A Court of Silver Flames summary recap with spoilers. Read it now!

Read A Court of Silver Flames summary, book #5 of Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, right here! This page is full of spoilers, so beware! If you are wondering what happened in A Court of Silver Flames, then you are in the right place. Read on!

Special thanks to Erica for providing this A Court of Silver Flames summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.

Author
Sarah J. Maas

Ratings
4.8 stars on Amazon
4.45 stars on Goodreads
Add A Court of Silver Flames at Goodreads.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
#1 A Court of Thorns and Roses (recap)
#2 A Court of Mist and Fury (recap)
#3 A Court of Wings and Ruin (recap)
#4 A Court of Frost and Starlight (recap)
#5 A Court of Silver Flames (this page)
#6 A Court of Splintered Harmony (Synopsis & more info!)
#7 A Court of Forgotten Melody (Synopsis & more info!)

***** Everything below is a SPOILER *****

What happened in A Court of Silver Flames?

Your A Court of Silver Flames summary:

After the war with Hybern, Nesta Archeron spends her days living alone in a rundown apartment, drinking herself senseless and sleeping with strangers. But she still feels nothing. She remembers how she hurt Cassian during the last Winter Solstice and how she lost Amren’s friendship. She feels responsible for Elain being captured by the Cauldron and her father’s death.

During the battle with Hybern, Amren shattered the Cauldron; Feyre and Rhys had managed to heal it and seal it away. Nesta and Elain had not revealed their abilities since then.

Cassian arrives to take her to Rhys’ residence atop Hewn City to meet Feyre, the High Lady. Feyre and Rhysand are upset with Nesta for spending huge amounts of money on liquor without earning any of it. Feyre feels responsible for giving her space to recover after emerging from the Cauldron with gifts – dark power she took from it. They give her two options: move into the House of Wind in the city of Velaris with Cassian and Azriel, where she will train during the day and work in the library with the Priestesses, or get thrown into the world of mortals who hate Fae. Nesta reluctantly agrees.

Nesta refuses to train in Windhaven, aware of how much everyone hated her being Made Fae. Cassian decides they’ll train at the House of Wind. During her first few days, she tries walking the ten thousand steps up and down. But falls and scratches the wall, where she notices burnt marks. Every now and then she tries walking down the steps. But only gets so close.

One day, during a heated argument, to unnerve Cassian and wipe the smug grin off his face, she kisses him.

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She begins taking training seriously and eventually asks Cassian if the Priestesses could join after learning that they never leave or step outdoors. She puts up a sign sheet, but nobody enrolls. Eventually she befriends Gwyn, a Priestess from Sangravah, and convinces her to join training.

When Nesta returns to Windhaven, she visits Emerie, a shopkeeper she met when Cassian initially brought her up here for training. She defends her against Emerie’s cousin, pressuring her to sell her shop. Emerie’s wings were clipped by her father to discourage her. Nesta feels for her and invites her to join training too. The three women become close friends, working out together and exchanging books. Gwyn becomes more confident around Cassian, bearing her trauma of being attacked in the temple in Sangravah. She is still hesitant around Azriel as he was the one who witnessed and rescued the Priestesses. When he was looking for the cauldron, Hybern found out that its feet were used to fuel the priestesses’ gifts. He sent his deadliest warriors to retrieve it.

With Hybern’s king dead, the group feared an army being raised again. If united with Vallahan, they would claim more territory from the humans. Morrighan (Mor) is tasked with forging a treaty with Vallahan. Rhys orders Cassian to find out what the human queens were planning.

Cassian reaches out to Vassa – the ousted human queen who was betrayed and sold by the other queens to a sorcerer-lord. She was cursed to be a firebird by day and a woman by night. Lucien was living with Vassa and had become close to Jurian. Jurian had fought on their side. He was a human general tortured by Amarantha for five centuries and rebirthed by the Caluldron, helping the group win the war. When Cassian arrives to meet them, he finds Eris there. He despises Eris for leaving Mor at the outskirts of the city when she was severely injured. Eris convinced Keir to delay his visits to Velaris and had visited Vassa to find out why his soldiers were missing. Eris reminds Cassian they are allies. They suspect Briallyn was behind the disappearance, so they would suspect one another. The Cauldron had punished Briallyn. She had jumped in to turn young forever; she emerged a crone and immortal.

After they leave, Eris tells Cassian he wants in on whatever they’re plotting because he wants to overthrow his father, Beron. Beron pledged his forces to Briallyn and wishes to incite war to expand his territory. He reveals that his missing soldiers returned with his father looking aloof and vanished a few days later. If the Night Court moved against Beron, it would expose Eris’s involvement. Eris only wishes to defend the Autumn Court. If the Night Court didn’t help him, he would turn to other territories. With Briallyn and Koschei working together, securing an alliance would be easy by handing over Nesta, whom Briallyn had a vendetta against. Koschei, a death lord, was confined to a lake by an ancient spell and probably aimed to free himself with Briallyn’s help.

Cassian explains to the group what he learned. Azriel also confirms Vassa’s suspicions. Koschei is whispering in Briallyn’s ear and pointing her towards The Dread Trove. He wishes to use it to free himself. But they suspect Briallyn is not a puppet and is pretending to be controlled to find the Cauldron again.

The Dread Trove consists of three objects, as far as they are aware: a mask that raised the dead, a harp that could open any door, and the crown, which can influence anyone, but touch was required. Feyre explains that since the Trove was made by the Cauldron, the Trove finds its master. But Briallyn was punished, probably instead of Nesta. Nesta, on the other hand, took something from the Cauldron and, like, called to like. She and Elain were the group’s best shot at finding the Dread Trove.

When Nesta enquires why there are no women units in Illyria, Cassian tells her about the Blood Rite warriors have to complete. When an Illyrian warrior comes into full power, he has to go through the Blood Rite to qualify as a full warrior and adult. Would-be warriors are sent in from across clans. They’re scattered across the Illyrian Mountains to survive and make it to Ramiel, a sacred mountain. They’re drugged and dumped in the wilderness without weapons. Even magic is forbidden. Nobody is allowed to break the law and rescue participants. They will be hunted and killed otherwise.

Since they’re running out of time, Nesta finally decides to overcome her fears and try scrying, so Elain won’t have to. The first time she tries, she is thrown into a darkness that consumes her. Cassian and Azriel run to her rescue when they hear her screaming. They watch as silver flames envelop her but don’t burn her. Rhys swoops in and tries to contain it. Cassian’s voice brings her back. She’s touched when she finds him watching over her until the next morning. Rhys tells his brothers that Nesta’s power is pure death.

Rhys is troubled by another problem. Feyre is pregnant. But the baby has wings. Since Feyre shapeshifts, she was fully Illyrian that night, but now she doesn’t have wings. Due to her pregnancy, she was advised not to shape shift anymore. Giving birth to a child with wings puts Feyre at risk. She could die. The group hides this from her until they find a solution.

She tries again, this time with the group in the room. She extends a hand with bones over a map. Cassian stays close to help pull her back. Amren finds her power interesting. They find the location of the Mask. Nesta goes with Cassian and Azriel to the Bog of Oorid. Eris’s missing soldiers ambush them. They go feral as they attack, as if they’re being controlled – the men realize. Nesta is tired of waiting in a safe spot while Cassian and Azriel fight. She goes to look for them. She reaches black water, wherea kelpie, a creature designed to kill, takes her into the water. She spots the Mask and calls to it. She wears it, kills the creature, and surfaces back. Azriel and Cassian are shocked. They take the Mask back to Rhys, who calls Helion to put a binding spell on it so nobody can touch it.

Cassian takes Nesta to his blacksmith. He’s apprehensive at first, then lets her in. Cassian wants her to learn that a blade is more than just wielding it. Once Nesta learns, the blacksmith tells her to take a shot at making some blades.

Rhys summons Cassian. He shows the blades Nesta made that the blacksmith brought over out of fear that they contained something. They agree to keep this a secret from her – that she could make things with power.

During training, Cassian asks Nesta what she would name a weapon if she could. Nesta is suspicious and finally demands the truth. Cassian tells her about the capabilities of her power, but Amren had instructed her to keep it a secret. She goes to Amren and argues with her. In a fit of rage, she reveals to Feyre that they don’t trust her either and have kept the danger of her birth a secret. Feyre is heartbroken. Rhys orders Nesta to leave the city immediately. Cassian takes her to the wilderness. They spend a week before she’s back and agrees to scry.

Nesta tells Gwyn how much she loves music and asks if she could attend the service she’s told her about. During the service, Nesta is transported mentally and discovers the next Dread Trove object. She and Cassian head to the prison. Nesta finds the chamber she had seen in her vision and, inside, the harp. By touching the harp, she opens a pathway in her mind to Briallyn, who’s surely wearing the crown, so she can communicate. In her attempt to be free of her voice in her head, she agrees with a voice that says it will open another door. Only when they’re leaving, she realizes it opened the door to Lanthys’s cell, a death lord who couldn’t be killed, only contained.

Nesta runs while Cassian fights him. Then she hears soldiers bounding towards her. She uses the harp to transport back to him, then uses one of the blades she made to push Lanthys back into his cell. He shows her a vision of them ruling with the Dread Trove objects around them, including a fourth object. And another vision of them tangled in bed. Cassian attacks, and Nesta finishes the job using her blade. Realizing more soldiers were coming, she uses the harp again to transport them to safety.

Nesta apologizes to Feyre for hurting her. Rhys asks Nesta to seduce Eris at the Winter Solstice celebration at Hewn City. They needed to solidify their alliance. Mor teaches her to dance. At the dance, Rhys offered one of the blades Nesta Made. Eris accepts it and dances with Nesta. By the end of the ball, he proposes marriage.

Gwyn reveals a Valkyrie test – to cut a ribbon in half. They all fail; only Cassian succeeds. They keep trying until they’re able to cut it successfully and declare themselves Valkyrie. Cassian and Azriel set up different obstacle courses every day. When they complete it, Cassian reveals that they’ve qualified to participate in the Blood Rite. He had invited Lord Devlon to watch so he and his men could see for themselves how capable they were.

Cassian finds Nesta on Winter Solstice Day and gives her a present. It’s a music orb. She’s touched by the lengths he went to for it. They argue and confess their feelings to each other. Sleeping together and calling it just sex since then changes into something more for both, and this time Cassian stays until morning.

He’s sent to do routine checks. While he’s gone, Nesta invites Gwyn and Emerie for a sleepover. Gwyn suggests making bracelets together. Nesta uses her power to seal a promise that they will always find each other no matter what.

Days later, when Cassian returns, Nesta and he walk hand in hand in public. Nesta is unnerved. She refuses to admit he’s her mate. She fears it takes away her humanity and that she’ll always hurt him. They argue, and Nesta tells him to seek her only when she asks. She runs to Emerie for consolation and finds Gwyn there. They tell her they figured something was wrong. While she’s regretting being harsh to Cassian and promises herself to tell him whatever he needed to hear to get him back, she would. Suddenly there’s a loud crash, the women screaming and male laughter.

Cassian learns of Nesta going to visit Emerie from Mor, who winnowed her there. Rhys and he sense that nobody is home when they arrive. They also sense the presence of males and notice the fight the women put up. They realize they’ve been thrown into the Blood Rite.

When Nesta wakes up in the wilderness, she realizes the three women were taken and dropped in the Blood Rite. The bracelet she made with the charm glows, indicating she’s getting closer to either Gwyn or Emerie. She follows it. Nesta finds Emerie injured and unconscious in the water. She pulls her to safety. They encounter Emerie’s cousin, Bellius. But an animal attacks just as he’s about to harm them. They find Gwyn soon after, and the three women fight to survive. While crossing the bridge to Ramiel, Gwyn is injured by some men with an arrow in her thigh. They climb a tree to survive the night. Gwyn recounts the horrors she faced at the hands of the King of Hybern and how Azriel and Mor rescued them. Emerie talks in detail about the way her father treated her. Nesta shares her own truth and darkness. The women agree to win the Blood Rite by following the path less taken that was once taken by the legend who kept enemies at bay for three days straight, until reinforcements arrived.

Rhys reveals that he and Feyre are tied by a promise – if he dies, she dies, and so does the baby. So he cannot risk facing any dangerous situations. During birth, if she’s met with death, so will he. Amren disapproves of this promise. Cassian and Azriel set out to rescue Eris, who is believed to be captured by Briallyn.

Cassian knows that as Nesta’s mate, he would know if she died in the wilderness. But no word from her worried him. After three days of keeping watch, Eris finally emerges from Briallyn’s palace. Azriel and he follow him, keeping a distance. Eris ambushes Cassian. They are led to the lake where Koschei was trapped. He spoke to them in the form of a shadow. Azriel and Cassian realize that Briallyn is using the Crown to control Eris. Nesta’s made weapon remains on his waist. Azriel ascends, ready to escape. Cassian tugs at Eris, but they’re frozen in place. Koschei hands Cassian over to Briallyn to do as she pleases.

How did A Court of Silver Flames end?

Gwyn is too injured to climb. They try and fall down. Nesta decides they go on without her. She renders Gwyn unconscious and ties her to Emerie. Meanwhile, Nesta stays back to fight off Bellius and his men. She kills them all while he hides. He tells her he doesn’t want to reach the top of the mountain. But only wants her. She fought him until she couldn’t. Cassian slashes and rips Bellius’s throat. He hugs her and says he’ll slit her throat now. Cassian was secretly screaming at her to run or kill her, but he couldn’t stop himself from squeezing her too tightly. Briallyn appears wearing the crown. Nesta realizes he’s being controlled.

Briallyn reveals Bellius fed her the information about her friendship. She knew Nesta would follow her into the Blood Rite. All to wear her down because her magic is too powerful. She says she wants power and the Trove. Briallyn said “kill” but didn’t specify who. Cassian fought against the Crown as he turned the knife towards her chest.

Nesta hears screaming in her head as she attacks Briallyn. She unleashes her magic as Briallyn turns back to her original self, then to dust until only the crown remained. Cassian and Nesta kiss – a mate’s kiss. Azriel and Mor appear. They confirm that Eris is safe, Nesta’s weapon retrieved, but it was Feyre. She started bleeding even though she was months away from giving birth.

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Majda tried to help deliver the baby. Feyre tells her to cut her open even though it would kill her. The baby is silent, and Feyre is bleeding on the bed. Rhys screams. Suddenly there’s a flash of golden light. Nesta uses all three objects of the Dread Trove – the mask, crown, and harp- at once. She plucks the 26th string, which was time. Nesta makes an offer to the power. If it showed her how to save Feyre, she would give her power back. Light flowed from Nesta’s body to Feyre and toward the baby in Mor’s arms. Feyre wakes up, and the baby cries. Rhys kneels and kisses Nesta’s fingers. Nesta hugs him. Amreen locks away the objects that Nesta accessed, even though Helion had used magic to secure them from being discovered.

The stone heals Emerie and Gwyn’s wounds and brings them to Nesta. Nesta reveals to Cassian that she probably still held a little power, like someone stopped the Cauldron from taking it all. She also requested it to alter her body a little so when she gave birth, she wouldn’t face a risk like Feyre. She shares a biscuit with him, and he offers a mating coronation.

Cassian meets Eris and tells him he’s not a monster. Gwyn returns to living in the library but would attend Nesta and Cassian’s mating ceremony. The sisters take the baby and visit their father’s grave.

There you go! That’s what happened in A Court of Silver Flames. We hope you enjoyed this A Court of Silver Flames summary with spoilers.

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Special thanks to Erica for providing this A Court of Silver Flames summary! Check her out on Instagram at @itsneverthelastchapter or on her book blog or her personal blog.