Lady Death Rises
Day 5
Chapters 33-40
If you thought the last few chapters were intense, buckle up, because Nesta just went full necromancer queen and Cassian just came up a new nickname for her: Lady Death. We’re talking kelpies, dread troves, dead armies, and sultry tub invitations. Let’s dive in.
Mist, Ash, and a Kelpie’s Grip
Cassian finds Azriel and he is wounded by an ash arrow through the wing, surrounded by Autumn Court soldiers. Nesta insists on being dropped in a tree (classic stubborn queen move), so that he can go help his brother, but when Cassian’s safety becomes uncertain, she leaps into danger herself… and gets dragged under by a kelpie. Cue the trauma flashbacks and underwater horror of what took place in the cauldron.
Meanwhile, the surviving two soldiers? Blank-eyed and mute. Something is very wrong. Are they under the influence of the Crown?
The Mask Answers
As Nesta is dragged deeper under water by the Kelpie, the Mask, one of the Dread Troves - comes to her aid. She puts it on, summons the dead, and commands them to shred the kelpie to pieces. When she rises from the water, she’s flanked by an army of the dead. They ALL bow. Cassian and Azriel included. Yes, bow. To her. Death.
Tub Talk & Lady Death
Nesta wakes in the palace above the Hewn City. The kelpie accosted to her (ew), and Rhys gets a mental replay. Cassian, ever the soft brute, brings food and gets invited into the tub. But Nesta’s emotional walls remain up. Why is she only offering Cassian her body and not her heart?
Their intimacy is electric, but Cassian’s abrupt exit from the bedroom? Low-key annoying.
Mind-Stilling & Valkyrie Vibes
Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie are leveling up. Gwyn introduces the Valkyrie technique of Mind-Stilling, and the breathing exercises help Nesta begin to settle her thoughts. Eleven priestesses now train, and Gwyn’s out of her robes and into Illyrian leathers. New instructor? I hoped for Mor but got Azriel’s fine self instead. No complaints.
Poll Time: Which Trove Would You Wield?
If you were handed one of the Dread Troves, which would you choose?
• 🗡️ The Mask – Command the dead
• 🔥 The Harp – Bend time and space
• 💎 The Crown – Control minds
• 😱 None, thanks. Too cursed for my taste.
Based on these chapters, what do you think Nesta’s real gift is?
• 💀 Necromancy and death magic
• 🧠 Emotional resilience and transformation
• 🧘♀️ Valkyrie potential and mental mastery
• 🧩 All of the above—she’s becoming unstoppable
Let’s hear your thoughts, theories, and thirsts. Did Cassian’s tub exit irk you too? Are you buying into the Trove-sister theory? And how do we feel about Azriel showing up to train the priestesses—blessing or distraction?
Drop your answers below and let’s keep this buddy read blazing. 🔥
