Summary of House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas: (Crescent City Book 3)

By Justin Reese

DISCLAIMER

 

This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas: (Crescent City Book 3)

IN THIS SUMMARIZED BOOK, YOU WILL GET:

• Chapter astute outline of the main contents.
• Fast & simple understanding of the content analysis.
• Exceptionally summarized content that you may skip in the original book

 

Bryce Quinlan, stranded in a strange new world, seeks to return to her loved ones in Midgard. Hunt Athalar, trapped in the Asteri's dungeons, is desperate to help her, but his hands are tied. The sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, follows Bryce and Hunt's world as it faces collapse, with their future at stake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: jUSTIN REESE
• Release date: Jan 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224648252

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Lidia Cervos, a powerful warrior, contemplates the consequences of her actions. She holds a silver torque around her throat, symbolizing the lives she has taken. Her imperial grays are melted down into the torque, and her necklace, a collar with a golden leash, leads to the monsters before her. The staff of the Eternal Palace has cleaned the blood from the crystal floor beneath her knees, but Lidia cannot let herself dwell on the events of two days ago. She willed her eyes dead and cold, unable to comprehend the significance of her actions.

Lidia and Riglus, two Fae Kings, discuss their cases. Morven, King of the Avallen Fae, claims his son acted of his own accord, and Riglus believes he had no knowledge of his son's activities. Shadows whisper that Morven had beaten Cormac out of him long ago, but Hesperus, the Evening Star, suggests his treachery stemmed from a decay within the royal house. King Morven, who had no choice but to answer the Asteri's summons, admits to having no knowledge of his son's activities or his heart.

Lidia, a Fae King of Avallen, condemns Cormac's actions and promises to wipe his name from all records. Polaris, the North Star, reveals that Cormac immolated himself and tried to take them with him. Morven offers nothing to plead, but Lidia remains hopeful. Legend claims that the Asteri cannot pierce the mists surrounding Avallen, but Lidia has never heard of it being tested. Rigelus, who has seen entire families executed, asks Einar about his son's fate.

Pollux, a Fae, taunts the Autumn King, Rigelus, and others about Ruhn Danaan, who has been wild since birth. Lidia, a Vanir, tries to avoid her emotions by avoiding her heartbeat. Einar, the Fae King, explains that neither Bryce Quinlan nor Ruhn Danaan can call themselves his children. Rigelus questions Einar's motives, but he insists he hasn't decided a punishment for her. Pollux threatens to disavow her cunt of a daughter if he finds her, but the Autumn King insists he must find her first.

Lidia, the Southern Star, asks Octartis about her son Ruhn's whereabouts. The Autumn King, however, insists Ruhn is there and believes Ruhn deserves to be there. Lidia knelt, her face like stone and ice. Rigelus, the Autumn King, asks where Bryce is, and Rigelus sighes bored and annoyed. The Autumn King informs Lidia that Bryce is no longer in Midgard, as there is an entire wall circling the Northern Rift in Nena to prevent its denizens from crossing into this world. Rigelus warns Lidia that this knowledge is not to be shared.

Lidia, amidst the chaos, is comforted by the Asteri's warnings about another meeting. Rigelus warns the Fae Kings that their wrath is unavoidable. Lidia, with the help of Pollux, is able to overcome the bile and return to her feet. The next meeting is postponed. Lidia and Pollux discuss the interrogations, with Athalar and Danaan requiring time to break.

Hesperus, the nymph with malice, is still assessing the Helhound. Lidia remains steadfast in her determination to face the wrath of the Asteri.

Lidia and Pollux, a perfect soldier, are given leave to do their finest work in the palace. The Hammer questions if the little bitch went to Hel, but they enter the hall and find no signs of what had happened. The only evidence is the two Asterian Guards flanking the Gate, wearing white-and-gold regalia. Lidia believes they have no individuality or life in them, as they were bred for obedience and service. She assures Lidia that Bryce Quinlan will return one day, regardless of her current situation.

The Eternal City's seven hills are adorned with terra-cotta roofs, and a barren mountain, Mount Hermon, houses scores of the Asteri's new hybrid mech-suits. Lidia reads about the Asteri's recent creations, despite Ophion's attempts to stop them. The suits' appearance at sunset is a testament to their cutting-edge tech. In secret, Rigelus has crafted a metal army stationed on Mount Hermon's peak, an improvement on the hybrids. These machines can hold a single Vanir soldier, suggesting that the hybrids were a distraction for Ophion while Rigelus secretly perfected them.

Magic and tech blended with lethal efficiency, causing death for rebels and damning the rest of the rebellion. Lidia and Pollux entered the catacombs, where one thousand mystics were focused on finding Bryce Quinlan. The Asteri spent resources hunting for her, wondering if she had landed in Hel or in a different world. Pollux screamed, Is that why you're keeping them alive? As bait for that bitch? Lidia confirmed that Quinlan and Athalar are mates and will return to this world due to their bond. Pollux asked about the brother.

Lidia, a Starborn, enters a large interrogation chamber where three males, Athalar and Baxian, are hung from gorsian shackles. They are covered in blood and dangle unconscious from the ceiling. Lidia shuts down her body, unable to breathe. Pollux's whip cracks against Athalar's back, and the Umbra Mortis jolts on his chains. Athalar's swollen eyes crack open, and he laughs at her. Lidia, aware it is folly, looks at Ruhn Danaan, Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae, who is staring at her.

Pollux pierced Athalar's lip and eyebrow with a hoop, leaving him with blood and dirt. Lidia tried to communicate with him, but silence answered. Ruhn's lip pulled back, and Pollux's phone rang, causing a halt in his ministrations. The Hammer, still wielding a whip, called Mordoc to report Athalar's brutalized body. Lidia didn't protest, as Pollux had taken the Harpy's death personally and had ordered Mordoc and the dreadwolves to find any clues about Bryce Quinlan's whereabouts

Bryce believed Lidia was responsible for the Harpy's death, but Athalar and Ruhn didn't reveal her identity. Lidia let her mask drop, revealing her true face to Ruhn. However, Ruhn's hatred remained unabated. Lidia wore Hind's mask again, and Hind ordered the Hammer to use barbed wire instead of the sword.

PART I

THE DROP

1

Bryce Quinlan, a mysterious woman from another world, finds herself in a subterranean interrogation cell beneath a mountain. She is questioned by a female in gray silk and two winged males, one of whom is a powerful male named Rhysand, who looks like Ruhn. Bryce had been sent to Hel to stop the galactic conquest but ended up here instead.

Rhysand explains that Bryce came to this world to learn about the Old Language and the Starsword. The female reveals that she has been covered in blood from the Harpy and Lidia, which she believes is part of a game to keep her alive while Hunt and Ruhn have their secrets.

Bryce's three interrogators say nothing about the world, and she asks why she came here. They suggest a link between the world and Midgard, and Bryce explains that she has no weapons, except for the magic in her veins and the Archesian amulet. She also mentions the Starsword as a family heirloom.

Rhysand asks how Bryce found this world, and Bryce admits that she meant to go to Hel but ended up in this place. The creatures below the grate hissed louder, as if sensing his wrath.

Bryce swallows her fear, knowing that if they learned about the Horn, her power, and the Gates, they would stop using her as Rigelus had wanted or viewing her as a threat to be removed. As the Master of spinning bullshit, she could do this.

Bryce, a party girl from Midgard, is in a world where Gates have opened into other worlds for fifteen thousand years. She believes she was sent to Hel by a warrior who had a prophecy about her sword and a missing knife. The warrior, Rhysand, is skeptical but tries to understand her through her body language and scent.

Bryce explains that she has been captured by intergalactic parasites and wants to help them. Rhysand explains that the Fae of Midgard seem even more powerful than the Midgardian Fae, which could lead to more arrogance and entitlement. Bryce asks Rhysand to look in her mind to see if she knows of the Midgard Fae and their origins.

Rhysand and his companions, Azriel and Amren, discuss their stories about their people migrating to another world. Azriel tells Bryce that they once dwelled on this planet and that they forgot where they came from. Bryce is willing to bet that they have heard of their ancestors leaving this world and going to Midgard.

Amren tells Bryce that many people had vanished, as if they had never been. They must have gone to Midgard, led by Theia and Pelias. Bryce wants to know why she came here and wants to find Prince Aidas, but these people are not her friends or allies.

Rhysand and Bryce are left to wonder why Bryce came to Hel and what happened to her ancestors. They decide to go to Hel to find Prince Aidas, but they are not her friends or allies.

Rhysand and Azriel, two of the Fae's most powerful allies, are entrusted with the task of determining the fate of Bryce Quinlan, who has been a captive of the Asteri for fifteen thousand years. The Asteri, intergalactic parasites, have been searching for Midgard for fifteen thousand years, but Bryce is the only one who has ever returned. They claim to be liberators and enlighteners, and they chose it as their starting point for creating a perfect empire.

Bryce explains that the Asteri arrived in her world fifteen thousand years ago, and they were a group of nonmagical humans and animals who flocked to it through a giant rip between worlds called the Northern Rift. The Asteri built a glorious empire meant to last for eternity, and the Asteri seized their power through a ritual called the Drop, siphoning off some of their power.

Rhysand asks about the unofficial story of the Asteri, which reveals that they are ancient, immortal beings who feed on the power of others, harvesting the magic of a people or world and eating it. They are required to hand over their power upon reaching immortality, and some of their power is siphoned off and given over to the firstlight stores for the Asteri.

Bryce also mentions the Starborn Fae, a world occupied by the Fae, and the Dagger at Azriel's side. She believes it is connected to the Starsword, a dagger forged in Midgard, which she believes was forged there and vanished in the past fifteen thousand years. The Starborn Fae include Theia, their queen, and Pelias, the traitor-prince who had usurped her.

Theia brought two daughters to Midgard, Helena and another, whose names were lost to history. Bryce, who had known Theia since childhood, was unaware of her true identity. Amren, a court historian, informed Bryce that their world was the third planet that resisted the Asteri. Bryce explained that the Asteri were once present in their world but were not known by the name they were called.

Bryce asked Amren about their defeat of the Daglan, the immortal overseers who once ruled the world. Amren confirmed that the Daglan were killed, but Bryce was skeptical. Amren suggested that the Asteri wanted to come back for revenge after at least fifteen thousand years. Bryce lied about her ability to teleport, claiming only two Fae could do so. Amren revealed that many powerful Fae can teleport, and Bryce took a small silver orb with a bean inside.

Rhysand asked Bryce to hold the orb and think of what she wanted to show him. She closed her eyes, imagining the weapons, wars, battlefields, mech-suits, guns, and lessons with Randall. She shut it off before leaping into the Gate and leaving Hunt and Ruhn behind.

Bryce opened the ball, which remained quiet and dim, and played out the memories of the Asteri and their minions. The surprise and dread on her captors' faces were more than any she felt.

Bryce, a warrior, is surrounded by a world of destruction and bullshit, including the Asteri, who have been defeated by their ancestors. She is sent to the original world of the Midgardian Fae by Urd, and must trust his judgment. Bryce is given a silver bean by Amren, which will translate their mother tongue for her. She swallows the bean, and light cleaves her brain, causing her to be ripped in two.

Azriel, a deadly dagger, is poised over her, and he blinks. Amren tells her to put the blade away, as it sings for her. The blade vanishes, and silence spreads through the room. Bryce finds a new language in her brain, the knowledge of which she had not known before. She cannot reach for the tattoo of the Horn, which consists of the words Through love, all is possible.

Amren tells Rhysand that the glowing letters on her back are the same as those in the Book of Breathings. The damage is already done, and they assess her. Azriel asks her to explain or she dies, revealing the secrets of the world. Bryce's journey is filled with fear, doubt, and the struggle to find her way back home.

2

Tharion, a man chained to the Viper Queen, is left in a hushed bathroom with a hole in his shoulder and broken ribs. He struggles to stand and breathes in through his nose and mouth, focusing on the pain and pain he has endured. He uses a small medkit to treat his wounds and tries to see his face, but the reflection is unkind.

As he tries to eat the potion, he notices a familiar scent in the room. It's the Viper Queen, who owns a crew of fighters and treats them like prized racehorses. Tharion and Ariadne, a dark-haired dragon, are required to look sexy and stylish, even as they bloody themselves for the crowd's amusement.

Ariadne, a dark-haired dragon, teases Tharion about her attraction to females and how it might be a shield against them. Tharion explains that he had woven a web of lies to his Aux contacts about the dragon being commandeered for security purposes, so the Viper Queen didn't technically own Ari as a slave.

Tharion cleans his wounds and asks Ariadne to call him Ari. Ariadne explains that everyone seems inclined to use the nickname, so it might be his choice for him to do so. Tharion argues that he abandoned his friends before a deathstalker attacked them, but she bailed all the same. Ari questions who taught him to fight, but he lets the argument drop, as it would get nowhere.

In the end, Tharion feels a sense of guilt and regret for his actions and the consequences of his actions. He is left to grapple with the consequences of his actions and the impact they have had on his life.

Tharion, a former Captain of Intelligence, is questioned about his past and his motives. He admits to having learned how to fight through the Blue Court Military Academy and has spent years honing his skills. Ari, a young woman, is just starting her fight against male lion shifters. The crowd is watching from the one-way window, and Tharion is recognized by two young mer males who taunt him.

Tharion is aware that his parents have already lost one child due to Tharion's actions, and he is aware that his parents have already lost another. He doesn't apologize for his recklessness or selfishness, but he has not left his people safe. He has sworn to the Viper Queen and bound himself to her, as no place else was safe for him.

As the lions attack, Tharion snarls at them, but one of the Viper Queen's personal guards tells him that Boss wants him now. Tharion has no choice but to leave the assholes behind and leave Ari with the lions. He believes there will be a vendor waiting to sell cooked carcasses in a nearby food stall.

The walk upstairs to the room behind the one-way window is long and quiet, and he willed his mind to be that way too. He has been headed this way for a while, starting with the failed attack on the lab and Cormac's death. This last month has been a culmination of his past failures and the disappointment he has always felt.

Tharion enters the Meat Market, where he is confronted by the Viper Queen, who is a natural performer. The Viper Queen offers Tharion lessons on how to fight and defeat the lions, but Tharion is hesitant due to his past experiences with the River Queen. She tells him to try harder next time and offers him some venom to help him find stamina.

Tharion is initially disgusted by the venom, but she assures him that it is the best high an immortal could ever attain. He doesn't blame the Fae defectors who served as her bodyguards in exchange for hits of this venom. Tharion is now one of them, and she invites him to test his stamina.

Declan Emmet and his boyfriend, Marc, are chatting up a vendor at one of the Meat Market's many stalls. The owl-headed Vanir is the third person they've spoken to tonight, hoping to get news of their imprisoned friends. Tharion is left to wonder if Tristan Flynn can look after him.

The Viper Queen's presence in the Meat Market is a reminder of the dangers of being a lowlife, and Tharion is forced to confront his past and the consequences of his actions.

Ithan and Flynn are discussing Ruhn's life, which is in a dungeon being tortured by the Asteri. Tharion defected, and Ruhn has made a choice to go to the Eternal City. Flynn is desperate to help Ruhn and his friends, but Ithan insists on playing babysitter for Sigrid Fendyr, who insists on knowing everything about the Fendyrs, their enemies, and Ithan's enemies.

Ithan's frustration stems from the fact that she has been a pain in his ass for two days now, wanting the complete history of the Fendyrs, their enemies, and Ithan's enemies. She has not offered up much of her own past, and Flynn orders her to sit alone, apart from her fiery little cabal. The angels have long ignored anything happening at street level in their district, too preoccupied with the comings and goings in their lofty towers.

Ithan glared at the male, who usually gets along fine with Flynn. Since Ruhn and Hunt and Bryce had disappeared, they have been