Feyre meets the Suriel when she traps it in the first ACOTAR book, the creature gives her more information than she bargains for — including knowledge about the King of Hybern. The Suriel also tells Feyre to remain with the High Lord, and she'll "live to see everything righted." According to the faerie, this is how Feyre can stay safe.

The meaning behind the Suriel's words initially seems straightforward in book one, but it takes on a whole new light at the end of Sarah J. Maas' fantasy series. During her final conversation with the creature, Feyre realizes its instructions weren't referring to the person she originally assumed. Maas foreshadowed the importance of Rhysand all the way back in book one, though there has been some debate about whether this ACOTAR line was always about him — or if it intentionally has a double meaning.

Why The Suriel Tells Feyre To Stay With The High Lord In A Court Of Thorns & Roses

It Tells Feyre This To Protect Her From The Darkness Threatening Prythian

The reason the Suriel tells Feyre to stay with the High Lord is because she's putting herself at risk by seeking answers about Prythian and the blight, and the faerie notes that she'll be "devoured by the shadow over Prythian" if she continues poking. Of course, Feyre does continue to find herself caught up in the conflicts threatening Prythian, even after her conversation with the faerie. Perhaps it's fine that she doesn't heed that warning, since she remains with the High Lord after — first Tamlin and eventually Rhysand.

The Suriel's words serve a deeper purpose than merely protecting Feyre.

The Suriel's words serve a deeper purpose than merely protecting Feyre, too. They give her the guidance she needs to eventually save Prythian, setting everything right. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, Feyre realizes that the Suriel isn't just helping her from a place of comion. She notes that it continuously shows up for her because it's "a dreamer." And knowing that the fate of Prythian depends on Feyre and her relationship with a certain High Lord, it's clear the faerie has Prythian's best interests in mind while offering this advice.

Which High Lord Is The Suriel Talking About? Feyre Initially Believes It's Tamlin

She Later Realizes It Was Referring To Rhysand

Given that Feyre goes to the Suriel seeking answers about the Spring Court and Tamlin, it's reasonable to assume the creature is talking about him during A Court of Thorns and Roses. The Suriel is the one who tells Feyre that Tamlin is the High Lord of the Spring Court just moments before it gives her this advice. It flows naturally from one point to the other, initially leaving little doubt that Tamlin is the one who will protect Feyre from the darkness looming over Prythian. However, the creature doesn't specifically say his name, and that's an intentional choice.

As the rest of the ACOTAR books unfold, it becomes obvious that Rhysand is the one who truly winds up protecting Feyre — and "the High Lord" could just as easily apply to the leader of the Night Court. Feyre doesn't know Rhysand when she first meets the Suriel, so she doesn't jump to this conclusion. But given how cryptic the creature's message is, and the fact that Rhysand is ultimately the one who rights everything alongside Feyre, she comes to the realization that it was talking about him in A Court of Wings and Ruin.

The Suriel's Advice Foreshadows ACOMAF's Rhysand Twist Early

Feyre's Endgame Is One Of The Biggest Twists Of Sarah J. Maas' Series

One of the biggest twists of the Court of Thorns and Roses series is that Rhysand is Feyre's endgame, not Tamlin. Although Maas spends the entirety of book one setting up Feyre's romance with Tamlin, she does a complete 180 on it in A Court of Mist and Fury. Due to the trauma Tamlin and Feyre experience Under the Mountain, the two wind up having many problems in the second book. And when Feyre panics during their wedding, Rhysand shows up and whisks her away, opening the door for the two of them to pursue a romance instead.

Its advice foreshadows the series' big Rhysand twist, though readers will only realize it after reading the rest of the books.

There are clues about Feyre and Rhysand being mates in the first ACOTAR book, and the Suriel's message is one of them. Its advice foreshadows the series' big Rhysand twist, though readers will only realize it after reading the rest of the books. During Feyre's initial meeting with the Suriel, Tamlin is the only High Lord that she and the readers know of. Therefore, it's pretty much impossible to consider who else it could be talking about. And although Feyre comes to the conclusion that the Suriel meant Rhysand in ACOWAR, the line could still be interpreted as having a double meaning.

Intentionally Or Not, This ACOTAR Line Has A Double Meaning For Feyre

While the Suriel's message to Feyre seems to be about Rhysand in hindsight, it can be read as having two meanings, as both Tamlin and Rhysand play important roles in getting Feyre and Prythian to where they're supposed to be. Arguably, Feyre wouldn't even know Rhysand without sticking with Tamlin first. She meets Rhysand at the Spring Court, and she develops a connection with him Under the Mountain — a place she only goes because she wants to save Tamlin from Amarantha. By staying with Tamlin, she's later able to remain by Rhysand's side.

In that sense, it matters less who the Suriel is referring to and more who Feyre believes it's talking about.

In that sense, it matters less who the Suriel is referring to and more who Feyre believes it's talking about. Her initial interpretation is what leads her to Rhysand, while her later revelation is what keeps her by Rhysand's side, even as he sacrifices himself in A Court of Wings and Ruin. The Suriel nudges Feyre in the right direction, but she's ultimately the one deciding how the faerie's words apply to her circumstances. Fortunately, her interpretations lead to precisely what they both want.

And it's worth noting that Tamlin is the last High Lord to give Rhysand a piece of his power, enabling him to survive in the third book. This drives home the fact that Feyre's connections to both High Lords are crucial to A Court of Thorns & Roses' outcome. The Suriel probably knows that, and that might be why its advice is so ambiguous. Feyre benefits from remaining with each of them at different points, and by association, so does Prythian.