A Court of Thorns and Roses Chapter 35 Summary: Hybern’s Attack on Adriata
Spoiler Warning: This page discusses events from Chapter 35 of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Proceed with caution.
Summary
The chapter opens in the town house as Azriel and Cassian return, the shadowsinger already bearing self-blame for Hybern’s unexpected assault on the Summer Court. Amren reports a warning from Prince Varian telling her to prepare Velaris’s defenses. Rhysand grimly calculates the Summer Court’s readiness: Tarquin’s armada is scattered, his land forces three days’ march away. Only twenty fully armed ships wait in Adriata.
Rhys immediately winnows Cassian to the Illyrian war-camps to order the legions south. Azriel vanishes to scout Adriata with his most trusted spies, his scaled armor and seven Siphons materializing. Mor arrives moments later, heavily armed, her Seraphim blades gifted by Prince Drakon glinting like living silver. Feyre readies her own Illyrian blade and a belt of knives.
Nesta, watching from the staircase, asks a wary question about battle, and Feyre answers they will fight if necessary. When Rhys silently signals across the bond, Mor winnows Feyre onto a hill overlooking the half-moon bay. The waters are red with blood. Smoke pours from burning ships and buildings. Hybern’s fleet chokes the bay, vastly outnumbering Tarquin’s white-sailed vessels. Rhys has already winnowed the entire Illyrian legion into the fight, but his dark power produces only scattered damage—faebane likely hinders his magic.
Mor remarks on the absence of any aid from the other courts, and that Tamlin’s Spring Court is not among Hybern’s forces either. Rhys sends a mental order: soldiers have reached the palace’s northern side, and the defenders are surrounded. Mor winnows them to the middle levels of Tarquin’s palace, where they discover the High Fae lords barricading themselves in the upper floors. The lesser fae remain trapped below, abandoned. Mor senses fifty enemy soldiers three levels down and climbing. The chapter ends with Feyre and Mor preparing to descend into the fight.
Key Events
- Azriel and Cassian report Hybern’s surprise attack on Adriata; Azriel feels responsible for the intelligence failure.
- Amren relays Prince Varian’s urgent warning, revealing an unusual friendship.
- Rhysand assesses troop positions and immediately winnows Cassian to the Illyrian camps.
- Azriel departs to scout Adriata while Mor arms herself with Seraphim blades.
- Nesta questions Feyre about battle, underscoring the distance between the sisters.
- Rhys signals and Mor winnows Feyre to a vantage point above Adriata, where they witness the bloody sea battle.
- Rhys’s power is blunted by faebane, limiting his effectiveness against Hybern’s fleet.
- Mor notes that no other courts have sent aid.
- Feyre and Mor receive orders to head to the palace, where Hybern soldiers have breached the northern defenses.
- Inside the palace, the High Fae barricade themselves above, while fifty enemy soldiers climb from three levels below.
Character Development
- Feyre: She accepts the necessity of killing but remains grounded; she prays for Alis’s safety. Her grip on the Illyrian blade and her steady response to Mor’s instructions show a growing resolve to face the horrors of war.
- Rhysand: Displays pure, unrelenting command. The enormous magical drain of winnowing entire legions underscores his willingness to sacrifice his own power for the defense of an ally.
- Cassian: Instantly transforms into a warrior mode, Siphons flaring, taking charge of the Illyrian mobilization without hesitation.
- Azriel: His immediate self-blame highlights deep sense of duty and guilt. He departs silently to scout, already armored and armed.
- Morrigan: Here Mor reveals her warrior side—the female who fought in the War. Her frank admission that she had forgotten how terrible war sounds and smells humanizes her and shows that she does not romanticize battle. Her precise commands to Feyre demonstrate battle-hardened experience.
- Amren: Her uncharacteristically soft reaction—“It is a thing that friends do”—hints at the depth of her bond with Varian, a rare emotional crack in her ancient, fearsome exterior.
- Nesta: She remains watchful and distant, but her question “What do you know of battle?” probes Feyre’s capability and carries a flicker of concern beneath the cold surface.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- War’s Horror: The chapter refuses to glorify combat. Mor’s visceral memory, the red bay water, the screams, and the chaos all present battle as harrowing and tragic.
- Sacrifice and Duty: Rhysand depletes himself to transport the legions; Illyrian warriors dive into the fray knowing many will not return. The Inner Circle unhesitatingly rushes toward danger for a realm not their own.
- Faebane’s Menace: The substance resurfaces as a potent threat, dampening Rhys’s high magic and forcing reliance on martial force, a sign that Hybern has prepared carefully.
- Class Abandonment: The High Fae barricading themselves while leaving lesser fae to fend for themselves illustrates systemic prejudice even amid catastrophe, a betrayal of the very people who serve the court.
- Alliance and Isolation: The absence of Spring, Autumn, Winter, or Dawn Courts emphasizes that the Summer Court stands nearly alone, reinforcing the theme of fractured Prythian and the weight of the Night Court’s choice to intervene.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 35 transforms the threat of war into immediate, large-scale bloodshed. The Night Court’s inner circle pivots from politics and preparation to active combat, cementing their alliance with Summer and demonstrating the personal cost Rhysand’s power exacts. It places Feyre at the threshold of a real battle—not a skirmish in Velaris but a full invasion—testing her resolve to kill, her tactical nerves, and her ability to follow Mor into chaos. The chapter also deepens the moral complexity by exposing the High Fae’s willingness to abandon the vulnerable, a flaw Feyre’s team will need to confront as they descend into the palace.
Study Questions and Answers
Q1: What warning does Amren receive, and what does it reveal about her connections?
A: Amren receives a message from Prince Varian of the Summer Court urging her to prepare defenses. Her reply—“It is a thing that friends do”—reveals a genuine, personal bond with the Summer royal, complicating her usual cold detachment.
Q2: How does faebane affect the battle, and why is it significant?
A: Faebane blunts Rhysand’s powerful blasts, preventing him from crippling Hybern’s fleet. Its presence signals that Hybern has anticipated high magic defenses and can neutralize them, forcing the Illyrian legions to bear the brunt of the fight.
Q3: What moral dilemma do Feyre and Mor face upon entering the palace?
A: They find High Fae lords barricading the upper floors while the lesser fae below are left to face the invading soldiers alone. This forces them to decide whether to protect the abandoned or pursue the attackers, highlighting the callousness of class division under siege.