Nana

i dream of seer Elain, eyes cloudy and lips budding with the secrets of the Cauldron.

a voice that was male and female, young and old, haunting and alluring

humming a silent melody as she wanders across the solar system, her garden. stars and wind and darkness in full bloom.

a song and an invitation, its siren song

promising hope and healing as vines twine tightly in death’s sweet embrace. her power a thing of secret, lovely beauty.

“Stone Mother” began playing, its rolling, thumping drums offsetting the wild, yet mellow, guitars. And then Josie’s voice filled the tunnel, sharp and yet soaring, accented by Laurel’s sweet, clear backups. The sound was foreign, earthy – haunting. In the span of a few notes, Bryce was back in her childhood bedroom in Nidaros, sprawled on the carpet, letting the sound of the music run over her for the first time.

Then she was in the dry hills of Valbara, surrounded by olive trees. Then the palm-lined quay along the Istros. Then with Danika. Then alone.

Then with Hunt.

This song had carried her through it all – through the years of pain and emptiness and rebuilding. It had carried her from light into darkness and then back to light.

The wraith-like harmonies echoed off the stones, until the rock sounded as if it was singing.

And when it was done, silence resumed. Nesta’s eyes were wide. “That was beautiful,” she said eventually. “I couldn’t understand a word of it, but I felt it.”

•

No more music. No more pictures of Hunt.

But the music seemed to linger, like a ghostly echo through the caves.

And with each mile onward, she could hear Azriel humming to himself. The rolling, wild melody of “Stone Mother” softly flowed off his lips, and she could have sworn even the shadows danced at the sound.

But perhaps a Cauldron-blessed seer was gifted the right magic to access that secret language. The one Stone Mother’s song called to, produced a vision for.

Male and female,

young and old,

feyre and rhysand:

elain and azriel:

nesta and cassian:

art by: asayris ♡

You know what’s actually toxic? YOU. Because you are implying that by Elain not having rejected the mating bond (why would she do this not in her own book, though?), Lucien has some ownership over her. So, she’s not free to be with other people.

The fuck?

Elain isn’t perfect ✔️

Elain makes mistakes ✔️

Elain almost kissing Azriel while Lucien is upstairs is toxic of her. She has to reject the bond before pursuing another man. ❌❌❌❌❌❌

Imagine thinking a woman is toxic and flawed simply because she doesn’t want a specific man and instead wants to explore things with a different guy. She’s single. She’s not committed to anyone.

The way some of these antis behave, makes me feel second hand embarrassment…

Azriel, taking the potato plate out of Elain's hands: Sit, I'll take care of it.

Elain: I- I'll be right back.

*proceeds to fix her appearance because her crush is in the goddamn room*

Cassian: *proceeds to dig in*

Azriel, grabbing his wrist: Wait.

Mor: *gapes enough for the peas to almost fall out of her mouth*

Amren: *smirks behind her wine glass because mf ain't as subtle as she expected*

Feyre: *mentally putting 2 and 2 together*

"I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection… that knife."

Between light and darkness lies Dusk, which is composed of the same colors as the covers 🥺🩷💙

The difference between feysand and nessian compared to elucien is that the only reason elucien are forced to be together is because of the mating bond. It’s what connects them in every way.

Feysand, yes Rhys had suspicions ( only knew AFTER he helped save her in the end of acotar) she’s his mate but feyre didn’t know, she chose and fell for him without the bond hanging over her head telling her she needs to give him a chance. And no feyre did want Rhys but her loyalty stopped her from thinking anyway.

Nessien, again yes cas had an INKLING, nesta didn’t know, she was fighting with him the first day she saw him, he made her feel alive. Nesta didn’t have the bond hanging over her head telling her to give cassian a chance, she fell for him organically. And no nesta did want cassian she had her own issues so she pushed him away, not the same thing.

Elucien, the first time elain and Lucien met was the day they both learned they were mates. Elain has had everyone telling her to give Lucien a chance, he’s a good man, he’s her mate he basically owns her( Grayson), she’s been forced to be in his proximity because he’s her mate. It would not be HER organic choice if she ended up with Lucien because she’s always had the bond hanging over her head. The only reason anyone is telling Elain to give Lucien a chance is BECAUSE of the mating bond. Non of yall would ship them if it weren’t for it let’s be serious. If elucien had any scene where elain was empowered by Lucien and fought back in some way I’d say there was a chance, that she is like nesta and that’s why she’s ignoring him, but no scene of that anywhere. Elain has had plenty of time to get to know Lucien and she might’ve even talked to him after the war, and all we got from that was she further pushing away from him. She didn’t need to fall inlove with him in the og trilogy but atleast grow a friendship or ANY sort of interest in him which she hasn’t.

Elriel, it seems as tho azriel had an inkling the same as cassian but wtv, elain met azriel and he calmed her, he made her feel comfortable when she just met three dudes with wings and fat muscles. He spoke poetically to her basic question when it wasn’t needed making her interested in flying. Elain and Azriel have slowly become friends, Azriel became the only person to listen to her, to TAKE her to the gardens, believed in her and give her truth-teller, she gave him a gift on her first solstice, and she chose to go for the kiss and ask him to put the necklace she loved sm on her, and Elain was the person Azriel went on a suicide mission for and elain was the person azriel felt comfortable enough around to have his wings splayed infront of her.

Elriel follows the pattern of the guy having an inkling and the girl not knowing, the couple organically falls in love having had a connection from the moment they met and then ending up together.

Elain owes Lucien nothing.

Not a conversation. Not her loyalty. Nothing.

He is entitled to nothing from her. Not even a bond rejection.

A lot of us genuinely had no idea any of that happened, I didn’t know it existed until this March… i was a casual reader, i wasn’t active in the fandom.

For years (i read the books in 2023, so the “ship war”had already been going on for quite a while by then) I didn’t know the almost-kiss happened, I didn’t know Rhys told Azriel to stay away from Elain, and I didn’t know about the necklace scene.

And if the chapter really is that important, I’m not saying SJM handled it badly… BUT

I just think that, if I were the author, I’d be doing a lot more to make sure readers actually read it…through translations, new editions, or better promotion.

People always say, “Well, she mentioned it in interviews.” Okay, but the interviews aren’t translated either 😭 Most of the ones I’ve watched were only available in English, often without subtitles.

If I (the author) realised a bonus chapter was essential to understanding the next book, I’d probably be talking about it on my social media too. I’d be pushing it EVERYWHERE

Because if a chapter becomes crucial to understanding the next book, it feels strange that so many readers never even knew it existed.

Honestly, if it were truly essential, I’d almost rather see it incorporated (entirely) into ACOTAR 6 somehow. Though I highly doubt that’ll happen

And by CRUCIAL, you know perfectly well what I mean…

Because from my perspective as an Italian reader, imagine ACOTAR 6 suddenly revealing that Azriel is no longer interested in Elain and has developed feelings for Gwyn. That wouldn’t feel like a natural progression to me. It would feel like a massive plot twist, because I literally wouldn’t have had the information necessary to follow that development.

(They weren’t romantic interactions to me personally, but I can see why people got excited about them)

Honestly, I’m already annoyed that I had no idea about the necklace for years. You’re telling me I could’ve opened ACOTAR 6, read a scene where Elain is thinking something like “This necklace was originally meant for me,” and just sat there in complete confusion? (I’m using that as an example, but honestly the last thing I want to see is two women fighting over a man)

I’m also annoyed about not knowing about Rhys’s order, actually 🤌

Like, what the fuck? Is that supposed to be an important plot point or not?

“—and that love would trump even a mating bond.”