Power, Pain, and the Price of Secrets
Day 6
Chapters 41-48
Welcome back, book besties! Day 6 hits like a magical blade to the heart: sharp, unexpected, and pulsing with emotional fallout. Let’s dive into the chaos, the heartbreak, and the power plays that define this stretch of chapters.
The Mask, the Crown, and Helion’s Arrival
Helion arrives at the Hewn City, his presence as radiant and commanding as ever, riding a Pegasus. The hope? That he can identify a lingering spell might reveal how they were controlled. But after a thorough magical inspection, Helion finds nothing. No trace of compulsion, no enchantment to unravel. Which means one thing: the Crown is not just a theory anymore. It’s active. It’s dangerous. And it’s in Briallyn’s hands.
With the Mask already recovered, the Inner Circle knows they’re playing a deadly game of hide-and-seek with ancient relics that can bend reality. To protect what they do have, Helion reinforces the ward around the Mask but this time, he uses Nesta’s blood. The wards are now stronger than ever, and only Rhys knows how to unlock it.
But the Mask is just one piece of the puzzle. The Harp remains missing, and the Crown; now confirmed to be in play, may need to be ripped straight from Briallyn’s head.
Blades of Power and the Trove of Nightmares
The morning after Nesta and Cassian’s frenzied coupling (yes, that night), River House is buzzing. The blacksmith had dropped off Nesta’s blades that she hammered out, claiming the blades are cursed. Turns out they’re not cursed; they’re infused with her magic. Nesta may have created a new Trove. Let that sink in.
The Inner Circle debates whether to tell Nesta. Azriel and Cassian say yes. Amren and Rhys say no. Feyre holds the deciding vote. Meanwhile, Amren floats the idea of Rhys claiming the Trove and becoming High King. Rhys declines, but Amren keeps pushing. Personally? I see this power fitting Nesta more than Rhys.
Nesta vs. Eris (and Tamlin)
Rhysand sends Nesta and Cassian to meet Eris in the Spring Court. It’s a calculated move—one part diplomacy, one part test. Eris attempts his usual verbal fencing, but Nesta slices through it with icy precision. And just when the tension is thick enough to cut, Tamlin appears.
Ah, Tamlin. The High Lord of Spring.
He stumbles into the meeting, likely expecting to intimidate or reclaim some semblance of authority. Instead, he walks straight into Nesta’s wrath. She doesn’t just dismiss him—she obliterates him.
“Tell anyone you saw us High Lord, and I’ll rip your head from your body too.”
That line. That moment. It’s not just a threat, It’s a promise. We’ve seen her do it twice already.
Cassian watches, equal parts impressed and concerned. Eris is stunned into silence. Tamlin, for once, knows better than to push further.
Illyrian + Valkyrie = Something New
Nesta and Cassian begin blending Illyrian and Valkyrie techniques. A new fighting style is born.
Meanwhile, Feyre casts her vote: Nesta deserves to know the truth about the weapons she forged. But Cassian hesitates. Not out of fear, but out of care. He wants the moment to be right. He wants her to hear it not as a revelation, but as a recognition. A validation of her power, her worth, her place in this world.
So, he waits.
And while he waits, the training continues.
Betrayal and the 10,000 Steps
Nesta learns the truth. Not just that the swords she forged are magical, possibly part of a new Trove, but that the Inner Circle voted on whether she deserved to know. They sat in a room and decided her fate without her.
It’s not the secrecy that breaks her. It’s the betrayal. And not just any betrayal. It’s Amren’s vote against her that shatters something deep and fragile inside. Amren, who once was someone Nesta called friend.
Nesta’s heart doesn’t just ache. It fractures. And in that moment, rage takes over.
She storms out, fury pulsing through her veins, and begins the descent down from the House of Wind, with rage carrying her down the 10,000 steps.
Confrontation and Catastrophe
Nesta storms into Amren’s home. Her pain is tangled in this belief that people always choose someone else over her. It’s her against the world. Is Amren right? Is Nesta too emotionally immature to wield her power?
Then Feyre arrives (probably finding out about the argument from Varian, who was unceremoniously kicked out of Amrens bed), and in her fury, Nesta she spills the secret she swore to Rhys she’d keep. Just like that, I’m back to disliking her. The bargain between Feyre and Rhys means if she dies, he dies. And now THAT secret is out.
Nesta realizes too late what she’s done and flees. Feyre confronts Rhys. He’s livid. He orders Nesta out of the city or risk death.
Sidebar: I’m not upset that Nesta told Feyre. I wholeheartedly agree that secrets cause more issues. However. Nesta didn’t tell Feyre because she felt like it was wrong to keep her in the dark. After all she knows WHY Rhysand didn’t want to say anything yet. Hell. She even agreed with it. The only reason why she said anything now, is out of spite. I would like to think that Rhysand is as upset as he is, is because Feyre is hurt. I had to remind myself that harm isn’t only physical.
Hurt and Healing
Cassian’s heart is hurt as well. He cares a lot about Nesta, but she hurt his high lord and lady. He does as Rhys commands and carries Nesta out of Velaris. He does not leave her alone. He hikes to the lake Mor once spoke of. One said to have healing properties. Whether it’s myth or magic, he’s looking for a way to mend Nesta’s heart as well.
Valkyrie Verdict: Pick Your Power Moment!
Which moment from Day 6 made you want to throw your book across the room (or hug it to your chest)?
• 🗡️ The Sword Reveal – Nesta possibly created a new Trove.
• 💔 The Betrayal Vote – Amren’s “no” shattered Nesta’s heart.
• 🧨 Nesta’s Fury – She broke her promise and spilled Rhys’s secret.
• 🐍 Tamlin Gets Owned – Nesta’s threat was chef’s kiss.
• 🌊 Cassian’s Retreat – His healing moment at the lake.
Vote below and tell us why in the comments. Bonus points for dramatics.
Final Thoughts
These chapters didn’t just stir the pot; they shattered the cauldron. Power was forged, and knowledge was withheld. Trust fractured. Rage ignited. And through it all, our characters were forced to confront not just each other, but the truths they’ve been avoiding.
• If Nesta did create a new Trove, should she claim it—or should someone else?
This isn’t just about magical objects. It’s about ownership of power. Nesta forged those blades with her own fury, her own grief, her own essence. Does that make her their rightful keeper? Or is she too volatile to wield them safely as Amren suggests? Should someone like Rhys, with centuries of experience, take control? Or would that be yet another act of silencing Nesta’s agency?
• Speaking of Amren. Do you think her vote to not tell Nesta was protective or controlling?
Was her vote a genuine attempt to shield Nesta from the weight of her own power? Or was it a calculated move to keep Nesta in check, to prevent her from rising too far, too fast? Is Amren afraid of what Nesta could become?
• Was Nesta’s outburst justified, or did she cross a line?
Nesta’s fury was real, and her pain was valid. But breaking a promise to Rhys in the heat of the moment; was that a necessary act of truth-telling, or a reckless betrayal? Did she speak out of love for Feyre, or out of her own need to lash back? And how do we reconcile the instinct to protect with the instinct to punish?
• What do you think Cassian was really seeking at the lake? Healing, escape, or something deeper?
Cassian’s retreat to the lake feels like more than just a search for physical restoration. Was he trying to escape the emotional wreckage left in Nesta’s wake? Was he hoping to find clarity, forgiveness, or even a sense of purpose? Is the lake a symbol of renewal—or just a quiet place to grieve?
Drop your thoughts, theories, and hot takes below. Let’s keep this buddy read blazing.
