The stories in the Court of Chains universe are intended to work as standalone novels. Each one features a different couple and dynamic, letting readers jump in wherever they wish. There may be references to characters and events introduced in previous books, but all the stories are self-contained narratives. You can pick up the series wherever you want to.
Knowledge of the Court of Chains, the Courts, and all the creatures they house is hidden from the general populace. To most people, vampires, demons, and other supernaturals exist merely as figments of fantasy. Only those initiated know what occurs in the shadows. Only those who have been allowed a peek behind the veil may explore this secret world of monsters and magic.
Some key terms and phrases regarding the world of the Court of Chains have been listed below, offering information for new readers who may not be familiar with the universe.
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Court Regents. Each Court has a Regent or Regents, typically given the title of King or Queen. The title comes with innate power, making the Regent stronger than any other being in their Court as long as they remain within their territory. Court rulers can be recognized by the flames in their pupils. The Court of Chains is ruled by the King of Chains, a vampire named Aleksander Voronov. His second-in-command is a greater Lust fiend known as Natalya. She rules the Second Circle below the Court of Chains.
Closed/Open Court. The Court of Chains is open to the public only during the latter half of the week. During this time, its members hide their true natures, which allows for uninitiated humans to mingle with the monsters of Chains.
Courts. Many Courts exist, all housing different types or subtypes of monsters, all hidden from the general public. The Court of Night houses vampires, the Court of the Wolf houses lycanthropes, and the Courts of Summer and Winter house a myriad of fae creatures. Many others exist beyond these mentioned ones, and all offer a unique gift upon joining, such as a mind-controlling enthrallment ability for the Court of Night or enslaving name-stealing for the Courts of Summer and Winter. Fiends have no known Courts.
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court of chains Glossary
The Court of Chains. The Court of Chains is one of several hidden Courts of monsters. This specific one is based in Chicago, Illinois, operating out of a high-rise by the river, and it maintains a public façade as an eccentric-looking nightclub. It is one of several secret Courts that exist in the world; some world-encompassing, some confined to a single city. What sets the Court of Chains apart is that it doesn’t discriminate who it lets in. Any fiend, fae, or fanger subjecting themselves to the laws of Chains would be allowed to pledge for its halls.
The Second Circle. Below the Court of Chains is the Second Circle, a place of Sinful pleasure and delight. Its public face is that of a private, high-end kink club, though its clientele is more supernatural and lethal than most other clubs of its kind.
Iron’s Eve. A monthly evening where the rulers of the Court of Chains hear accusations, pass judgment, and hear new pledges to the Court.
Ribbon Contracts. The Ribbon contracts is a system used by the Court of Chains that allows a supernatural creature to Claim a human in exchange for protection. It is handled through a ceremony called the Claiming, occurring on the summer and winter solstices. The Ribbons come in different colors. The Pinks and Reds establish a feeding relationship with a supernatural creature, with the Pink living outside of Court while the Reds live with their supernatural partner. The Purples and Blues work the same way, except then the relationship is sexual in nature, and is often used by romantic partners. The Silvers are the highest tier, offering both a feeding and sexual relationship, as well as benefits for the human, including protection from age and disease. Should the Ribbon contract be broken—either by the Claimed human ending the relationship or by the human dying—the Claimant would suffer great pain, acting as additional motivation for the supernatural creature to keep the human safe.
Fae, Fiends, and Fangers. The three major types of supernatural creatures. They are mainly categorized by their weaknesses and how they were created. No supernatural creatures—save for fiends—can enter a human residence without invitation.
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Fae. Fae are born into the world free to wander where they will, falling into different subtypes such as the sídhe of the British Isles, the mythics of the Mediterranean, and the ellefolk of Scandinavia (among others). Sirens, nymphs, and trickster fae all fall within this category. They are universally weak to raw iron.
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Fiend. Fiends are summoned or born entities of Sin and are often enslaved by magic users. Two categories exist, these being greater and lesser fiends. Greater fiends are beings of pure Sin, being allowed to exist only if summoned by a witch or warlock. Free greater fiends are incredibly rare. Lesser fiends are partly human, having a fiend as a parent while the other is human. Greater fiends are summoned with their abilities learned and mastered, while lesser fiends don’t get access to their powers until they turn twenty-five. There are seven types of fiends: one for each Sin. They are weak to sacred sage oil and sanctified salts.
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Fanger. These are supernatural creatures who were once human and have been turned, often through violent means. In this group are creatures like vampires and therianthropes. They are universally weak to silver, though different subtypes may have other unique weaknesses, such as a vampire’s sunlight sensitivity.
Feral. Derogative term for a supernatural creature not sworn to a Court. Without the rules and benefits of Court membership, these creatures can sometimes act rather volatile.
Therianthrope/Therian. This is a catchall term for fangers that can transform into animals. Lycanthropes and ursinthropes (wolf and bear shifters, respectively) are among these types.
The Arcane. The secret science of magic usage. The arcane has three branches that all magic falls under, each with three subcategories: Alchemy (trinkets, tonics, and transmutation), Amplification (alteration, restoration, and deterioration), and Authoring (runes, rituals, and relations). The arcane can only be practiced by humans and those who practice the arcane are referred to as witches and warlocks, or simply as arcanists.
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