Chapter 37: The Bargain with Rhysand
Spoiler Warning: This page contains a detailed summary and analysis of Chapter 37 of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Read on only if you have finished the chapter.
Summary
Feyre lies in her cell, arm still gruesomely wounded after the worm trial and growing worse each day. The bleeding will not stop, and as fever sets in she realizes she may be dying. No one—not Lucien, nor any healer—comes to help. Rhysand materializes from the shadows, taunting her weakened state. He offers to heal her arm in exchange for two weeks each month spent with him at the Night Court. Feyre refuses, spitting at him, so he twists the shard of bone protruding from her arm to demonstrate her helplessness. As he prepares to leave, Feyre calls him back. She knows she might be dying and that Lucien may arrive too late or not at all. Desperate to survive for Tamlin, she bargains him down to one week per month. Rhysand agrees, heals her arm instantly, and leaves her whole—but only after marking her entire left forearm and hand with an intricate black tattoo, including an eye in her palm. He reveals his true motive: wounding Tamlin with this permanent bargain.
Key Events
- Feyre’s condition deteriorates; she develops a fever and suspects infection.
- Rhysand appears in the cell and proposes a healing bargain.
- Feyre refuses; Rhysand tortures her by twisting the bone shard.
- Realizing she may not survive, Feyre accepts the deal, bargaining down to one week per month.
- Rhysand heals her injuries, but brands her with a tattoo covering her left arm—a physical mark of the bargain.
- He admits the deal is a trap intended to hurt Tamlin, then vanishes into darkness.
Character Development
- Feyre: Her desperation and love for Tamlin drive her to accept a dangerous, indefinite bargain. She shows quick thinking in negotiating the terms even while feverish, but also a grim willingness to sacrifice her freedom.
- Rhysand: Exhibits a cruel, manipulative streak, yet his offer—though self-serving—represents a strange form of intervention. The chapter solidifies him as a cunning antagonist who toys with Feyre’s life.
- Lucien (mentioned): His absence and her doubt about his help reveal cracks in her trust. The mention that Tamlin was forced to whip Lucien amplifies the stakes of any interference.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- Bargains and Hidden Costs: The chapter centers on a faerie bargain that seems straightforward but carries unforeseen consequences—the tattoo and the trap for Tamlin.
- Sacrifice: Feyre accepts enslavement of a sort to preserve her ability to free Tamlin, paralleling earlier sacrifices she made for her family.
- Manipulation and Power: Rhysand preys on Feyre’s desperation, illustrating the power imbalance between a High Lord and a dying human.
- Infection and Rot: Her festering arm mirrors the corrupt environment Under the Mountain and the decay of hope; the fever blurs her judgment just enough to make the bargain.
- The Tattoo: A permanent, visible mark that symbolizes ownership and binds her to the Night Court—foreshadowing future entanglements with Rhysand.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 37 is a turning point that alters the trajectory of the entire series. Feyre’s bargain with Rhysand introduces a long-term obligation that will shape her future far beyond the trials. The tattoo becomes a tangible reminder of her deal, and Rhysand’s admission that he intends to use it against Tamlin plants the seeds for the complex dynamics of the second book. The chapter also demonstrates Feyre’s growing understanding of faerie bargains and her ability to negotiate even from a position of extreme weakness. Her willingness to trade part of her life for Tamlin’s cause underscores the depth of her devotion—and the high cost of survival Under the Mountain.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Feyre ultimately accept Rhysand’s bargain?
Feyre accepts because she believes she is dying from an untreated infection and that Lucien may not come in time, if at all. Her resolve to survive and continue fighting for Tamlin overrides her fear of Rhysand’s terms. She also knows that losing her arm to Amarantha’s healers would doom her chances in the remaining trials. -
What does the tattoo symbolize, and why is it a trap?
The tattoo is a physical manifestation of the magical bargain—a permanent mark that ties her to Rhysand’s court for one week each month. It symbolizes both his claim over her and the hidden cost of the deal. Rhysand admits the bargain is a trap to wound Tamlin, who will be forced to see the mark every day, knowing Feyre belongs to his rival for a portion of her time. -
How does this chapter illustrate the theme of sacrifice?
Feyre’s choice is a microcosm of the novel’s larger sacrifice motif. She trades her liberty—subjecting herself to the unknown malevolence of the Night Court—in exchange for her life and the chance to free Tamlin. The bargain echoes her earlier decision to hunt for her family and later to come to Prythian in place of her sister; she repeatedly gives up pieces of herself for those she loves.