Tower of Dawn
Chapter Forty-Nine
by Maas, Sarah J.In this chapter, Nesryn finds herself trapped by a mysterious spider-like creature who reveals the shocking truth about Maeve, the supposed Queen of the Fae. The spider claims Maeve is actually the Queen of the Valg, a dark and powerful race from another world. Nesryn, desperate to buy time as her companion Falkan attempts to free her, asks the spider to tell her the story of Maeve’s origins. The spider agrees, framing it as a “gift” for Nesryn’s boldness, and begins a tale of deception and conquest.
The spider recounts how Maeve originated from a dark, cold world ruled by three Valg kings—Orcus, Erawan, and another unnamed brother. Maeve, a queen of extraordinary power, married Orcus but grew restless. Using her abilities, she discovered a way to travel between worlds, eventually arriving in the Fae realm. She manipulated the minds of the Fae rulers, Mab and Mora, making them believe she was their long-lost sister. Over time, she erased all memory of her true identity, embedding herself as a permanent fixture in Fae history.
When the Valg kings pursued Maeve across worlds, she disguised herself as a Fae queen, using her knowledge of their strategies to wage war against them. She stole their magical keys, which allowed travel between worlds, and banished two of the kings, including Orcus. However, the third king, Erawan, escaped her grasp when the fire-king Brannon intervened, taking the keys without fully realizing Maeve’s true nature. The spider hints that Maeve’s dark power allowed her to manipulate even Brannon’s perceptions.
The chapter ends with Nesryn piecing together the implications: Maeve is not Fae but a Valg queen who has deceived an entire civilization for centuries. The spider’s tale underscores Maeve’s cunning and the depth of her deception, leaving Nesryn—and the reader—to grapple with the revelation that one of the most powerful figures in their world is a hidden enemy. Meanwhile, Falkan’s slow progress in freeing Nesryn adds tension, as time runs out for her escape.
FAQs
1. What is the true identity of Maeve according to the spider’s tale, and how did she conceal it?
Answer:
According to the spider’s revelation, Maeve is actually a Valg queen from another world, not a Fae ruler as commonly believed. She concealed her true identity by using her dark powers to manipulate the minds of the Fae people, making them believe she was the third sister-queen alongside Mab and Mora. Maeve implanted false memories and eliminated anyone who resisted her mental influence, maintaining her disguise for centuries. This explains her unusually long lifespan and the mysterious dark powers she possesses, which differ significantly from typical Fae abilities.2. How did the Valg kings originally cross into other worlds, and what role did Maeve play in this?
Answer:
The Valg kings—Orcus and his brothers—discovered how to control the gates between worlds after Maeve initially escaped their realm. They created three magical keys (one for each king) to open and traverse these gates at will, allowing them to invade multiple worlds in search of Maeve. Maeve, however, had already used her knowledge of interdimensional rifts to flee their world and hide in plain sight among the Fae. Her actions inadvertently led the kings to develop the means for their widespread conquests across different realms.3. Analyze the significance of the Wyrdgate in this chapter. How does it connect to the broader conflict?
Answer:
The Wyrdgate serves as a pivotal interdimensional portal that enabled Maeve’s initial escape from the Valg kings and later their invasion of other worlds, including the Fae realm. The spider reveals that Maeve first stepped through this very gate, leaving her Valg handmaidens to guard it. This gate symbolizes the thin boundary between worlds and the dangers of unchecked power—both Maeve and the Valg kings exploited it for their purposes. Its existence underscores the ongoing threat of cross-world invasions and the importance of controlling such powerful magical artifacts in the broader conflict.4. Why did Maeve steal the Valg kings’ keys, and what were the consequences?
Answer:
Maeve stole the keys to both defeat the Valg kings and gain control over interdimensional travel for herself. She used her insider knowledge of their strategies to banish two kings (including her former husband, Orcus) and planned to eliminate the third, Erawan. However, Brannon, the fire-king, intercepted the keys before she could complete her plan. This theft fragmented the keys’ ownership, leading to their dispersal and setting the stage for future conflicts over their control. Maeve’s actions highlight her ambition and the cyclical nature of power struggles in the narrative.5. How does Nesryn’s interaction with the spider demonstrate her character and survival strategy?
Answer:
Nesryn displays quick thinking and emotional intelligence by appealing to the spider’s pride and love of storytelling to buy time for her escape. Despite her fear, she feigns curiosity and admiration (“What a mighty and powerful queen she must be”) to manipulate the spider into monologuing. This tactic not only delays her impending death but also reveals critical information about Maeve’s origins. Nesryn’s resourcefulness—using her “wind-seeker” persona as a pretext for hearing the tale—showcases her adaptability in life-threatening situations, a key trait for her survival in the narrative.
Quotes
1. ““So she has made them believe.””
This chilling revelation from the spider undermines Maeve’s entire identity as Queen of the Fae, hinting at her true nature as a Valg queen who has manipulated perceptions for centuries. It serves as the chapter’s central twist.
2. ““She had watched. Had learned of such rips between worlds. A door that could open and close at random, or if one knew the right words.””
This quote reveals the crucial mechanics of world-crossing in the story’s mythology, explaining how Maeve (and later the Valg kings) traversed between realms. It introduces the concept of the Wyrdgate as a controllable portal.
3. ““And using her powers, she ripped into their minds. Made them believe they had a sister, an eldest sister to rule with them.””
This demonstrates Maeve’s terrifying mental manipulation abilities, showing how she rewrote history and inserted herself into Fae royalty. It’s a key example of her Valg powers at work.
4. ““Even he was tricked by her; she found paths into his mind to keep him from truly realizing it.””
This quote about Brannon’s failure to recognize Maeve’s true nature underscores her power and the limitations of even the most legendary figures. It reveals why Maeve’s deception persisted for millennia.
5. ““How different, how extraordinary a female Valg is.””
This statement highlights the unique threat posed by Maeve compared to male Valg rulers, introducing an important distinction in Valg biology and power structures that explains her exceptional success at deception.