A Court of Thorns and Roses: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

Elain and Nesta follow Feyre to the village the next day, no doubt, Feyre believes, eager to waste the money Feyre earns from selling the pelts. Just as Feyre considers buying a treat for them all, she runs into a group of the Children of the Blessed. The group worships the High Fae, who were once humans’ evil overlords and who still torment humans, if they get the chance. Nesta insults the girl and her friends, and another villager reminds the Children of the Blessed that “those monsters” abused humans. The girl insists that the High Fae are happy to marry humans and are kind. Feyre ends the conversation and abruptly leads her sisters to the market, leaving them to sell the pelts on her own.

Feyre usually sells to the cobbler or the clothier, but there’s an unknown female mercenary in the square today who might be interested. Feyre approaches the woman and shares that she has a doe and a wolf pelt to sell, specifying when asked that she shot the animals herself. The mercenary believes Feyre’s (truthful) story of hunting the animals and offers a price that makes Feyre blink. She says Feyre, Elain, and Nesta (who are lurking nearby) all look “hungry,” and she’d like to pay forward the kindness that someone once showed her. Feyre accepts, burning with shame. Mercenaries like this woman work for wealthy folks to guard against faeries—though it’s common knowledge that a human fighter can’t stop a faerie, no matter how deadly that person might be to other people.

Then, the mercenary warns Feyre to not go so deep in the woods anymore—“things” are getting through. Feyre is worried she’ll have to somehow get her family south, far away from the Fae realm. Long ago, the Fae enslaved humans, but after they fought a devastating war, the mortals and the Fae agreed on the Treaty. Now, an invisible wall separates the northern realm of the faeries from the southern, human realm. But now, the mercenary tells Feyre, they don’t know if the High Lords are losing control of their beasts, or if the attacks are targeted. Either way, it’s important to stay away from the wall. When prodded, the mercenary shows Feyre the bite scar on her arm and her leg, which is clearly cursed with poison.

Nesta yanks Feyre away, and it’s clear from her and Elain’s faces that something happened. Feyre ascertains that a male mercenary robbed her sisters and asks why Nesta didn’t ask Tomas for help. Clearly angry, Nesta notes that Isaac is watching. Isaac and Feyre have known each other for years, but they started having sex in a barn two years ago. They aren’t in love; it’s just a release for them both. Nesta sneers that hopefully Feyre and Isaac are using birth control (Isaac takes the remedy, as Feyre can’t afford it). Feyre hands her sisters some coins and follows Isaac. Later, after dinner, Feyre prepares to bring up Tomas with Nesta—but a giant, angry beast appears outside.