Throne of Glass, #6
Tower of Dawn
by Sarah J. Maas
Contents
Chapter Ten
Overview
Yrene’s research confirms that Chaol’s injury is tied to ancient Valg magic, revealing lore about Valg Kings, a gate, Keys, and the possession of human hosts. The discovery raises the stakes from a difficult healing case to evidence of an old, organized evil with deep magical roots.
The chapter then turns from scholarship to immediate danger when Yrene is stalked through the Torre library and finds a young healer murdered and drained. By escaping and triggering the library’s hidden evacuation alarm, Yrene exposes that the threat has reached the heart of the Torre itself.
Summary
During a midnight summer storm, Yrene studies in the Torre library, using rare books and scrolls that Head Librarian Nousha has gathered for her. Yrene searches for anything about demonic wounds, dark magic, and marks like the one afflicting Chaol Westfall, but most texts in familiar languages prove useless.
Yrene examines an ancient Eyllwe volume titled The Song of Beginning and finds illustrations that confirm Chaol’s claims about the Valg. The book depicts a black gate, corrupted soldiers, and three Valg Kings named Orcus, Mantyx, and Erawan, described as wielders of the Keys. Another illustration shows a young man forcibly possessed by a black mist, clarifying that Valg collars and rings are implantation devices rather than the only source of control.
As Yrene processes the implications, strange clicks sound in the dark stacks nearby. Remembering survival lessons taught by the young stranger who once saved her, Yrene trusts her fear, packs the most important books and scrolls, and walks toward the main hallway while pretending confidence. She realizes someone is moving parallel to her through the stacks and uses a false greeting and talk of someone expecting her to delay the unseen stalker.
On the way out, Yrene stumbles over the body of the young healer she had comforted earlier in the Womb. The healer is emaciated, lifeless, and drained, and Yrene’s magic finds no life left to heal. Yrene forces herself to keep moving without revealing that she has discovered the body.
Yrene reaches three acolytes, silently warns them, and they close ranks around her while maintaining the appearance of calm. In the atrium, a black Baast Cat hisses toward the library behind them, reinforcing that something dangerous remains in the stacks. Yrene reports the attack to the Heir Librarian, who rings the library’s secret three-bell evacuation warning.
The library empties as acolytes, healers, and librarians flee from the stacks. Guards arrive, reinforcements are called, and Nousha, Eretia, and Hafiza are summoned. The acolytes stay with the shaken Yrene, holding her hands as the Torre responds to the murder and the threat inside its supposedly safe walls.
Who Appears
- Yrene TowersResearches Chaol’s wound, uncovers Valg lore, evades a stalker, and raises the alarm.
- NoushaHead Librarian who gathers rare texts and scrolls for Yrene’s urgent research.
- Unnamed stalkerUnseen presence follows Yrene through the stacks after a healer is murdered.
- Unnamed healer from the WombYoung healer Yrene had comforted earlier; found murdered, drained, and beyond healing.
- Three acolytesYrene’s students who protectively surround her and help her reach safety without panic.
- Heir LibrarianNight-duty librarian who accepts Yrene’s warning and rings the secret evacuation bell.
- Black Baast CatLibrary cat that hisses toward the danger behind Yrene and holds position in the atrium.