"Elriel can't be next! They barely interacted in ACOSF! Azriel avoids Elain!"
Okay, but why? Why do they barely interact? Why is Azriel avoiding Elain?
We get this interaction at Solstice with Nesta observing Azriel. Azriel is tormented.
We find out in the bonus chapter it's because it's the sight of Elain and Lucien, being able to smell their bond.
Also, I've seen antis say that Azriel being able to smell the bond isn't abnormal but it absolutely is. Fae can smell the bond after it's been accepted but not before or Tamlin/Lucien would immediately be able to clock that Rhysand and Feyre were mates back in book 1.
Mor, Cassian, Azriel could not smell the mate bond between Feyre and Rhysand before it was accepted. They had to be told. Amren could because Amren is not fae. She becomes fully fae later but at the time, she is other.
Azriel being able to smell the unaccepted bond absolutely means something.
Anyways, now we know why Azriel is avoiding Elain.
Azriel literally cannot control himself around Elain, he can't stop himself from being drawn to her and the first instant they were alone both acted on their mutual draw and attraction.
And as for "lack of interactions"...Let's set aside that this is a Nesta book and for most of the book Nesta is barely around Elain and they are in a "fight".
Alot of the time that Elain is mentioned, Azriel is mentioned and vice versa.
Elain beat Azriel for secret keeping.
Elain taking lessons from Azriel + twins.
Hybern rescue mention. Almost as if it was important.
But we also have Nesta/Cassian observing Elain and Azriel. Every single time those two are in the room together either Cassian or Nesta comment on it. Every. single. time.
Azriel smiling at Elain that she quickly looked away from.
Monitoring them, especially Elain laughing.
And then, the impact of things happening around Elain impact Azriel.
Azriel stilled at something happening to Elain and his eyes darkened.
Shadows gathering ready to strike at Nesta for hurting Elain.
Azriel being protective of Elain being exposed to the Trove. The antis will say this Azriel coddling Elain and ergo he's bad for her but notice he's not saying she can't or forbidding it, he's just stating she shouldn't and Cassian also immediately follows up with the same thought about Nesta. (you wanna talk mate behavior? and since when is it bad for an MC in a romantasy series to be protective?? Oh yeah, when it's not the love interest you want.)
And of course, this was after the BC when Elain and Azriel had their miscommunication and Rhysand and Azriel got in their fight and the next day Azriel had lost the snowball fight and threw snowballs filled with rocks at Rhysand.
In a book where Elain is pretty removed from the narrative due to circumstances with Nesta, I say there is plenty of interaction and observations littered through the whole book for the two.
Azriel with his limited page time and status as a side character in this book is mostly pre-ocuppied with Elain and almost every third word out of that man's mouth is about Elain and his most emotional reactions are from Elain.
This is why we say antis are obtuse on purpose because even with the limited amount of information we got there was still plenty that was a natural build up from previous books and a fracture in the couple that was impactful and is left to be addressed as unfinished business (a plot you say?). If it was down to the number of scenes together, in ACOTAR 1 Feyre would of got with Lucien and and would never have left Tamlin for Rhysand.
And we can't forget the previous 3 books no matter how much they want to.
Nesta with some pretty heavy imagery here.
The rose represents Elain, was carved for Elain.
In the shadows near a Mother described statue.
Mother bond? Azriel and Elain?
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