S6 : Ep 3 - ACOFAS : Revisited - PART 2

Summary

Flights of Fantasy S6 Ep3 – ACOFAS: Revisited, Part 2

Date: February 3, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Christina, Kim, and Anna

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the Flights of Fantasy book club returns for the second half of their deep-dive on A Court of Frost and Starlight (“ACOFAS”) by Sarah J. Maas, with a special focus on character exploration, relationships, and deliciously messy emotional baggage. The hosts dissect key scenes featuring Elain, Azriel, Lucien, Mor, Nesta, and Cassian, while speculating wildly on unanswered questions and future series twists. Expect their signature blend of bookish nerdery, unfiltered opinions, and riotous banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Elain, Azriel, and Lucien: Examining the Triangle

Timestamps: 03:11–12:09

• Azriel’s Protective Stance Toward Elain:
  • At the dinner scene, Azriel insists on everyone waiting for Elain to sit before eating, triggering discussion of his trauma surrounding his mother and questions about the roots of his protectiveness.
  • “It can strike at odd times… Azriel looks at Elain and sees someone delicate, someone untouchable, and I think he wants to preserve that… it gives me Oedipus complex.” – Kim (04:22)
• Azriel’s Feelings: Longing or Pity?
  • When Elain questions Amren about being human again, Azriel observes with “pity and sorrow”—a choice of words that the hosts debate.
  • Kim draws a distinction: “When there is a male character who is in love with somebody and they look at the person that they're in love with, it's rarely with a sense of pity.” (06:20)
• Gift Exchange and Subtle Signals:
  • Elain gives Azriel a thoughtful headache remedy, eliciting a laugh from him that Feyre notes as unprecedented:
    “Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. I'd never heard such a sound. Deep and joyous… I'd never seen his hazel eyes so bright.” – Christina reading Feyre’s POV (09:15)
  • The scene is interpreted as deliberate groundwork for possible future romance, or at least emotional intimacy.
• Lucien and Vassa/Jurian Dynamics:
  • Lucien is seen with Feyre, sparking speculation about feelings for Vassa: “The spark in his russet eye… are we having feelings for Vassa?” – Kim (10:48)
  • They also discuss Feyre’s tendency to project her own happiness on Lucien and Elain, and how Lucien is finding belonging with Jurian and Vassa instead.
• Elain’s Autonomy:
  • Elain asserts, “I don’t want a mate, or a male.” (12:08)
  • The conversation touches on consent, trauma, and the right to choose one’s own path.

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2. Mor's POV: Secrets, Trauma, and Truth

Timestamps: 14:41–24:10

• Eris Flashback and Mor's Past:
  • A flashback to Mor and Eris raises questions about Eris’s true nature—was abandoning Mor an act of cruelty or protection?
    • “He must have just read it in her eyes and was like, yeah, absolutely not… you don't want to live here.” – Christina (16:49)
• "Truth is your gift, truth is your curse": The Hosts’ Theory Bombshell
  • Mor’s inner monologue—“Truth is your gift. Truth is your curse”—raises the explosive possibility that she literally cannot lie, only circumvent the truth.
    • “If I take it totally out of context… I would think this means she cannot speak unless she’s speaking truth.” – Christina (18:21)
    • Kim: “I absolutely love this, because this would make so much sense. Truth is my gift. I am Morrigan.” (19:19)
  • They cross-analyze scenes for evidence, such as the Valeris-reveal and Mor’s word choices, vowing to re-read everything she’s ever said.
• Mor’s Secret Estate (Athelwood) & Her Escape:
  • Mor owns a private estate, Athelwood, and rare horses, where she feels “free” apart from court pressures.
  • The shadow in the estate’s woods (“familiar and yet foreign”) triggers theories about Briaxis or other shadowy entities. (22:46)
• Mor's Absence in Silver Flames:
  • Her off-page presence is justified as being sent on subtle diplomatic missions—primarily a device to explain her absence during the following book.

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3. Nesta’s Downward Spiral and the Setup for Silver Flames

Timestamps: 24:10–39:53

• Physical and Emotional Parallels:
  • Feyre observes Nesta’s increasing thinness and isolation, drawing parallels to Feyre’s own trauma post-ACOMAF.
  • “There are some very stark parallels between her physical and mental state and Feyre’s at the beginning of ACOMAF.” – Kim (24:25)
• Mental Health and Numbness:
  • In her POV, Nesta confesses: “She hadn’t felt anything in months. She had days when she didn’t really know where she was or what she’d done.” (28:04)
  • The hosts foreground the importance of contextualizing Nesta’s prickly or cruel behavior as masking deep wounds and self-imposed isolation.
• The Brutal Cassian-Nesta Solstice Showdown:
  • Climax of the episode: Cassian tries to walk Nesta home after Solstice, resulting in a devastating confrontation.
  • “Your sisters love you. I can’t for the life of me understand why, but they do.” – Cassian to Nesta (36:09)
  • The exchange is dissected for its mix of harshness, provoking, and desperation on both sides.
    • Christina: “He was doing it in a 'play with me, react to me' way… that is better than her being in this… void.” (36:32)
• Gift Refusal and Anguish:
  • Cassian attempts to give Nesta a rare miniature book as a gift; she refuses, and he impulsively throws it into the Sidra river, later regretting it.
  • “He regretted throwing it into the river the moment it had vanished under the ice.” – Christina reading from “Silver Flames” (39:04)
  • Both hosts feel heartbreak and frustration at this moment—foreshadowing Nesta’s and Cassian’s forthcoming healing journey.

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4. Cassian, the Illyrians, and Found Family

Timestamps: 32:23–33:21

• Cassian's Emotional Resonance:
  • Cassian’s efforts as a leader are highlighted, especially regarding Illyrian unrest and trauma, women’s training, and his bond with Emerie.
  • Kim shares a favorite quote:
    “Cassian had named about two dozen poses for Nesta at this point, ranging from I will eat your eyes for breakfast to I don't want Cassian to know I’m reading smut. The latter was his particular favorite.” (33:03)
• Found Family vs. Blood Family:
  • On Lucien, the hosts discuss the grief of “found family” as Lucien bonds with others outside the familiar court—and how Feyre fails to see his unique path.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It also kind of gives me... Oedipus complex.” – Kim, theorizing on Azriel’s connection to Elain (04:18)
• “Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. I'd never heard such a sound. Deep and joyous.” — Christina, on Azriel’s rare laugh (09:15)
• “Truth is your gift. Truth is your curse.” — Mor's internal monologue, as interpreted by the hosts to possibly mean she can’t lie (18:02)
• “If I claim a mate, then that is the last shred of their humanity.” — Kim, discussing Elain and Nesta’s resistance to mating bonds (12:14)
• “Go home, Cassian.” —Nesta, in a profoundly defeated tone (36:24)
• “He regretted throwing it into the river the moment it had vanished under the ice.” — Christina, narrating Cassian’s heartbreak (39:04)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Elain, Azriel, and Lucien Analysis: 03:11–12:09
• Mor’s Flashbacks, “Truth” Theories: 14:41–24:10
• Nesta’s Decline & Solstice Fight: 24:10–39:53
• Cassian and Emerie/Female Illyrians: 32:23–33:21

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Final Thoughts

The episode is a whirlwind of insight, speculation, and empathy as the hosts interrogate characters’ complexities rather than flatten them into tropes. Their real-time theory about Mor’s truth-speaking is a major highlight, as is their candid navigation of Nesta’s mental health and the raw Nesta-Cassian dynamic.

With ACOFAS serving as the bridge to “A Court of Silver Flames,” the hosts set the stage for heavier themes, character growth, and further relationship messiness with both intellectual rigor and passionate energy.

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Next Up:
The podcast will continue the ACOTAR Revisited series with A Court of Silver Flames, promising more deep dives into favorite characters’ journeys.

Transcript

[Christina]

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[Christina]

Welcome to Flights of Fantasy, your Romantasy Podcast book club. I'm Christina, joined by my book besties Kim and Anna, and together we're diving into the characters, theories, lore and magic behind all your favorite fantasy romance books.

[Kim]

Hi book besties. Welcome to ACOTAR Revisited, our deep dive back into the series that started it all. We are so excited to be here discussing the novella A Court of Frost and Starlight from the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. But before we give our official spoiler warning, Christina has some announcements.

[Christina]

I sure do. First and foremost, guys, it is a very exciting month over on Patreon. The time has officially come. We are covering Azriel's bonus chapter from A Court of Silver Full arguably the most important piece of text in existence right now when it comes to ACOTAR 6. So there is so much to break down there. All of it is so important. We're so excited about this episode, so that will be a part of our SJM miniseries for tier two over on Patreon. Also for both tiers, we're covering part one of the new season of Bridgerton. I will also be doing a cauldron chat for Tier two, covering the Dusk Court, a deep dive into the Dusk Court. If you know, you know there's a lot to break down there. And we will also be doing a romance reads book chat covering the Wild Card by Stephanie Archer, one of our favorite hockey romance series. So yes, come join all the fun over on [e-mail] Flightsofantasypodcast we would love to have you. All right, Anna, let's do spoiler warning.

[Kim]

All right, spoilers from here on out for every book in the Acotar series.

[Christina]

Woo.

[Kim]

Let's kick off this episode. We are going to be discussing Elaine, Azriel and Lucien because obviously who is Azriel going to end up with? This is a big topic and we're going to continue to talk about this. We started in Acowor and we're going to continue to talk about it through Akasop. But there are a couple things I want to quickly run through to note for everyone to pin for possibly Elain's book that could be upcoming hopefully soon. Everyone is at the townhouse and Elain has helped prepare dinner for everyone. She realizes that she still has her apron on and she's apologizing and she, you know, oh, I'm going to go take this off and runs out of the room now. Cassian immediately dives in and starts to make us plate and eat and as you're about to basically admonishes him and is like, hey, we're gonna wait until everybody is seated at the table before we all dive in into the food.

[Christina]

It's a big moment.

[Kim]

Yeah. And it shouldn't feel that way, but it does. It's enough of a moment that Feyre goes what was that about? Like mindspeak to Rhysand. And what Rhysand says is, let's just say it hit a little close to home. There are some scars when it comes to how his mother was treated. Many scars. His mother who had been a servant near slave when he was born and, and afterward none of us bother to wait for everyone to sit, least of all Cassian. It can strike at odd times. And I think it's important to remember here that Asriel obviously his trauma, which Christina really went into in her cauldron chat on the Bat Boys backstory. But remember, Azrael was kept in a dark little cell and he was only allowed to see his mother once a week for an hour. And I think this can be taken a couple different ways. Oh. Azrael has feelings for Elaine and he wants to make sure that she is protected. And he's already setting us up for this, like, kind of protective man that he is. But I think Azrael looks at Elain and sees someone delicate, someone untouchable, and I think he wants to preserve that. Are there possible feelings there? Yes, sure. But it also kind of gives me personally, like, Oedipus complex. We know little to nothing about his mother except that she was the one light in his life. Right. And when he sees Elaine serving everyone and bringing dinner that she helped prepare, it triggers him because it reminds him that his mother wasn't ever shown respect. And he wants to make sure that the person who is helping them, this beautiful light that Elain, is that she is treated with the same sort of respect that no one ever showed his mother. And Elaine is not a servant. But that's how it reads to me sometimes. I obviously also can 100% admit that, yes. Could it be deeper than that? Could there be feelings? But that's what the Oedipus complex is, is finding attraction in someone who reminds you of their mother. And I do wonder if that's part of this here.

[Christina]

It's interesting. There's a lot of wording around him treating her gently and her treating him gently. And a lot of his trauma is wrapped up in his mom.

[Kim]

And I think another important thing to note from this dinner table scene is Elaine is speaking to Amren, and she asks Amren a very personal question. Did you choose his body when you came back again? How did you choose this body? Were you given the option to change the body into something else? And what Amren says is, you will never be able to be human again. She clocks what Elain is trying to get at, and Elain gets very prickly about it and cold. And she responds back to Amren. But what Feyre notes, because it's Feyre's pov, is, I glanced at the others. Rhys was frowning. Cassian and Mor were both grimacing. And Asriel, it was pity on his beautiful face. Pity and sorrow as he watched my sister. And I don't know why this struck me. I think because when there is a male character who is in love with somebody and they look at the person that they're in love with, it's rarely with a sense of pity. If she's talking about wanting to go back to her old Life, there would be a sense of longing. I mean, she does write sorrow here, but again, the word pity really stuck out to me when you couple with how he looks at More. He does look at her with longing still.

[Christina]

Does he do that in this book?

[Kim]

Yeah. So what it says when they're at solstice is as, to his credit, gave Moore a smile of thanks. A blush creeping over his cheeks, his hazel eyes fixed on her. I looked away at the heat, the yearning that filled them. Oh, wow. So again, I go back to this idea of he looks at Elaine not so much out of this, like, need and love and lust, but out of this need to care and nurture. Whereas with more, there's still this sense of, like, longing and lust there that he still holds onto. It's just very different the way that he looks at both of them.

[Christina]

No, I totally agree. The word pity is tricky because I do see Azriel in that moment thinking, oh, she's hurting. I'm hurting for her.

[Kim]

Oh, poor her.

[Christina]

But still, I don't know if that would be described as pity.

[Kim]

I think if he realized that she wanted to go back to being human. For example, with Lucien, there is a sense of frustration. There's a sense of, why does she want that male? Like, it hurts him. It physically gets. Aches him that Elain wants this human person, not him. And with Azriel, Sarah doesn't write, he looks at Elain with a sense of understanding or a sense of longing. It's a pity.

[Christina]

There's a lot going on there. There's so many different layers and levels and interesting things going on with Elain and Azriel because they don't really speak. So. And there's so much going on behind the scenes there. But another really important Elain, Azriel moment that we just have to talk about in this book is the gift giving. So Azriel has already asked Rhys, are we supposed to get the sisters gifts? Kind of sputters around his words. And Rhys says, don't get the sisters gifts. Let them give each other gifts. But Elain gets Azriel a gift. And I just. I want to just touch on this for a second. So they're there, they're passing out presents. Elain says, oh, that's from me. And Azriel's face didn't do so much as shift at the words, not even a smile, as he opened the present and revealed, I had Magia make it for you. And Azriel's brows narrow, and she says, it's a powder to Mix in with any drink. And everyone's quiet. And it's like Kay and Elaine just smiles sheepishly. It's for the headaches everyone always gives you since you rub your temple so often. Silence again. Cute.

[Kim]

Funny.

[Christina]

So funny. And then this line. Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. I'd never heard such a sound. Deep and joyous. Azriel masters himself enough to say thank you, then. This is in Ferris pov. I'd never seen his hazel eyes so bright. The hues of green amid the brown and gray like veins of emerald. This will be invaluable. Azriel says, I love this. We've never seen Azriel laugh, much less laugh like this. My God.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Which is wild. And I think there is some wording there of like, I've never heard him laugh like that. I've never seen his eyes so bright. That is there to help the reader think, does he have feelings for her? Exactly where those feelings are going, I don't know. But this is the groundwork that's supposed to make the reader feel like, ooh, I'm picking up on this. Is there something there?

[Kim]

And remember, we have nine months from the end of this book to when Akisoft starts. But also, Christina, you said it in one of our Acowar episodes that Sarah is the queen of people. Finding somebody who they need in the moment, who helps them move forward to then eventually find who their end mate is or their end person.

[Christina]

You need different people at different times. And I think that sis might be leaning that way, but.

[Kim]

So Lucien does show up here and he is talking to Feyre, and Feyre's kind of trying to get what's going on with you and Jury and Vassa, what's happening over there? Because he's obviously helping out. And what he says is he's referencing Jurian. He says he keeps everything running. I think he'd have been crowned king by now if it wasn't for Vassa. A twitch of the lips, a spark in that russet eye. She's doing well enough, savoring every second of her temporary freedom.

[Christina]

The spark in his eye, you said.

[Kim]

I know. The spark in his russet eye. I'm like, lucien, are we having feelings for Vassa?

[Christina]

I think he also kind of sparked up, kind of had this emotion run across his face when he talked about her in Acowar. I love this. I also feel like there's something between her and Jurian. So, like, I don't know if we're looking at, like, a love triangle. Or a Thumble, I don't know. But I'm here for any of it, honestly.

[Kim]

Yes, I thought the same thing too. Because the spark in that rustic could also be knowing that there is tension between Vassa and Jurian. And he's kind of laughing about it. It's like an inside joke. It could go either which way. But it is interesting to note. And also, Feyre here is not exactly the kindest. She kind of makes fun of Lucien and their little band of exiles, as he calls them. And she belittles it.

[Christina]

Yeah, it's not like Feyre, it's like, nice.

[Kim]

To him, they are a band of exiles.

[Christina]

You call yourself the Court of Drapes. Like, what do you mean?

[Kim]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Christina]

This was sad for me, for Lucien. He's found his people. Just because they're not your people doesn't mean that they're wrong. And you can make fun of him. You know, I feel like she wants this for Elain and for Lucien.

[Kim]

She's pushing her version of her happiness. She really. She's pushing it onto Lucien and Elaine. She even turns to Elaine, like, is he really so bad? And it's like, give the girl a break. She hasn't even been fae for a year.

[Christina]

Right.

[Kim]

Like, let the woman come to terms.

[Christina]

And Elain, in that moment, says, he doesn't know me. And then she says, I don't want a mate or a male is what she says.

[Kim]

That's how Nesta feels too. Yeah. She's like, that's my last shred. If I claim a mate, then that is the last shred of their humanity. They feel like it's easy for us to say, oh, you're so beautiful now, and you're long lived, and you have these beautiful fey males who want you, but that's not the life that they signed up for. It was taken from them. That choice.

[Christina]

Yes. And so a female being like, you're mine. Is like, well, what do you mean?

[Kim]

I don't know you.

[Christina]

I don't know you. But to Lucien's credit, he is like, she does not want to be around me. I tried to get to know her and she literally, physically won't let me. So why would I hang around here and just get kicked down every single day?

[Kim]

He says it physically causes him pain to be the same. It hurts him.

[Christina]

Exactly.

[Kim]

And to his credit, he is not pushing it. He's like, I'm backing out. I'm not here to cause her pain. It hurts me that she's hurting.

[Christina]

Yes. And so now he's gone and found his own version of people who love and accept him and want him and we should just be happy for him is all I'm saying.

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[Christina]

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[Kim]

Come on.

[Christina]

All right, let's move on to more. Oh my goodness. Two POV chapters from more and you would think these would have been just a treasure trove of endless answers and that unfortunately that's not the case.

[Kim]

Could not be more incorrect.

[Christina]

But here's what they are. We do get an Eris flashback. Again, not any really new information here except for I do want to note that Eris says no one touch her. Do not touch her. No one touch her. Three times. I know we have known that he said no one touch her. If you do, she's our responsibility. But again, just really hammered in the amount of times he says no one touch her. There has to be something tied to them touching her. Also the main real takeaway in this scene is how fucking horrible and horrific it is. She's in so much pain. It is horrible. And I do understand if we're going to get an heiress redemption arc. This is a bad look. He walks away from her, leaving her in the dirt, dying with the nails in her, and says, like, why would I want Illyrian leftovers? She sullied herself. Leave her. And again, we are hoping. He then goes and reports to Azriel to come get her.

[Kim]

I think he must.

[Christina]

Yeah, I think he must. But on page, Mor just sees them walking away, leading her to die. That's what she's living with.

[Kim]

But I always remember the line that Eris says in acowar when they meet with Kir, that he. He looks at Mor and he says, you know the truth of what happened that day. And he won't answer to anybody else. Yeah. And he's like, only Mor can say what happened. So I feel like there's a part of the memory or something that we're missing or a deeper meaning here that Mor does know that she was reading.

[Christina]

The clues, maybe, or something.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Or her gift is truth. Like, oh, God. Or she finally used her power.

[Kim]

I don't know.

[Christina]

Because we get Eris in this flashback. Say, I take it you do not wish to live here, Morgan. In her inner monologue. She would rather die. Bleed out here. She would rather die and return. Return as something wicked and cruel and shred them all apart. He must have read it in her eyes. A small smile curved his lips. I thought so. So a lot of people take this as a receipt that they are actually mates. Like, she didn't mean to be. Mind speaking this to him. Oh, and something about him touching her was gonna, like, accept the mating bond or something with the mating bond was gonna happen.

[Kim]

Interesting. Okay.

[Christina]

But I think that he must have just read it in her eyes and was like, yeah, absolutely not. But I think maybe that's the moment. That's what he's talking about is like, you know that I was like, you don't want to live here. Right. And I was like, I thought so I'm gonn and pretty much save you from this.

[Kim]

Yes.

[Christina]

By leaving you.

[Kim]

Yeah. And we have a more deep dive that we did on our SJM miniseries where we kind of go into this a little bit more. But I really do think. I really hope that we get some really great era scenes in the future.

[Christina]

I feel like we have to. We just have to.

[Kim]

I know. Okay.

[Christina]

Another really interesting but infuriating moment is in this same more pov. She's sitting there at the table with Kier. She hasn't spoken in this meeting. And she looks at Kir. He's smiling at her with satisfaction. And she's realizing, he's noted that she isn't speaking, that she's not standing up for herself, that she's not speaking. And being this proud woman she pretends to be, in her inner monologue, she's like, say something. Say something. And she doesn't. Then they go to leave. And in her inner monologue, she thinks, pathetic, cowardly and pathetic. Truth is your gift. Truth is your curse. Say something. But the words to strike down her father did not come. What does truth is your gift, truth is your curse mean?

[Kim]

I don't know. Christina and I.

[Christina]

And I.

[Kim]

And we still. I just. Every time we get something with more. I am more confused.

[Christina]

Everything in this made sense. Pathetic, cowardly, pathetic. Say something like, fine. Truth is your gift. Truth is your curse. So this, to me reads. This little paragraph, if I take it totally out of context, reads to me, pathetic, cowardly, pathetic. Truth is your gift. Truth is your curse. Say something. If I knew nothing about this, I would think this means she cannot speak unless she's speaking truth. That's why she can't say something, because she's like, truth is your gift. Truth is your curse. Say something. I couldn't say anything. She's like, oh, I wish I could say this thing to strike him down and say all this stuff about myself, but I can't.

[Kim]

That's so.

[Christina]

Like, is it truth is your curse, you can only speak the truth?

[Kim]

Yes.

[Christina]

She definitely doesn't speak the truth at times in the books, does she?

[Kim]

Right.

[Christina]

Right. Did I just unlock something?

[Kim]

I don't know, because.

[Christina]

Does she?

[Kim]

Not now. I want to go now. I guess I have to reread the series. I actually don't know that Christina. Because she lies to herself. I mean, she says I've been lying to myself. But the fact that she never talks about her feelings with Azriel. I wonder now if the reason is. In order to be honest with Azriel, she has to also share her own truths because she cannot lie, and she's not ready to do that.

[Christina]

Oh, my God.

[Kim]

Is.

[Christina]

Did I just uncover something about Morg?

[Kim]

I think you. I mean, I absolutely love this, because this would make so much sense. Truth is my gift. I am Morrigan. So you know what I speak when she's at the. With the human queens and she's revealing the Valeris.

[Christina]

Oh, my God. Wait. But that's why in that meeting, she was Like I am. Morgan, you should trust me.

[Kim]

You know my gift is truth.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Christina]

I cannot lie to you.

[Kim]

How have we never thought about this? My mind is blown. I pass my sleuthing crown to you. This was a brilliant nugget. Is this right? And I am now running with this until I am told otherwise.

[Christina]

I am now gonna go back and read every single thing she ever says.

[Kim]

Absolutely. Like, yeah, I think that's what this means. But also, like, I still want to know why Mor is the person that Rhysand brings out when Cassian and Asriel.

[Christina]

And his army fall.

[Kim]

Like, that still doesn't make any sense to me. Because I don't know, what is she gonna do? Walk out in there and truth is bomb everyone.

[Christina]

Oh, my God.

[Kim]

I'm about to lay down some truths and y' all about to be so scared.

[Christina]

Oh my God.

[Kim]

Oh my God. I'm so here for this. I'm so here for this.

[Christina]

Wow.

[Kim]

Okay. Okay, that's canon now. Until we're told otherwise.

[Christina]

That was really fun to experience live.

[Kim]

Okay, amazing.

[Christina]

So also, the beginning of Mor's other chapter, I think does actually prove this as well. So the beginning of chapter four starts with. She lied to Feyre. Sort of. She was going to the Winter Court, just not as soon as she'd said so. I think this is her telling us. I had to get around it. I had to tell her something that wasn't a lie. Because I cannot speak a lie.

[Kim]

Untruths. So she is going to the Winter Court, but she's making a little pit stop along the way. That's not a lie, right?

[Christina]

That's not a lie.

[Kim]

That's a detour.

[Christina]

My God.

[Kim]

Absolutely. This is a Fae. This is the way Fae make bargains. You have to be careful with your verbiage. It's not a lie. Wow.

[Christina]

Okay, so yes, she does take a detour. Let's talk about that detour. Turns out, guys, she has a secret estate.

[Kim]

I like, can't. The fact that Azrael doesn't know about this is mind blowing to me.

[Christina]

Oh, my God. Right? Okay, so it's called Athelwood. Apparently, 300 years ago, Moore bought the, quote, sprawling estate and 300 pristine acres northwest of Valeris. The area is described as a land of rolling hills and burbling streams and ancient forests and crashing seas. It sounds absolutely lovely. And another lovely thing is, along with this, this beautiful estate came six very rare and coveted horses. And seeing more ride these horses, I just love this piece of her. That she loves horses. I think it Works. She feels what? The wind in her hair. And she feels free.

[Kim]

Well, that's what she said. She's like, I can winnow anywhere, but this feels like traveling.

[Christina]

Yes, it's so.

[Kim]

She's like. There's a difference. I feel the wind in my hair. Like I'm. I'm. I'm out of breath.

[Christina]

Yes. So fun. Also, her horse's name is Elias.

[Kim]

Yes.

[Christina]

Really cute name.

[Kim]

100% went to Google. Of course you did. In Hebrew. I don't know. Sunday school with Anna. It really. I don't really think it means that much. It means God has answered. Answered what? I don't know.

[Christina]

That's interesting.

[Kim]

Truths. I don't know.

[Christina]

Truths, maybe. Perhaps. Good sleuthing nonetheless. And I love the name.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Okay. So the major takeaway really here from this chapter is this shadowy darkness referenced. So she is on Ilia, and they are riding through the countryside and then quote, there between a snarl of thorns, a patch of darkness. It did not move, did not seem to do anything but linger and watch. Familiar and yet foreign. There are so many theories about what this is. Familiar and yet foreign is really interesting.

[Kim]

Yeah. I immediately on this reread specifically, I was like, is it Briaxis?

[Christina]

Yes.

[Kim]

Like a familiar darkness, but like other foreign. That's what I thought.

[Christina]

I would love if it was Briaxis, because I feel like we have to close that circle. They're looking for Briaxis. It's just like, we've not forgotten about you, Briaxis.

[Kim]

And she is darkness. She lives in the bottom of the library and she's missing. And I don't think it's Asriel, because I think that would be a very familiar shadow that she would notice.

[Christina]

Yes. This has fueled a lot of conspiracy theories that Azriel does not actually love Mor. He has been watching her and at her in a way of like, I know what you're up to. You're up to something sneaky. And I'm watching you. And this is his shadows. I. I don't think so. I think the patch of darkness is very different than a shadow, you know, I agree. So besides this flashback and our secret estate, the main takeaway from Mor in this book is really just giving us justification for where the hell she is. For the entirety of Silver Flames, Rhys gives her a mission. Because treaty negotiations are dragging. Rhys asks Mor to make casual, but not so casual visits to the key terr territories to remind them, without saying it outright, that if they push too far or enter the human realms Velaris won't hesitate to retaliate. And therefore we don't see her for the whole goddamn book. So that's where she will be until further notice. All right, let's move along.

[Kim]

Okay, guys, we obviously have to touch upon Nesta. Yes, we are really setting us up for Akisoff here. We're at kind of a high place at the end of Acowar with Nesta. And we are starting to see the complete spiral downward. And it only gets darker from here on out.

[Christina]

Yeah.

[Kim]

So the first time you see Nesta on paper in this book, this is what Feyre notes about her. Every ounce of weight that Elain had gained, it seemed Nesta had lost. Her already proud, angular face had turned more so, her cheekbones sharp enough to slice. Her hair remained up in her usual braided coronet. She wore her preferred gray gown. And she was, as ever, immaculately clean, despite the hobble she chose to occupy. I really want to note here that there are some very stark parallels between her physical and mental state and Feyre's at the beginning of Acomaf. You know, Cassian touched upon this in Achor of Feyre, that Nessa needs to be pushed to an extent. She can't just be left alone. And that's very similar to kind of how Rhysand treats Feyre in Acomath. Right. He pushes her. He's like, play with me. Let's go. And that's what I think Cassian trying to do with Nesta, but in a very different way, because they are very different people. Yes, but Nesta in Acowar was starting to break free of her darkness. And we saw that with the final battle, you know, and Cassian remembers that moment and that feel of Nesta covering him with her body. And she was willing to take the full brunt of Hybrn's killing blow to protect him. And that's not a small thing for her to do. But the Nesta we see now is just like Cassian says. She's wounded, she's scared, she's a cornered animal. And I think it's very, very important for us to remember that Nesta going into this book is a shell of who we started to see. There is very little fight left in her. And it's very bleak when we finally do get her. One POV chapter in this book. This is what she says. It's after her little fight with Cassian. And she says she hadn't felt anything in months. She had days when she didn't really know where she was or what she'd done. They passed swiftly and yet dripped by. So did the months she'd blinked and winter had fallen blinked and her body had turned too thin, as hollow as she felt.

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[Kim]

In this same pov, she also notes this she's talking about the fire crackling and her apartment is very cold because she refuses to light a fire. And for this reason she could barely stand to hear the crack and pop of the wood, had barely been able to endure it in Feyre's townhouse. Snap. Crunch. How no one ever remarked that it sounded like breaking bones, like a snapping neck. She had no idea. The reason she says this is because she cannot hear the sound of fire without thinking of her father and the sound that it made when Hybern killed her father and stabbed his neck. Yes, this is where we are with Nesta. We're starting to see see again. She's resorting back to how she was in Acotar. She's not being kind. She is taking all of her anger and bitterness out on everyone that she loved to push everyone away. And it is hard to read and it's going to be hard to read an AKAS off even more so. But I was really expecting to feel the anger that I felt the first time when she confronts Cassian and doesn't want his gift. And then instead I had this overwhelming sense of sadness because it's like, look at all of the time you've seen spent being so mad and angry and hurting people. And it's like, keep reaching out the hand. And I'm excited to get to it. But for some reason this time I felt very sad reading this.

[Christina]

I think that it's tricky as the reader to both want to hold her accountable for how she makes other characters feel and for her behavior outwardly. But now as a reader, we know where it's coming from and we know the end of Silver Flames and we've now been in her head and the first time reading this, we haven't been in her head before.

[Kim]

No.

[Christina]

And it's really difficult and it's something we are going to try our best to navigate because it's very conflicting. It's hard. I was furious with her still again, this time reading this book with the rent check thing in the bar where Feyre's come and pretty much begged her to come to Solstice. And she has been rude and mean and made her leave. And then as she's leaving she's like, oh, by the way, my rent's due. Yeah, that's all I need you for. That to me was so appalling.

[Kim]

Yes.

[Christina]

Every time that gets me so riled up. And that being said, I still though did forget that she feels nothing. Yeah, it's bleaker than just I'm angry and I'm putting it outward. It's so sad.

[Kim]

It's like you want to do wellness checks on her. It's like, are you okay? Truly, like, it's like Tamlin, like, I don't know that you should be left alone.

[Christina]

It's actually a great parallel to Tamlin in this book. Like the two of them.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

But that, that do wellness checks thing, it just made me think of back in Acomaf Nesta was too scared to sleep because she was worried that Elain was going to try to self harm in some way when they were in the House of Wind when they'd just been brought back. And that parallel to here, where Elaine in that space is being Elain, she's not Being outwardly mean. And Nesta in this mental place, this same darkness, different, but same level of okay.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

Pushes everyone away. And so instead of Elain having people to check on her and make sure she's okay, Nesta doesn't have anyone checking on her.

[Kim]

No.

[Christina]

No one's checking on her. Cassian tries, but she just keeps pushing everyone away. She doesn't want anyone to check on her.

[Kim]

She's kind of set that groundwork that I don't want your help, and that's what's really hard. And the difference between her and Elain is Elain is this soft, sweet, docile. I mean, there's a lot more to Elaine, obviously. We're dumbing it down like that. It makes it easy to be there for her. And then for Nesta, it is extremely difficult because just when you think you're making headway, she snaps back.

[Christina]

Oh, yes. She's a very difficult person to be around.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Christina]

It really sets the tone, though, for Silver Flames. And we got nine more months of this before Silver Flames even starts. Like, she gets dark. She does not get better.

[Kim]

No, it gets worse. Much worse.

[Christina]

It really sets the tone effectively.

[Kim]

Yeah, it does.

[Christina]

Okay, so, guys, Cassian, in this book, sweet boy Cassian, we didn't do much with him. He's pretty much here specifically to just set up Silver Flames. And we get a lot of them in Silver Flames, so that's okay. We do get a little bit about his backstory, goes back to the village that his mother is from and the rubble that it now is after he got his revenge. But other important things that we get from his POVs talk about the blood rite, which, don't you worry, we will go into full detail in Silver Flames, but it is important that it's discussed here a little bit. We also get clues here about the unrest with the Illyrians going on right now. Again, very important groundwork. The girls are supposed to be training. They're not training. How important it is the mission of Cassians to get everyone to train. And it's all very important and really, like, emotional. The girls training is emotional for everyone. For Cassian, for Rhys. Like, especially if we look at Rhys and Cassian's mothers and their backstories specifically.

[Kim]

Right.

[Christina]

We also meet Emerie. Oh, my God, it's so fun to see her on page. I was so excited. Oh, my gosh. And we, in that moment, also see a little bit of this emotion coming up with Cassian as it relates to his mother and the past and the Illyrian women. When we see that Emerie's wings have been clipped, but then she doesn't lower her gaze, as Illyrian females have been ordered trained to do. Even with her clipping scars that proved that traditional ways run brutally in her family. She held his stare and it reminds him of Nesta.

[Kim]

I love that.

[Christina]

And like, also, the way she carries herself reminds him of Nesta. Like the pose that she's in. And quote, Cassian had named about two dozen poses for Nesta at this point, ranging from I will eat your eyes for breakfast to I don't want Cassian to know I'm reading smut. The latter was his particular favorite.

[Kim]

I love that.

[Christina]

I fucking love that.

[Kim]

I loved that.

[Christina]

And yeah, he just. He sees this fire and the steel and emery, and it's just really foreshadowing them becoming best friends. And we love, love, love to see it. Okay, so let's talk about Nesta and Cassian's big fight at the end. Here we go.

[Kim]

Okay, so we saw many examples of them being mates in Acowar, obviously, but they don't actually get much on page time together in this book, except for Solstice Night. And Sarah makes a point. She almost belabors the point, actually, that everyone is walking around on eggshells when it comes to Cassian and bringing up Nesta. So Solstice Night comes about, like we said. Nesta shows up. Elain and Feyre are both glad that she's there. Elayne guides Nesta towards a fireplace, but Nesta does not sit there. She moves to the farthest corner and sits. And she observes. And this is what Feyre notes in her pov. Nesta watch warily from her chair. Elaine's present, her only present, in her lap. Her spine stiffened slightly, but not at the words, but at Elaine laughing with them with us, as if Nesta were looking at us through some sort of window, as if she were still standing out in that front yard, watching us in the house. Oof. I know.

[Christina]

Great writing.

[Kim]

Great writing. And it's really, again, going back to this idea that Nessa doesn't know how to interact, how to communicate healthily. This is foreign territory to her. Discussing feelings. Never heard of them.

[Christina]

No. Also, I think seeing Elaine become a part of the family, seeing Elaine be comfortable. She and Elaine went into the cauldron together. She always protected Elaine, and now Elaine is joining this family as well. And it's almost like, okay, well, now I really have no one.

[Kim]

Yeah. That was her outlet. If I can protect Elaine, and if that's my sole Purpose right now. That's what her focus was. And now she doesn't. Elaine doesn't need her right now. So Nesta is like, cool. So where do I put all of my energy? Because I don't want to deal with my shit.

[Christina]

Yeah. And Elain has now joined this family. She's able to be happy with them. And Nesta just can't. She's dear Evan Hansen waving through a window. She can't.

[Kim]

Yes, she really is. She really is. So at the end of the night, Nesta goes to leave. This is when Feyre hands her the check for the rent money. And it's a really hard moment. And Cassian ends up following Nesta out the door. And he insists on walking her home. And there's a couple back and forths, but what she says is, stop. She snarled. He halted in his tracks, wings spreading slightly to balance him. Stop following me. Stop trying to haul me into your happy little circle. Stop doing all of it. He knew a wounded animal when he saw one, knew the teeth they could bear, the viciousness they destroyed displayed. But it couldn't keep him from saying, your sisters love you. I can't for the life of me understand why, but they do. Oof. Cassian, if you can't be bothered to try for my happy little circle's sake, then at least try for them. A void seemed to enter those eyes. An endless, deathless void. She only said, go home, Cassian. And I really want to note here the specific terms that Sarah uses to describe Nesta. So Cassian calls her wounded, like animal. But Sarah, normally when Nesta is snapping, she uses terms like she's being biting, or she's like a snake, you know, she's a wolf. A cornered wolf.

[Christina]

Yes.

[Kim]

But now what she says, what Sarah says is it's an endless, depthless void. And it feels almost defeated. Go home, Cassian.

[Christina]

It feels very defeated.

[Kim]

I don't want to do this.

[Christina]

And I do think that Cassian saying the jab of your sisters love you. I can't for the life of me understand why.

[Kim]

Yeah, that was harsh.

[Christina]

I do think that that was a little too far. But I do think he was doing it in a play with me react to me way. I think he was trying to get her to react because that is better than her being in this. I have no feelings void. Oh. And to be fair, she also then goes back to him and kind of like scoffs at him. She looks him up and down like he's not worth her time or her energy, like he's illyrian scum. You know, they both go over the line with each other a lot.

[Kim]

But that goes back to the POV conversation we had at the beginning of the book. Right. It's third person limited, so we're getting it from his point of view. That's his insecurity. Right. That's the insecurity that he deals with a lot in Akisoff. Right? When Eris calls him a worthless bastard or something. Yes, and Nessa is very much aware of that insecurity too.

[Christina]

Yeah, but you're right. She didn't actually say the words. She just looked at it.

[Kim]

No, she. She didn't. But still, there's a way you can look at someone and in Cassian's point of view, that's how you take it.

[Christina]

Exactly.

[Kim]

But the two of them fight in a way. Their play with me is not like Rhysand and Feyre.

[Christina]

It's mean.

[Kim]

No, it's mean. The two of them, we've been saying this. They get off on this, like, let's fight. They like the hate sex. They want that makeup sex.

[Christina]

And we will see that in Silverface.

[Kim]

We will see it.

[Christina]

Grab that headboard.

[Kim]

But this is why they are meant to be together. Because he can take it and she can take it.

[Christina]

Exactly.

[Kim]

It would break other people cut from the same cloth.

[Christina]

Yes.

[Kim]

Okay, so, Christina, will you touch upon Cassian's gift? Because.

[Christina]

Oh, yes, the only other main thing here is that Cassian got her a gift. And it's in a little box. And she's like, I don't want it. And pretty much, she's so mean to him, she refuses the gift. And it feels like a breaking point. The way this scene ends really in that moment makes him feel like, fuck it. I'm just. I don't even know what else to do. I'm at the end of my rope. And so at that moment, he throws the gift into the sidra. Oh, it's so impulsive and it's so sad. But it's not until Silver flames that we find out what the present is. Okay, so he'd spent months tracking down the book. So tiny it would fit in a doll's hands. But so precious. It had cost him an indecent amount of money. A miniature illuminated manuscript crafted by the skilled hands of the smallest of the lesser Fae. One of the first printed books in existence. It hadn't been meant for reading, but he figured that someone who adored books as much as Nesta would savor this piece of history, even if she resented all things Fae. He regretted throwing it into the river the moment it had vanished under the ice. But he had been foolish that night.

[Kim]

Oh, it is one of the rarest books in existence. And you threw it into the sidra.

[Christina]

It's the first printed book in existence. It kills my soul, Cassian. You jump in that river, Jump in that ice. It's in a box. You maybe could have saved it quickly.

[Kim]

Yeah, it's heartbreaking for everybody. You're so mad at Nesta. And Cassian's impulsivity is very much his character. He's an impulsive person. He's not like Asriel or Rhysand who thinks things through.

[Christina]

And it sets us up. It sets us up for their book, which is where we will leave it. And we will be back with that book. We will be back with A Court of Silver Flames. That'll be our next Acotar Revisited episode. We cannot wait to dive in to that. That beautiful journey. Wow. There's a lot to it.

[Kim]

There is a lot.

[Christina]

Stay tuned for it all.

[Kim]

Buckle up, folks.

[Christina]

See you there.

[Kim]

See you then.

[Christina]

Bye.

[Kim]

Well, friends, that wraps up another episode of Flights of Fantasy podcast.

[Christina]

Don't forget to join our book club community on Instagram and TikTok at flights.

[Kim]

Of Fantasy Podcast where you can share your thoughts, theories and favorite moments with us and fellow listeners. We'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed today's episode. Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us spread the magic of Romantasy to even more book lovers. Until next time, keep dreaming, keep reading and remember, every good story deserves to take flight.

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