Chapter Thirty One: Training, Secrets & Summer Court Heist
Spoiler Notice
This page discusses events from Chapter 31 of A Court of Thorns and Roses. Read on only if you’ve reached this point in the story.
Summary
Four days after her night of note-passing with Rhysand, Feyre is hard at work in the sparring ring atop the House of Wind. Cassian drills her on dagger techniques, critiquing her footwork while Amren lounges nearby, picking her nails with a bone and trading barbs. Mor arrives, and Cassian immediately demands to know where she went the other night after Rita’s. Mor refuses to explain, leading to tense exchanges that hint at Cassian’s role as a buffer between Mor and the shadowsinger Azriel, who has been quietly brooding over failed spy efforts. Feyre observes the unspoken hurt and protection woven through their group.
Rhysand appears, dressed impeccably and without his fighting leathers, and announces that he, Feyre, and Amren will depart the next day for the Summer Court. Cassian objects, recalling his own disastrous visit there, but Rhys explains that Amren is a wiser choice and that the young High Lord owes him a favor. The real purpose: to find and steal the Book of Breathings, while Amren may liberate other treasures. The mission also serves as a political signal to the other courts. After ordering Cassian to stand down, Rhys leaves, and Feyre follows. In the stairwell, their banter turns flirtatious: Feyre teases that Rhys can’t stay away since Calanmai, and Rhys taps her nose before vanishing, eager to see her sharp tongue at work in Adriata.
Key Events
- Cassian trains Feyre on planted feet and daggers, with Amren offering mocking commentary.
- Mor appears; Cassian presses her about her mysterious disappearance from Rita’s, revealing tensions around Azriel’s feelings.
- Feyre silently connects Cassian’s protectiveness to keeping Azriel from being “old news.”
- Rhysand arrives and announces a trip to the Summer Court, taking only Feyre and Amren.
- Cassian is overruled: the Summer Court fears Amren, and Rhys needs Cassian in the human realm.
- Amren agrees when Rhys hints at uncatalogued treasure she can steal.
- Rhys and Feyre share a charged exchange; he looks forward to her sharp tongue at court.
Character Development
- Feyre: Continues to train, though she still can’t reliably winnow. She is more observant of the Inner Circle’s emotional undercurrents. Her banter with Rhys grows bolder, suggesting she is beginning to enjoy their dynamic—and perhaps allowing herself some lightness.
- Cassian: Demonstrates his deep protective streak, not only toward Feyre as a trainee but also toward Azriel, by trying to shield him from Mor’s secrets.
- Mor: Assertive and unwilling to report her private life, she uses casual deflection to protect both herself and Azriel from pain.
- Amren: Unapologetically idle until promised treasure, she embodies acquisitive, dangerous detachment, yet her loyalty to Rhysand’s plans is clear.
- Rhysand: Reveals the calculated side of his leadership—selecting a mission team to avoid political fallout while advancing the search for the Book. His flirtation with Feyre shows a man who finds relief in their escalating repartee.
- Azriel (mentioned): His recent quietness and coldness signal the strain of his failed attempts to infiltrate the human queens’ courts.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Secrets and Protection: Cassian’s interrogation and Mor’s evasiveness highlight a recurring motif: the Inner Circle uses strategic omissions to shield its members from hurt.
- Flirtation as Escape: Feyre’s verbal sparring with Rhys is not merely romantic tension; it becomes a safe space where both can temporarily shed the weight of their roles.
- Territoriality: Feyre’s acknowledgment that she watches Rhys “territorially” underscores her growing possessiveness—a motif that echoes fae instincts and her shifting loyalty.
- Summer Court as Symbol: The court represents both a political stage and a treasure vault, contrasting the darkness of the Night Court and promising danger masked by sun.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 31 pivots the narrative from internal training and character bonding toward active infiltration. The decision to go to the Summer Court raises the stakes: Feyre is now officially an agent of the Night Court, complicit in a heist that could jeopardize fragile inter-court relations. It crystallizes the double role she must play—Cursebreaker and thief. The chapter also deepens our understanding of the Inner Circle’s tangled loyalties and wounds, making the coming mission feel not only risky but emotionally loaded.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Cassian object so strongly to Rhys bringing Feyre to the Summer Court?
Cassian sees Feyre’s presence as a public declaration that she belongs to the Night Court, which could inflame Tamlin and destabilize already tense relations. He also believes the Summer Court’s volatile nobility poses a direct physical threat. -
How does Amren’s reaction to the mission reinforce her character’s core traits?
Amren initially shows nothing but boredom until Rhys mentions treasure. Her instant agreement reveals a greed-driven pragmatism, but her willingness to accompany Rhysand into potential danger underscores a deep, if acerbic, loyalty. -
What purpose does the flirtatious stairwell scene serve after the mission is announced?
The banter reestablishes the personal connection between Rhys and Feyre, reminding the reader that beneath political schemes, their dynamic is evolving from antagonism into genuine, if complicated, affection. It also foreshadows that Feyre’s “sharp tongue” will be a tool—or a liability—at the Summer Court.