Valkyrie
Day 7
Chapters 49-56
Welcome to Part 3: Valkyrie. The title alone signals a shift for Nesta, and possibly The Night Court as a whole. These chapters are a descent into the darkest parts of our characters minds, a confrontation with ancient power, and a reckoning with identity. Let’s dive deep.
The Breaking Point
After a grueling trek through the mountain range with Cassian, they reach the lake and Nesta collapses into tears. Not rage. Not defiance. Just raw, unfiltered grief. In this moment the armor cracks, and we glimpse the vulnerable woman beneath. It’s not weakness. It’s release. And it’s the first step toward healing.
Confession and Connection
Nesta finally speaks the words she’s been choking on for chapters: her guilt, her fear, her shame. It’s not a grand speech. It’s not polished. It’s raw. And that’s what makes it powerful. She doesn’t just admit what she’s done, she also admits what she’s felt. The weight she’s carried. The self-loathing. The grief. The terror of being seen and found wanting.
And Cassian? He doesn’t interrupt. He doesn’t try to fix her. He simply holds space. That silence, that listening, is a kind of love that goes deeper than touch. It’s the kind of intimacy that says: I see you. I’m not turning away.
This moment isn’t just a romantic beat; it’s a tectonic shift. Nesta’s walls don’t just crack. They collapse. And in the rubble, something new begins to grow: trust.
We also officially enter Part 3: Valkyrie. Nesta is no longer just reacting to pain.
The Harp and the Vision
Nesta decides to go and hear the priestesses sing. While she was there the music took form and Nesta saw a place of suffering, rage and death. She passed through all of it until she came to a stop deep under a mountain and into a cavern.
This place looks like the Prison in my mind.
And there is the Harp. Nesta’s current environment, have become her scrying tools. Just as Nesta reached out to pluck the strings, the song ended, and the vision shattered.
I was right. The Harp is hidden beneath the Prison, and Cassian and Nesta have to go and retrieve it. Rhys gives Cassian the great sword Nesta forged to give to her. He wants to see what happens when Nesta wields it.
The Power of Eight
Let’s talk about the number eight. It’s everywhere:
• 7 High Lords + Feyre: Feyre is the female equivalent of a High Lord, so I count her.
• 7 Courts + the Prison: Prythian lore says that the Prison was a court at one point.
• 8 Night Court characters:
Rhys
Feyre
Mor
Cassian
Azriel
Amren
Nesta
Elain
• 8 letters in Nesta’s great sword’s name: Ataraxia
• 8 fighting stances Cassian taught Nesta
• 26 harp strings → 2 + 6 = 8 in numerology
• Nesta and Cassian’s bargain tattoo: an 8-pointed star
• The Harp sits at the center of that same star
Eight in numerology is balance. Infinity. A closed loop, and the flow of energy. Is Nesta becoming the axis around which this world turns?
When she touches the Harp, her consciousness links with Briallyn, who wears the Crown. They see each other. The stakes just skyrocketed. Briallyn, who is one of the current big bads now knows where Nesta is (remember, she wants Nesta’s head on a platter) and knows that she has located the Harp. Nesta has a difficult time separating herself from the Harp. It doesn’t come as easily as the Mask. In the end she plucked a string, and she was free.
Queen of Queens
Not only does the Harp release Nesta, but it also releases Lanthys, one of the most terrifying creatures Cassian has ever faced. Nesta runs, leaving Cassian to fight. then returns using the Harp, distracting Cassian mid-battle. But she doesn’t stay passive. She draws her sword and fights.
Lanthys calls her a death god. He’s heard of her. He calls her Queen of Queens. Is this foreshadowing? I’m still holding onto my High Queen theory.
He tempts her with a vision of the future: rule beside him, wield the dread trove and bring the world to it’s knees. And there’s a fourth object in the vision—shrouded in shadow. A mystery yet to be revealed. She refuses. He vows to find her again. With Lanthys distracted by Nesta, Cassian throws a dagger. Nesta slices Lanthys into pieces. Together, they escape using the Harp, landing at River House.
Apologies and Closure
Nesta apologizes to Feyre. A quiet moment, but monumental. The Night Court has two pieces of the Dread Trove, and there is only one left not in their possession. It’s time to take the fight to Briallyn. Allies must be gathered again, starting with Eris. The group thinks that the best way to bring him fully into the fold is to dangle power in front of him. They task Nesta, and her uncanny dance talent to seduce an alliance out of him. Make him think Nesta is available for marriage, a powerful link to arguably the most powerful court. I don’t think I really need to comment on how much Cassian doesn’t like this idea.
In the meantime, Nesta and Cassian visit the cottage she once shared with her family. Closure. Memory. A return to the roots of pain, and the beginning of healing.
Into the Pit
Emerie visits the library after one of Nesta’s dance lesson with Mor. On Level 5, Emerie swears she hears her father’s rage coming from the pit. Trauma lingers in strange places.
Back at the House of Wind, Nesta endures a small fire. The house responds by leading her to its heart: the pit of the library. A solstice gift. The house, like Nesta, holds its own darkness. And it chooses her.
Poll Time: What Is Nesta Becoming?
Which title best fits Nesta after these chapters?
1. Death God
2. Valkyrie
3. Queen of Queens
4. Harp-Wielder
6. Something Else Entirely…
Vote and share your reasoning! Let’s see how our interpretations evolve.
Final Thoughts
Nesta is tested by ancient power, haunted by visions, and forced to confront her deepest fears. But she’s also choosing connection, wielding strength, and stepping into a role that feels mythic.
The Harp, the sword, the pit. They’re metaphors for transformation. And Nesta? She’s becoming something extraordinary.
• Do you think there is a fourth trove? What is it and why was it hidden?
We’ve seen the Mask, the Harp, the Crown. But the vision with Lanthys showed a fourth object, cloaked in shadow. Is it something older than the others? Something forgotten? Why would Lanthys veil it from view?
• Do you believe Nesta will become High Queen? Why or why not?
Lanthys called her Queen of Queens. Not a title given lightly. Is this foreshadowing, manipulation, or prophecy? Nesta has the power, the presence, and the pain to rule but does she have the desire? Would she lead with vengeance or compassion? And if the courts were to unify under one crown…would they follow her? Or fear her? What would a High Queen of Prythian look like?
• How do you interpret the symbolism of the number eight?
Eight is everywhere: the sword name, the fighting stances, the tattoo, the harp strings. It’s not random. Eight is infinity turned upright. It’s balance. Cycles. Renewal. Is Nesta caught in a loop or breaking one? Is she the center of a new order, or the final piece in an ancient puzzle? What does eight mean to you and how does it shape your view of her journey?
• What did you feel when Lanthys called her “Queen of Queens”?
Was it thrilling? Terrifying? Vindicating? Did you believe him or did it feel like a trap? Was he recognizing her power, or trying to seduce her into darkness? And if you were Nesta, would you be tempted by that title…or repulsed by it?
We’re just getting to the heart of A Court of Silver Flames.
Join me tomorrow for Day 8 as we continue to unravel Nesta’s journey. If you’ve got theories, feelings, or fire to share, drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear what’s stirring in you.
Until then, rest well. The story waits.
