Suriel

Suriel
by morgana0anagrom
General Information
Full name	Suriel
Age	Older than the bones of this world
Species	Faerie
Powers	Knowledge
Home	Roam the Courts of Prythian
Status	Deceased
Physical description
Gender	Male
Eye Color	Milky white
Hair Color	None
Series Information
Appearances	A Court of Thorns and Roses (first appearance) A Court of Mist and Fury A Court of Wings and Ruin A Court of Frost and Starlight (mentioned)

Suriel (pronounced: Sur-ee-el) are a species of malevolent faeries who are bound to answer truthfully any questions asked of them by those who catch them.

Overview

They cannot lie and are not members of any Court. They cannot cross running water.

The Suriel are said to be older than Prythian, and even older than "the bones of this world." The Cauldron, however, is older than the Suriel.

History

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Eager for information, Feyre convinces Lucien to tell her how to find a Suriel. He reluctantly explains that the Suriel can be found in groves of young birch trees in the Western Woods, and has a weakness for freshly slaughtered chickens, he makes it clear that Tamlin mustn't know how she came by the information.

Using a dead chicken to lure it to her location, Feyre successfully captures a Suriel, and gathers information. The Suriel tells her that there is no way for her to return home and also tells her things about Tamlin, such as that he is the High Lord of the Spring Court. The Suriel is about to tell her about the curse that affects Prythian when they are interrupted by a group of naga. Feyre releases it and it flees, leaving her to fight the naga alone.

Alis tells Feyre later that all she'd needed to do to catch a Suriel is offer it a new cloak.

A Court of Mist and Fury

In order to find a way to save Rhysand, Feyre captures the same Suriel from her first encounter, who tells her what Rhys has been poisoned with and how to save him. Rhysand has been poisoned with faebane ash wood arrows and it tells her that she must give him her blood since she now possesses the healing power of the High Lord of the Dawn Court. The Suriel remembers Feyre and the kindness she showed in saving it from the naga, and Feyre releases it once she has what she needs. She can't help but wonder whether it let itself be caught. The Suriel also reveals to Feyre that Rhysand is her mate.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

During a battle with Hybern's forces, Feyre rushes to find the Suriel and learn the whereabouts of Hybern's hidden forces. The Suriel appears without Feyre trapping it, and explains that the force has been hidden by the Cauldron's magic; because of this the Suriel cannot find it, as the Cauldron is older than it is. It tells Feyre that Nesta can track the magic, having been Made by the Cauldron saying, "Like calls to like."

The Suriel does reveal that the answer to nullifying the Cauldron's magic lies on the second and penultimate page of the Book of Breathings. It is then shot with an ash arrow by Ianthe and two Hybern soldiers, after refusing to answer Ianthe's questions and tells Feyre to run. She hesitates, then steps out of hiding and leads the attackers to the Weaver's cottage where she traps them. They are subsequently eaten by the Weaver. Feyre returns to the Suriel, who is dying. It reveals that it knew Ianthe was tracking it, with a cloak Ianthe had given it that had a tracking charm on it to be triggered in Feyre's presence, but came to help her anyway because she showed it kindness. It makes a final request to Feyre, before dying.

“	Feyre Archeron...a request. Leave this world...a better place than how you found it.	”
–The Suriel's final request to Feyre Archeron, A Court of Wings and Ruin

Appearance

“	A face that looked like it had been crafted from dried, weatherworn bone, its skin either forgotten or discarded, a lipless mouth and too-long teeth held by blackened gums, slitted holes for nostrils, and eyes … eyes that were nothing more than swirling pits of milky white—the white of death, the white of sickness, the white of clean-picked corpses. Peeking above the ragged neck of its dark robes was a body of veins and bones, as dried and solid and horrific as the texture of its face. It let go of the snare, and its too-long fingers clicked against each other as it studied me.	”
–Feyre Archeron, A Court of Thorns and Roses

The Suriel that Feyre encounters is described as tall and thin, veiled in dark, tattered robes so thin that the hard knobs of its spine can be seen. It is said to have a hunched back, spindly, scabby gray arms, and yellowed, cracked fingernails. Its head is bald and its teeth are gray and horrifically large. Its feet are described as bare and gnarled.

Its voice is described as at once one and many, old and young, and beautiful and grotesque. It claims to be able to smell when Feyre is lying to it.

Trivia

• The Suriel that appears in the books is only one of many of the same species.