's Courtney Richter: some great foreplay. Caitlin Stryker: really great foreplay. And we're really enjoying it. And now finally, at the cabin which you know, well, we're all we want to do now is go to cabins and cottages. Let's face it. Yeah, Courtney Richter: Well, yes, we're still in that heated rivalry going to the cottage world where all the hottest sex happens. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: and apparently that's just a thing, because now we have like the hottest sex. It is Courtney Richter: my God. Caitlin Stryker: So good because it's true mates having sex, which is a big deal. She's... Courtney Richter: Yes, mated fae sex is insane. Caitlin Stryker: Insane! Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: It is so It is so fucking hot. This is when for real, the like everybody freaking out about it, but like the, smutty faerie books thing, you know, and I'm reading this and I'm like, here we fucking go. This is what people are talking about. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes. This is it. This is it. Wings out feasts on her, like eating her out like there's no tomorrow with descriptors beyond just that part, like spreading the table. It like, I promise I would eat you on this. Like all these, no, no, no. He says he wants to, but he like takes her on all the walls. Every surface of this cabin, Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Courtney Richter: they're having sex. He needs no recovery cause he's fae male. She needs no recovery because she's fae female, the vagina can just like keep going. There's no UTIs. Like it is just gorgeous, hot steamy, never ending sex. And, and the Bond brings out the new one is newly bonded. So many layers, they can hear each other, they can feel each other and the need. It's the same Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. It is amazing. It is so worth the wait. Like Mor layers of. Yeah. Courtney Richter: though like when you're in the honeymoon phase of first, when you first want to get with someone like that, that desire that carnal like and then you still have it but it's different at first, like you just can't get enough. That can't get enough combined with magical powers just makes the most passionate steamy sex scenes so worth it. And she built such a tantalizing like foreplay lead up to it with them and their emotions. Like it's done so well, which is why it's so yummy. Like it's smut, but it's like deserved. You've been on this, this Caitlin Stryker: Yes. my god. Yeah. Yeah. It's so good. Yeah. Courtney Richter: trip with them. You've been on this ride. And when you get there, like, yes, for them for you, for everything. This is when you don't want anyone interrupting you when you don't want anyone knocking on the door, you just like want to be in this world with them. You've, you've worked for it. You've worked for it too. And now you're there. Caitlin Stryker: Yes. Yeah. You have. Alright, so Court spice meter on this one? I know spice meter for Court of Mist and Fury. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yes, we got here. We got to the spice meter, which is amazing. I will put it at four, four and a yeah, four, four and a half. It gets, it's pretty hot. All their sex like it's Caitlin Stryker: All of it like in the whole yeah, it's pretty hot. I- four to four and a half somewhere in there is where it lands. Yeah, this is like I said Courtney Richter: Yeah, it gets that full Smutty Spice reader. Caitlin Stryker: this is where these books really earn their... It's in this part like where it really starts to earn its like spicy, smutty fae sex reputation. Yeah. Yeah. Courtney Richter: Yeah, the fairy porn that everyone calls it. Like this is what they're talking about, which I Which I love and I'm here for. And this only brings us to part three of this book, which I think is a good spot for us to like, we don't want to keep you here forever. You can come back and hear the last bit of this when we talk about the next book. Caitlin Stryker: Same. Yeah. Yes. So that's what we're going to do. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: We are going to, we are going to wrap up this episode on A Court of Mist and Fury. And we are going to start the next episode with finishing up the last section of Court of Mist and Fury, which is because it's big. There's a lot that happens in there and we don't want to rush it. Courtney Richter: It's really big book. Yes. Caitlin Stryker: And then we are also gonna do a Court of Wings and Ruin. And as much happens in a Court of Wings and Ruin it's more of a war book so... And we're here more for the smut. So we're... We're just gonna come back. Yeah. Oh yeah. Courtney Richter: We can just combine it together. The end of this really launches you into that book, so we'll do it together. And don't worry, there's still lots of joy in smut in it too. There's just also a big war. But to be continued, we will fill you in on that on the next one. Caitlin Stryker: One thing I do want to say before we finish on this one is that this one, so the first one Beauty and the Beast and this one is the Greek mythology myth of Persephone of Hades and Persephone and how Hades basically sort of like lures Persephone into the underworld and then Demeter begs for her to be let out you know, and that's why we have spring, essentially. Demeter is Persephone's mom. But then Hades has her eat a piece of pomegranate, so then she always has to go back at some point Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: to the underworld with Hades. And that's kind of like the deal that Rhysand has made with Feyre at the beginning of this book, and she's with Tamlin and that whole thing. And that whole parallel and the fact that we all kind of know that myth in our brain is where you start this book and you do see Rhysand as like Hades or as the devil or as like really bad person and I think now then you know we go through this whole journey to here and suddenly you're like wait he's not just a bad guy like. Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: Or Tamlin was the bad guy and he's the good guy and I love that flip that happens. Courtney Richter: Yeah, Absolutely. Caitlin Stryker: And how everybody always jokes about like, you team Tamlin or you clear that you haven't read further? Courtney Richter: Yes, no one's team Tamlin by the end of this book, which you will know. And even Caitlin Stryker: No. Courtney Richter: the last part that happens cements that. Like even at this point, if you're on the fence, it'll be cemented, which we will tell you more about next week. Well. Caitlin Stryker: don't know how you're on the fence at this point, but especially Especially after their like cabin sex adventure, I mean, it just, it supersedes. Courtney Richter: It's true. At this point, you are Team Rhys. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah. Yeah. Just take the best sex. Like just that alone. Courtney Richter: That's... In the romantasy romance world, that's our whoever's the best sex. That should be your book boyfriend. Caitlin Stryker: Whoever's the best sex and you usually, you like you think You think you're getting great sex from like the first guy or whatever. And then this other dude shows up and you're like, turns out I was wrong. Courtney Richter: I was wrong. Definitely. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, I mean, I don't know in romantasy and I think, I think in life too. Courtney Richter: You can have good sex with guys that aren't going to be the long-term partner in real life. That doesn't, I think in real life, I mean, it needs to be there for the ones that you say yes to for the partner, for sure. It's super important. But I do think you can get, I think you can get that without the rest being there as well. But not mate level, not mate level. Yeah. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: Yeah, yeah, but you know. Yes, exactly. You can, you can, just saying. Not mate level, not mate level, it's a different thing. All right, on that note, that is it for today's Courtney Richter: Yes. Caitlin Stryker: episode of Cait and Court's Cozy Corner. We will be back Part Three. Or okay, you're it thirds. And then I was also going to say, then Book Three, Courtney Richter: And book three, both things. Yes. Yes. Sorry. In the book, it's actually called part three. That has to have went. Yeah. Caitlin Stryker: A Court of Wings and Ruin. Yeah. Right. Either way, there's Mor. We're not done with ACOTAR yet. Courtney Richter: Then we'll be back. Yep. No. Caitlin Stryker: There's a reason we're doing it for January, because then you have all year and this sets the base. This sets the romantasy base for us. All right. Courtney Richter: Yeah. Yes. Okay. See you soon. Bye. Caitlin Stryker: We'll see you soon. Bye. You know the drill. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to our podcast. Courtney: Thanks for tuning in to Cait and Court's Cozy Corner Romance Readers. Caitlin Stryker: Executive producers and hosts, Caitlin Stryker and Courtney Richter, Producers, Canasia Ngo and Hollie Lobosky. Original music, Cassie De Silva.