Feyre remains imprisoned in her cell, where Rhysand ensures she receives regular meals despite her continued resentment toward him. Isolated and tormented by distant screams, she obsessively ponders Amarantha’s riddle to no avail. The tattoo on her palm, a constant reminder of her bargain with Rhysand, seems to mock her with its possible connection to Jurian’s fate. One night, she even imagines it blinking, blurring the line between reality and her growing unease.

After days of solitude, two shadowy High Fae females arrive, sent by Rhysand to retrieve her. They transport her through the dungeon walls as if she were made of darkness, glamoured from the guards’ sight. Feyre is taken to a secluded room where the faeries bathe her and begin painting intricate designs across her body, including intimate areas, despite her protests. The humiliation deepens as they dress her in a revealing gossamer gown, leaving little to the imagination and heightening her vulnerability.

Rhysand appears, revealing the purpose behind her transformation: she is to accompany him to a party as his escort. He explains that the paint and dress serve as a deterrent, ensuring no one else touches her—a claim he emphasizes by marking her shoulder, which mysteriously repairs itself. Feyre bristles at his possessive tone, realizing he views her as his property beyond their agreed bargain. Despite her fury, she has no choice but to comply, her defiance stifled by the consequences of resistance.

As they approach the throne room, Feyre’s discomfort grows under the stares of faeries and High Fae, including Lucien’s smirking brothers. The sheer dress and painted body make her feel exposed and objectified, while the eerie music foreshadows another ordeal under Amarantha’s rule. The chapter ends with Feyre steeling herself for the spectacle ahead, her dignity stripped away but her resolve lingering beneath the surface.

In Chapter 39, the protagonist endures days of confinement, receiving daily meals but remaining isolated and tormented by her thoughts and the relentless screams from the dungeons. Her mind is preoccupied with Amarantha’s riddle, which she struggles to solve, highlighting her mental and emotional captivity. Her only connection to the outside world appears through the faint reminder of Rhysand’s presence, which she resents yet secretly clings to, especially when she notices the tattoo on her palm that seems to blink, hinting at a deeper mysterious link.

The chapter vividly describes her involuntary kidnapping by shadowy faeries sent by Rhysand, who transport her through dark, hidden corridors to a nondescript chamber. There, she is stripped, bathed roughly, and painted with intricate designs, her body transformed into a living canvas. The faeries’ actions are cold and clinical, with no explanation given, leaving her to accept her situation as another form of torment or perhaps a calculated move by Rhysand. Her feelings of vulnerability intensify as she is dressed in a revealing, barely-there dress that emphasizes her exposed state amid the cold environment.

Rhysand’s presence in the scene underscores his control and manipulative nature. He arrives casually, observing her transformation with a mixture of amusement and authority, revealing that her new appearance is part of a strategic plan for an upcoming event. His flirtation and teasing tone expose his ownership over her, especially when he runs a finger over her painted skin, emphasizing that he will know if she is touched by others. His words reinforce the power imbalance, as he claims ownership over her, extending beyond their bargain, and implying that her body and her fate are under his constant watch.

As they move toward a grand gathering, the protagonist is painfully aware of her vulnerability—her scant clothing, exposed skin, and the cold air that makes her shiver. She is overwhelmed by the spectacle and the gazes of others, recognizing the ominous nature of the upcoming event in the throne room. The chapter ends with her dread mounting, knowing she is about to face a situation where her autonomy is further compromised, and her feelings of helplessness deepen as she steps into the heart of the court’s revelry, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and veiled intentions.