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ACOWAR

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.

Azriel = Death, shadows and darkness

ACSF:

She plucked another figurine from the mantel: a rose carved from a dark sort of wood. She held it in her palm, its solid weight surprising, and traced a finger over one of the petals. “He made this one for Elain. Since it was winter and she missed the flowers.

Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows.

...she pulled the small, carved rose from her pocket and set it upon the gravestone. A permanent marker of the beauty and good he’d tried to bring into the world.

Elain = blooming spring

Her sister’s delicate scent of jasmine and honey lingered in the red- stoned hall like a promise of spring, a sparkling river that she followed to the open doors of the chamber.

And in the last chapter...

With that in mind, every time I reread ACOSF, I have the feeling Sarah was deliberately talking to the readers about Elain.

"Elain is boring"

You think Elain is boring?

I think she's kind, I'll take kindness over nastiness any day. But I also think we haven't seen all she has to offer yet.

"Elain doesn't have what it takes"

“Including Elain, who is more than capable of defending herself against the darkness of the Trove, if she chooses to. Don’t underestimate her.

"How will she get a book? All she does is gardening, she's better off doing that"

“Shall I tend to my little garden forever?”

“You can’t have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater.”

"Sarah will have a hard time to make me like her"

We'll see a different side of her emerge.

Maybe you’ll become interesting at last, Elain.

"Nesta was by her side for weeks, she's ungrateful"

I went into the Cauldron, too, you know. And it captured me. And yet somehow all you think of is what my trauma did to you.”

Elain was right. We’ve become so focused on how her trauma impacted us that we forget she was the one who experienced it.

"She doesn't even care about Nesta"

You have your lives, and I have mine, she’d said to Elain last Winter Solstice. She’d known how deeply it would wound her sister.

She’d passed her sister in the bustling market square they called the Palace of Bone and Salt, and though Elain had halted, no doubt intending to speak to her, Nesta had kept walking. Hadn’t looked back before vanishing into the throng.

And plucked the cerulean-and-cream scarf Elain had given her for her birthday this spring off the hook on the wall.

She’d been as riveted as Feyre to hear Cassian tell of it: first of Nesta and the others’ interest.

I’m happy that Nesta finds interest in something again.

"But what would she even do?"

Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted toward her, “Using me.”

I think she’s got you beat for secret-keeping.

She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends.

And because you are Made by it, you are immune to the influence and power of the Trove. You might use them, yes, but they cannot be used upon you.” A glance to Elain. “Either of you."

and Elain, with whatever powers she has—is here.

All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers to match your own.

All three sisters were now High Fae with considerable powers, though only Feyre’s were let loose. (And now Nesta's, which means...)

"She can't even make her own decisions"

Elain remained in the doorway, her face pale but her expression harder than Nesta had ever seen it. “You do not decide what I can and cannot do, Nesta."

Elain cut in sharply, “I am not a child to be fought over."

Elain said, “Then I will find it. I might require some time to … reacquaint myself with my powers, but I could start today.”

"She doesn't belong to the night court, Cassian said it"

When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared that she was a part of this court—and would do whatever was needed.

*Sight* I could go on and on but I have a limit of how many of those comments I can read.

Sarah probably knew what kind of reaction to expect, since she already experienced that with Nesta. If Nesta was hated, why wouldn't Elain?

But also, if Nesta surprised us, why wouldn't Elain surprise us as well?

Elain is an Archeron, do you really think Sarah wouldn't write her a journey just like she did with Nesta and Feyre?