ACOTAR Recap: Everything You Need to Remember Before A Court of Splintered Harmony

It has been a long time since readers last got a full-length A Court of Thorns and Roses novel, and a lot has happened in Prythian.

With Sarah J. Maas officially returning to the series with A Court of Splintered Harmony, now is the perfect time to revisit the biggest events, relationships, magical objects, political alliances, and unanswered questions from the ACOTAR series.

And there is a lot to remember.

A Court of Splintered Harmony is officially the sixth book in the series and the beginning of The Valkyrie Cycle, which immediately makes Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie, and the events of A Court of Silver Flames especially important. Bloomsbury’s official description also confirms that Koschei the Deathless is stirring, while old alliances throughout Prythian are beginning to fracture.

So if you don’t have time to reread thousands of pages before the new book arrives, here’s everything you need to remember before reading A Court of Splintered Harmony.

Major spoilers for the entire ACOTAR series and Sarah J. Maas’s House of Flame and Shadow follow.

When Does A Court of Splintered Harmony Come Out?

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas will be released on October 27, 2026.

Bloomsbury lists it as the sixth ACOTAR book and calls it The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I. The publisher’s synopsis says Koschei’s threat is spreading throughout the Fae territories while powerful forces seek to reclaim the human lands.

That wording makes several seemingly unfinished storylines from the previous books suddenly much more important.

Before getting to those, however, we need to remember how Prythian reached this point.

Feyre’s Story Changed Everything

The series begins with Feyre Archeron as a human struggling to keep her family alive.

After killing a Fae wolf, Feyre is taken across the wall into Prythian by Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court. Their relationship becomes the center of A Court of Thorns and Roses, culminating in Feyre traveling Under the Mountain to rescue Tamlin and Prythian from Amarantha.

Feyre succeeds, but she dies in the process.

The seven High Lords revive her using their powers, transforming her into High Fae.

That transformation is incredibly important because Feyre receives a small piece of power from every High Lord, making her capable of wielding abilities normally associated with different courts.

But the trauma of Under the Mountain fundamentally changes Feyre.

So does Rhysand.

Feyre and Rhysand Are Mates And Rule the Night Court Together

One of the biggest shifts in the series comes in A Court of Mist and Fury.

Feyre’s relationship with Tamlin deteriorates as he becomes increasingly controlling following the events Under the Mountain. Rhysand, meanwhile, helps Feyre recover while introducing her to Velaris and the Inner Circle.

Eventually, Feyre discovers that she and Rhysand are mates.

She leaves the Spring Court, becomes Rhysand’s partner, and eventually becomes the High Lady of the Night Court.

Their bond remains one of the central relationships in ACOTAR.

But there is another detail worth remembering.

Feyre and Rhys made a bargain that means if one of them dies, the other dies as well.

That bargain almost becomes catastrophic during A Court of Silver Flames.

Feyre and Rhysand Now Have a Son

By A Court of Silver Flames, Feyre is pregnant.

Because Feyre conceived Nyx while in an Illyrian form, the baby develops wings. Feyre’s High Fae body isn’t capable of safely delivering an Illyrian child, and attempts to magically alter her body during pregnancy are considered too dangerous.

Rhysand learns that Feyre will probably die giving birth.

Because of their bargain, Rhys would die as well.

The Inner Circle keeps this information from Feyre for a time, a decision that creates one of the most controversial conflicts in the book.

Eventually Nesta reveals the truth during an argument.

When Feyre goes into labor, she, Rhysand, and Nyx nearly die.

Nesta ultimately saves all three of them by giving up much of the power she took from the Cauldron.

Feyre and Rhysand therefore enter A Court of Splintered Harmony as parents to Nyx, the heir to the Night Court.

Nesta Was Made by the Cauldron

Nesta’s transformation remains one of the most important magical events in the series.

When the King of Hybern forces Nesta and Elain into the Cauldron, both sisters emerge as High Fae.

But Nesta does something unusual.

She doesn’t merely receive power from the Cauldron.

She takes it.

Nesta emerges with an enormous amount of power connected to death, capable of terrifying even some of Prythian’s most powerful characters.

That power becomes central to A Court of Silver Flames.

Nesta and Cassian Are Mates

A Court of Silver Flames shifts the focus from Feyre and Rhysand to Nesta and Cassian.

After the war with Hybern, Nesta is deeply traumatized and increasingly isolated from her family. She drinks heavily, pushes away the people closest to her, and struggles with guilt over her father’s death.

Feyre eventually intervenes.

Nesta is sent to live in the House of Wind, where she must train with Cassian and work in the library beneath the House.

The arrangement eventually changes her life.

Nesta and Cassian grow closer, and their already complicated relationship turns romantic.

They eventually acknowledge what readers had suspected for a long time:

Nesta and Cassian are mates.

By the end of A Court of Silver Flames, Nesta has accepted their bond.

That puts Cassian—and by extension the Night Court’s military power—directly at the center of whatever happens next.

Gwyn and Emerie Help Nesta Rebuild the Valkyries

Possibly the single most important development to remember before A Court of Splintered Harmony is the creation of the new Valkyries.

Nesta befriends two women while rebuilding her life.

Gwyneth Berdara, usually called Gwyn, is a priestess who lives and works in the library beneath the House of Wind.

Emerie is an Illyrian woman who runs a shop in Windhaven and has resisted the deeply patriarchal traditions of Illyrian society.

Together with Nesta, they begin training as warriors.

Gwyn researches the legendary Valkyries, an elite order of female warriors that disappeared centuries earlier.

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie begin incorporating Valkyrie techniques into their training.

Their friendship becomes one of the emotional centers of A Court of Silver Flames.

And then they accomplish something almost unimaginable.

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie Survive the Blood Rite

Near the end of A Court of Silver Flames, Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie are kidnapped and forced into the Blood Rite, the brutal Illyrian warrior trial.

Magic is suppressed during the Rite, and outside assistance is forbidden.

The three women survive by relying on their training and each other.

They eventually reach Ramiel.

Nesta stays behind to defend Gwyn and Emerie while they continue upward.

The Valkyries don’t simply survive the Blood Rite, they prove themselves among the greatest warriors in recent Illyrian history.

Now consider the title Bloomsbury has given ACOTAR 6:

The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I.

That makes the revival of the Valkyries much more than a side story.

It appears poised to become one of the central arcs of the next stage of ACOTAR.

Koschei the Deathless Is the Biggest Threat Left

If there’s one villain readers should remember before A Court of Splintered Harmony, it is Koschei the Deathless.

Koschei is an ancient death-lord trapped at a lake on the continent.

He is incredibly old, extremely powerful, and has spent years manipulating others despite his imprisonment.

Most importantly, Koschei is responsible for Vassa’s curse.

Vassa is the human queen transformed into a firebird. She was sold to Koschei by the other mortal queens and remains tied to him.

During A Court of Silver Flames, Koschei works through Queen Briallyn and becomes involved in the struggle over the Dread Trove.

Briallyn is defeated.

Koschei isn’t.

And according to the official description of A Court of Splintered Harmony, Koschei is now actively stirring and attracting powerful allies who want to reclaim the human lands.

That makes him the most obvious major antagonist going into ACOTAR 6.

Remember Vassa, Jurian, and Lucien

The human territories could become extremely important again.

Vassa currently spends much of her time with Jurian and Lucien, creating an unusual political alliance sometimes jokingly referred to as the Band of Exiles.

Each could become important in the conflict with Koschei.

Vassa has the most direct connection because she is still cursed by him.

Jurian has spent centuries involved in conflicts between humans and Fae.

And Lucien sits at the center of several unresolved storylines involving the Spring Court, Autumn Court, Night Court, human lands, and Elain.

If Koschei’s allies are indeed targeting the human lands, this trio could suddenly become central players.

Elain and Lucien Are Still Mates

Elain Archeron may be one of the biggest wild cards heading into the next era of ACOTAR.

When Elain is transformed into High Fae, Lucien immediately realizes that they are mates.

But their mating bond remains unresolved.

Lucien wants to give Elain space, while Elain has never fully accepted the bond.

Instead, the books repeatedly hint at a connection between Elain and Azriel.

Which brings us to another unresolved relationship.

Azriel and Elain Have Feelings for Each Other

Azriel and Elain have developed a quiet bond throughout the series.

The attraction becomes much more explicit in Azriel’s bonus chapter from A Court of Silver Flames.

Azriel nearly kisses Elain before Rhysand intervenes.

Rhys worries about the enormous political consequences of Azriel pursuing Lucien’s mate—particularly because Lucien could invoke the Blood Duel.

The scene leaves Azriel frustrated and Elain unaware of exactly why he backed away.

That storyline is still unresolved.

But there is another wrinkle.

Gwyn and Azriel May Also Have a Connection

The same bonus chapter also contains intriguing moments between Azriel and Gwyn.

After rejecting Elain’s gift necklace, Azriel eventually asks Clotho to give the necklace to Gwyn rather than returning it completely.

The scene has generated years of debate among readers.

Is Gwyn simply Azriel’s friend?

Could she become something more?

Or are readers looking too deeply into an intentionally ambiguous scene?

We don’t know yet.

But with the new books officially being called The Valkyrie Cycle, Gwyn suddenly looks more important than ever.

That doesn’t prove anything about her romantic future.

It does mean readers should remember her connection to Azriel.

Elain Is a Seer

Elain’s romantic storyline often gets most of the attention, but her magical abilities may be much more important.

After being Made by the Cauldron, Elain develops the ability to see future or distant events.

She is a Seer.

Many of her seemingly strange statements in A Court of Wings and Ruin turn out to be visions.

Her powers help the Night Court locate the Suriel and understand important events during the war with Hybern.

Yet Elain’s abilities remain surprisingly unexplored compared with Feyre’s and Nesta’s.

That feels increasingly notable.

If another large-scale war is approaching, a Seer could become incredibly valuable.

Lucien Is Helion’s Son

One of ACOTAR’s biggest unresolved secrets involves Lucien.

Lucien believes Beron, High Lord of the Autumn Court, is his father.

He isn’t.

Lucien is actually the biological son of Helion, High Lord of the Day Court, and the Lady of the Autumn Court.

Lucien does not appear to know this yet.

That means Lucien may potentially possess abilities associated with the Day Court—and could have a very different political future than he realizes.

If the next ACOTAR books deal heavily with alliances between the courts, Lucien’s true parentage could become hugely consequential.

Eris Is Secretly Working With the Night Court

Eris Vanserra is another character worth watching.

Although he spent much of the earlier series appearing antagonistic, A Court of Silver Flames complicates his character considerably.

Eris secretly cooperates with the Night Court while plotting against his father, Beron.

He clearly wants Beron removed from power.

Rhysand and the Inner Circle don’t completely trust him, but they recognize that having Eris rule the Autumn Court could be preferable to Beron.

There is also clearly more to the story of Eris and Mor than readers have been told.

Whatever actually happened between them remains unresolved.

With Prythian struggling to unite against another threat, Autumn Court politics could become much more important.

Tamlin and the Spring Court Are Still Broken

Tamlin survives the war with Hybern, but the Spring Court remains shattered.

His relationship with Feyre is effectively destroyed.

His people have largely abandoned him.

His court has lost much of its former strength.

And Tamlin himself appears emotionally broken.

Lucien still checks on him, but their friendship isn’t what it once was.

This matters because Prythian may need every court if Koschei begins moving against them.

Bloomsbury specifically says that uniting Prythian is becoming increasingly difficult.

A weakened Spring Court could therefore become a serious problem.

Or A Court of Splintered Harmony could finally give Tamlin and his court a chance to rebuild.

The Dread Trove Could Become Important Again

A Court of Silver Flames introduces three incredibly powerful magical objects collectively known as the Dread Trove.

The Mask

The Mask allows its wearer to summon and control the dead.

The Harp

The Harp can open doors and pathways, including potentially between worlds, and manipulate space and time.

The Crown

The Crown allows its wearer to control the minds of others.

Queen Briallyn uses the Crown to control Cassian during the climax of A Court of Silver Flames.

Nesta is uniquely capable of wielding these objects because she was Made by the Cauldron.

But there is more to the Trove than ACOTAR initially revealed.

House of Flame and Shadow Changed What We Know About Prythian

Readers who haven’t read Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series should know that it now has direct connections to ACOTAR.

At the end of House of Sky and Breath, Bryce Quinlan accidentally travels to Prythian.

That storyline continues in House of Flame and Shadow, where Bryce encounters Nesta and Azriel.

Their journey reveals major information about Prythian’s ancient history, including the beings known as the Daglan, who are connected to the Asteri of the Crescent City universe.

The crossover also reveals something important about the Dread Trove.

The mysterious fourth object hinted at in A Court of Silver Flames is revealed to be Luna’s Horn, the magical artifact connected to Bryce.

The crossover considerably expands what readers know about Prythian’s history and establishes that travel between worlds isn’t theoretical.

It has already happened.

Nesta Now Has the Starsword

One of the most potentially important developments at the end of House of Flame and Shadow happens when Bryce returns to Prythian.

She leaves the Starsword—also known as Gwydion—with Nesta.

Gwydion is an ancient and legendary weapon in Prythian history.

Its return could have enormous consequences.

Nesta therefore begins the next phase of the ACOTAR story not only as a Valkyrie and Cassian’s mate but as someone connected to ancient weapons, the Dread Trove, forgotten history, and potentially much bigger forces than the Night Court currently understands.

That feels especially significant now that ACOTAR 6 is explicitly launching the Valkyrie Cycle.

Don’t Forget Truth-Teller

Azriel possesses the legendary dagger Truth-Teller.

During House of Flame and Shadow, readers learn that Truth-Teller and the Starsword have an ancient connection.

Their reunion reveals deeper connections between the Fae of Prythian and Midgard.

With Nesta now possessing Gwydion and Azriel still wielding Truth-Teller, the two weapons are once again in the same world.

That feels unlikely to be accidental.

The Prison May Be Much More Important Than We Thought

The mysterious Prison has appeared throughout ACOTAR as the location where dangerous beings are confined.

But House of Flame and Shadow dramatically expands its history.

The island is connected to an ancient Fae civilization and the forgotten history surrounding the Daglan.

That history could potentially reshape how readers understand Prythian itself.

And because Nesta and Azriel were directly involved in uncovering those secrets, both characters enter the next ACOTAR story with knowledge the rest of Prythian largely doesn’t possess.

The Night Court Isn’t as United as It Looks

One line in Bloomsbury’s description of A Court of Splintered Harmony may be the biggest clue about the novel.

The publisher says those who rule and protect the Night Court are struggling after “recent betrayals and revealed truths.”

That sounds ominous.

The Inner Circle has survived Amarantha, Hybern, political intrigue, family conflict, and multiple personal crises.

But cracks have been forming.

Nesta has frequently clashed with Rhysand.

Azriel has ignored Rhys’s wishes before.

Elain’s future remains uncertain.

Mor’s history with Eris is unresolved.

Lucien lives largely outside the Night Court.

And the events of the Crescent City crossover introduced dangerous new information about their world’s history.

The title A Court of Splintered Harmony suddenly feels very deliberate.

What You Really Need to Remember Before A Court of Splintered Harmony

If you don’t remember every detail from the five ACOTAR books, don’t panic.

The most important things to remember are these:

Nesta and Cassian are mates.

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie have revived the Valkyries.

Feyre and Rhysand are alive and now have a son named Nyx.

Elain and Lucien are mates, but Elain has shown romantic interest in Azriel.

Azriel and Gwyn also have an intriguing connection that has not been fully explained.

Elain is a Seer whose powers remain largely unexplored.

Lucien is secretly Helion’s biological son.

Eris is working against Beron and cooperating with the Night Court.

Vassa remains cursed by Koschei.

Koschei the Deathless is still trapped at his lake—but his influence is growing.

The Dread Trove remains one of the most powerful collections of magical artifacts in existence.

The fourth Dread Trove object is Luna’s Horn from Crescent City.

Nesta now possesses Gwydion, the legendary Starsword.

Azriel possesses Truth-Teller, a dagger with an ancient connection to Gwydion.

And Prythian’s ancient history is much stranger, and much bigger than the characters once realized.

What A Court of Splintered Harmony May Focus On

The biggest clue is right there on the cover description.

This is The Valkyrie Cycle, Movement I.

That makes it difficult to imagine Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie playing minor roles.

Koschei also appears poised to finally step out of the background and become a direct threat.

His connection to Vassa naturally brings Lucien and the human lands into the story, while political instability could pull in Eris, Beron, Tamlin, and the other High Lords.

Then there are the more personal fractures inside the Night Court.

Elain and Lucien.

Elain and Azriel.

Azriel and Gwyn.

Nesta and Rhysand.

Mor and Eris.

All of those relationships contain unresolved tension.

And that may ultimately explain the title better than anything else.

Prythian defeated Hybern because its courts eventually found a way to fight together.

Now another ancient enemy is rising at the exact moment those alliances are beginning to fracture.

To stop Koschei, the characters may have to repair more than political relationships.

They may have to repair themselves.

Final Thoughts

A Court of Splintered Harmony arrives at an interesting moment for the ACOTAR series because Sarah J. Maas has spent several books quietly leaving pieces on the board.

Koschei has been waiting.

Vassa remains cursed.

Lucien’s parentage remains secret.

Elain’s powers remain underdeveloped.

Eris hasn’t overthrown Beron.

Tamlin hasn’t rebuilt the Spring Court.

Azriel’s romantic future remains unresolved.

And the Valkyries have only just returned.

Now those seemingly separate storylines appear ready to collide.

For me, the most important development to watch isn’t simply who ends up with whom. It’s the fact that Maas has officially called this next storyline The Valkyrie Cycle.

Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie changed the future of the Illyrians when they survived the Blood Rite.

A Court of Splintered Harmony may reveal that their story was only beginning.

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