| Name | Bryaxis |
|---|---|
| Court | The Library, Night Court (formerly) |
| Abilities | Reveals the nightmares of its prey |
| Appears In | A Court of Wings and Ruin |
Contents
Biography / History
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Bryaxis first appears when the King of Hybern sends two Ravens to abduct Nesta Archeron. Feyre bargains with the creature dwelling in the deepest level of the Night Court’s library: in exchange for killing the Ravens, Bryaxis demands “company—someone to tell it of life.” Feyre agrees, and Bryaxis annihilates the Ravens with brutal efficiency, though it leaves enough of their minds intact for Rhysand—who arrives moments later with Cassian—to extract crucial information. Only once Rhys finishes does Bryaxis deliver the final blow.
As a mark of this new bargain, a thin tattoo encircles Feyre’s left arm—no wider than her finger. Later, Feyre strikes an additional bargain: if Bryaxis fights for their side in the war, she will install a window in the library so it can finally see the sun and stars.
Bryaxis is so horrifying that anyone who looks directly at it reacts in visceral terror—Cassian once did, after Rhysand (then young and reckless) challenged him to peer into the pit.
During the final battle, Bryaxis joins the Weaver (Stryga) and the Bone Carver as one of the first beings to strike against Hybern’s forces. After the war, however, Bryaxis vanishes, leaving no trace behind. Rhys informs Feyre that they will eventually need to locate it and return it to the library.
A Court of Frost and Starlight
Following the war with Hybern, Bryaxis still has not returned to its home beneath the library. Rhysand reiterates that it must be found, and when Azriel offers to search for it, Rhys instructs him to begin after Winter Solstice.
Appearance
Bryaxis has no fixed physical form. It manifests as a living mass of shadows, its body a constantly shifting blur of claws, fangs, wings, and muscle that never settles into a single recognizable shape. Its presence resembles a storm of darkness—whirling, expanding, and collapsing in on itself as it moves.
This ever-changing silhouette makes Bryaxis almost impossible to look at directly; the mind struggles to interpret the creature’s shifting components, perceiving only a terrifying amalgamation of predatory features enveloped in a smothering cloud of shadow.
