Previously, Lucien and Feyre argued with one another about which way to head as they escape from the Spring Court. Lucien, who is from the Autumn Court, highly recommends NOT going through it. Feyre insists they do. They are almost immediately captured by Lucien’s family.
A Court of Wings and Ruin Chapter 12:
“Father,” the one now holding a knife to my throat said to Lucien, “is rather put out that you didn’t stop by to say hello.”
Damn it. The way that dialogue was structured made me think Lucien’s secret child had just shown up.
Lucien’s brother holds them at knifepoint.
That knife pressed a fraction harder into my skin as he let out a humorless laugh. “Right. Rumor has it you two have run off together, cuckolding Tamlin.” His grin widened. “I didn’t think you had it in you, little brother.”
Wow gossip spreads fast in Faerie world! Also Lucien’s brothers totally read like members of the MRA.
“He had it in her, it seems,” one of the others sniggered.
And also Beevus and Butthead.
The leader of Lucien’s Bro Pack is Eris, the man who had been betrothed to Mor and left her for dead (after she was tortured by her own family) because she was no longer wife material. [Editors note: Originally I mis-remembered that Eris had raped Mor. Sorry about that!]
Feyre suddenly feels her powers stirring because anger is the cure for poison I guess?
Anyway, the brothers plan to take them to Lucien’s dad who will do horrible things to them. Luckily, Feyre’s powers have conveniently returned (and they seem to also be Pumpkin Spice flavored) and she fights/burns their captors.
I unleashed every drop of the flame in me, a wall of it between us and them. Sealing his brothers inside the cave.
[…]
As Eris’s livid face emerged from my net of flame, glowing like a new-forged god of wrath, Lucien and I brought down the cave ceiling.
Huh okay. I guess Lucien’s powers are back too? If the maybe-incest-twins weren’t dead I would tell them to get a refund on those poison apples.
“Hurry,” Lucien panted, and I didn’t waste breath agreeing as we staggered into the night.
Our packs, our weapons, our food … all inside that cave.
Aren’t their powers back, though? Can’t they winnow away into the night?
I guess not because we jump ahead, and they’re hiking and freezing cold.
I tried, over and over, to shout down the bond to Rhys. To winnow. To grow wings and attempt to fly us out of the mountain pass we trudged through, the snow waist-deep and so densely packed in places we had to crawl over it, our skin scraped raw from the ice.
But she can’t because if you read the fine print on these poison apples it clearly states that they are slaves to plot contrivances.
They manage to find a cave, but there’s no wood. I instantly suspected they would need to share body heat, AND I WAS CORRECT. I hope they bang even though it would make 0 sense. I’m just really bored.
“Tell me about her— about Elain,” Lucien said quietly. As if the death that squatted in the dark beside us had drawn his thoughts to his own mate as well.
Nooooooooo not this! Please just bang. Instead, Feyre talks about Elain gardening 🙁 .
I steeled myself before saying, “She is engaged, Lucien.”
I felt every inch of him go stiff beside me. “To whom.”
Flat, cold words. With the threat of violence simmering beneath.
Not you too, Lucien.
Also…Right before this Feyre says Elain won’t be going back to the human realm, so her engagement is probably over?
Then Lucien says he wants to ask Rhys how he could stand Feyre being engaged to and sleeping with “another male”. I find this a bit more interesting at least. Lucien’s questions to Feyre make sense–when did she realise she was Rhys’ mate and stop loving Tamlin since that’s what he’s hoping for himself.
Feyre tells Lucien he always was too good for the Spring Court too, and Lucien wonders where he’ll go. Feyre considers giving him a place in her court.
…some small, horrible part of me enjoyed the thought of taking one more thing away from Tamlin, something vital, something essential.
I like this bit of character work a lot. For me it actually resonates, and it definitely jives with what we’ve seen of Feyre…but it’s also a very human feeling. Tamlin has turned into such a joke, I’d feel the same way if I were her.
They keep making their way through icy terrain, close to the Winter Court now and unsure if they would be allies or not. But it doesn’t matter because Lucian’s brothers show up again! And Feyre and Lucien are on a frozen lake! And Eris is holding up a flaming hand like he’s gonna melt that lake! Oh noooooo!!!