Tower of Dawn
Chapter Twenty-Two
by Maas, Sarah J.Yrene grapples with the aftermath of an intense encounter with Chaol, fueled by the effects of an opiate smoke at a noble party. Overheated and frantic, she retreats to her room, struggling to regain control as the substance’s influence lingers. The smoke has stripped her of inhibitions, leaving her consumed by desire and confusion. By dawn, though the physical effects fade, a lingering unease settles in her gut as she prepares to face Chaol again, burdened by the weight of her actions and the lie she fed Princess Hasar.
Arriving at Chaol’s palace suite, Yrene is determined to maintain professionalism despite her inner turmoil. Her resolve shatters when she discovers Chaol in bed with Nesryn, a sight that sends her reeling. Shock and an unnameable emotion flare between them before Yrene hastily retreats to the sitting room, struggling to compose herself. The intimacy she witnesses deepens her sense of displacement, amplifying the hollowness in her stomach as she waits, knee bouncing nervously, for what comes next.
Chaol emerges, disheveled and seemingly guilty, attempting to navigate the awkwardness between them. Yrene, unable to meet his eyes, busies herself with her satchel, creating a physical barrier with the desk. Her words stumble as she offers to prepare tonics—hinting at Nesryn’s potential needs—while avoiding direct acknowledgment of what she saw. The unspoken tension hangs heavily, with Yrene’s professional facade barely masking her emotional vulnerability.
The chapter closes with Yrene’s internal conflict laid bare. She struggles to reconcile her feelings for Chaol with the reality of his relationship with Nesryn, all while clinging to her role as a healer. The ancient texts she brought, including *The Song of Beginning*, symbolize her trust in him, yet the emotional distance between them feels insurmountable. Her offer to help, though sincere, underscores her isolation, leaving her trapped between duty and desire in a room that suddenly feels too vast.
FAQs
1. How does the opiate smoke affect Yrene’s behavior and decision-making at the party, and what does this reveal about her character?
Answer:
The opiate smoke significantly lowers Yrene’s inhibitions, leading her to engage in intimate behavior with Chaol that she later regrets. The text describes how the smoke made her “abandon any sort of common sense” and left her “utterly out of her mind,” fixated on physical attraction. This reveals Yrene’s internal conflict between her professional demeanor and personal desires. While she typically maintains strict self-control as a healer, the smoke exposes her vulnerability to temptation and emotional impulsiveness, particularly in Chaol’s presence. Her subsequent shame and frantic pacing demonstrate her struggle to reconcile these unexpected feelings with her disciplined identity.2. Analyze the significance of Yrene finding Chaol and Nesryn together in bed. How does this moment impact their dynamic?
Answer:
This discovery creates immediate tension in Yrene and Chaol’s relationship. Yrene’s shocked reaction (“a silent ‘Oh’”) and quick exit suggest deep discomfort, possibly stemming from unacknowledged feelings for Chaol. The text emphasizes her physical response—lightness in her stomach, inability to meet his eyes—hinting at jealousy or hurt. Chaol’s guilty tone and attempt to explain (“I didn’t realize you’d be here so early”) indicate he recognizes the awkwardness. This moment forces both characters to confront unspoken emotions, with Yrene retreating behind professional barriers (organizing her medical supplies) to avoid addressing the personal implications of what she witnessed.3. What does Yrene’s offer to create contraceptive tonics for Chaol and Nesryn reveal about her emotional state and coping mechanisms?
Answer:
Yrene’s clinical offer to prepare “a tonic… if such a thing is needed” serves as an emotional shield. By focusing on practical solutions rather than addressing her visible discomfort, she reverts to her healer role to avoid personal confrontation. The stumbling delivery and avoidance of direct terms (“A child, she couldn’t bring herself to say”) demonstrate her struggle to maintain composure. This reaction suggests Yrene uses medical professionalism as a defense mechanism when faced with emotionally challenging situations, particularly those involving Chaol. Her mention of the baby he smiled at yesterday further reveals she’s been privately considering his potential romantic attachments and family desires.4. How does the chapter illustrate the contrast between Yrene’s public persona and private emotions?
Answer:
The chapter starkly contrasts Yrene’s composed public image with her turbulent inner world. While she maintains proper appearances (neatly folding Hasar’s gown, professional interactions with guards), internally she’s “overheated and frantic.” This duality peaks when she enters Chaol’s suite—outwardly giving medical instructions to Kadja, but inwardly reeling from the previous night’s intimacy. The mirror scene highlights this divide: her haggard reflection betrays sleepless emotional turmoil, while her daytime actions project control. Even when shocked by Chaol and Nesryn, she defaults to polite withdrawal rather than expressing her feelings, demonstrating how she prioritizes maintaining dignity over emotional honesty.5. What thematic role does physical touch play in this chapter, and how does it develop character relationships?
Answer:
Physical touch serves as both a connective and divisive force throughout the chapter. Yrene’s memories of Chaol’s calloused hands and imagined touches reveal her suppressed attraction, while the actual discovery of him touching Nesryn creates emotional distance. The lingering sensory details—how the smoke’s “talons” made her skin hypersensitive, her nightgown “clinging and chafing”—emphasize how physicality dominates her consciousness. This focus on tactile experiences mirrors the healing work they do together, where touch is both professional and increasingly personal. The chapter suggests that physical intimacy, whether real or imagined, is becoming a significant factor in complicating their relationship dynamics.
Quotes
1. “All she had known was the heat and smell and comforting size of him—the scrape of his calluses against her skin and how she wanted to feel them elsewhere. How she had kept looking at his mouth and it was all she could do to keep from tracing it with her fingers. Her lips.”
This quote captures Yrene’s intense physical attraction to Chaol and her internal struggle with desire, showcasing the tension between professional boundaries and personal feelings that drives much of the chapter’s emotional conflict.
2. “Release left her hollow—unsatisfied.”
A powerful, concise statement that reveals Yrene’s emotional state after giving in to her desires alone, highlighting the deeper longing and dissatisfaction that permeates her interactions with Chaol throughout the chapter.
3. “Yrene could barely look the guards, the servants, the viziers and nobility in the face as she entered the palace and made her way to Lord Westfall’s rooms. There was no doubt some had spied her on the couch with him.”
This quote demonstrates the social consequences Yrene fears from her public display of intimacy with Chaol, illustrating the tension between personal desire and professional reputation in the court setting.
4. “Nesryn stirred beside him, brows knotting, her shirt wrinkled. Chaol grabbed fistfuls of the sheet, the muscles of his chest and abdomen shifting as he rose up on his elbows—Yrene simply walked out.”
This pivotal moment reveals the complicated romantic triangle between the characters, with Yrene’s shocked reaction and abrupt departure marking a significant turning point in their relationships.
5. “Yrene wrapped her arms around herself, the room somehow so very large. The space between them too open.”
A poignant description of Yrene’s emotional isolation after discovering Chaol with Nesryn, using physical space to powerfully convey her feelings of distance and rejection.