Spoiler alert: Spoilers for the entire ACOTAR series, including A Court Of Splintered Harmony, follow. A Court of Splintered Harmony, the sixth installment in Sarah J. Maas’ extremely popular A Court of Thorns and Roses book series, has been out for about a week, and fans are either overjoyed or completely miserable with how certain events turned out. But whether or not readers are fans of the book itself, one thing’s for sure: there are some spicy chapters to look out for.
The most heated discussion in BookTok world as of late is who Azriel, our favorite emo bat boy, is going to end up with: Elain or Gwyn, and whether or not Elain will accept her mating bond with Lucien. The book is heavily centered on Azriel’s POV, with the prelude showing how Azriel became a shadowsinger. When the book reverts back to the present day, we see his inner dialogue for the first time since his ACOSF bonus chapter. The bonus chapter itself is very important in showing us that Azriel and Elain are, in fact, attracted to each other, and Azriel is also mildly interested in Gwyn (or rather, his shadows are extremely interested in Gwyn).
But for anyone who knows the world of ACOTAR, you know the books can get extremely spicy. The best part about returning to the ACOTAR world has got to be the spice, and let me tell you, even if we only got a little this book, SJM put it in places so it really benefited the story.Â
Whether you want to skip to the spicy chapters and read ahead or you want to avoid reading the spicy chapters in public, here are the spicy scenes in Splintered Harmony, and what they contribute to the overall plot of the novel.
- Chapter 5: Feyre & Rhysand
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Everyone’s favorite couple had to have their moment in this book. After putting Nyx to sleep, Feyre returns to bed with Rhys, who attempts to seduce her (and easily succeeds). The best part is always when Rhys goes on his knees for Feyre — she’s the only person on the planet he would ever kneel to. This scene is pretty tame to their past escapades, but it’s a sweet return to the original ACOTAR couple nonetheless.
- Chapter 6: Azriel & Elain
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Remember that bonus chapter at the end of ACOSF when Azriel and Elain almost kissed? Well, as it turns out, even after Rhys told Azriel to stay away from Elain, he couldn’t help himself — and neither could Elain. When I tell you I screamed while reading this chapter.
It took me a second to process, but the most shocking reveal was that the two of them have been making out in the mornings for a month. Azriel tells the reader how it happened: after his excursions with Nesta and Bryce, he decides to seek out Elain because, well, nothing matters.Â
At this point in time, Azriel and Elain are making out in the kitchen after he walks in on her baking at 4 a.m. The way he views her, as “his salvation,” it gives me the chills. Elain, however, seems to be more interested in physical intimacy with him than anything, as she shuts him down before he begins to open up to her about his trauma. They almost go further, but Rhys walks in and tells the two of them to cut it out. If they’re gonna f*ck, they better not do it in the house.
- Chapter 18: Nesta & Cassian
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Nesta and Cassian have been having issues the entire book, and even though there is some tension from Nesta’s perspective in Chapter 13, it all comes to a head in Chapter 18. Cassian and Nesta have it out, talking about all of the issues they’ve been having after Bryce Quinlan was given the trove by Nesta.
Nesta breaks down and cries in front of Cassian, a level of vulnerability that is incredible to see from her, before the two of them really get it on. The two of them talk, confiding some new insecurities to each other before they really return to home (with Cassian inside Nesta). It’s nice in the moment, especially since they’re a fan-favorite pair and they’ve been fighting the whole book.
- Chapter 20: Lucien Finds Azriel & Elain
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Lucien decides to find Elain so they can talk about their issues after Nyx’s naming ceremony, and he opens the door to her room to find her about to have sex with Azriel.Â
Of course, this does not go over well for Elain, who — caught between her mate and the shadowsinger — breaks down. The rest of the Inner Circle finds the three of them and are shocked by what’s occurring. (At least, Cassian is. Nesta and Feyre knew, and for some reason, Feyre canonically supports it.)Â
Regardless, this scene is pivotal for what’s to come: Lucien decides against continuing to help Rhys, and Mor takes Azriel away before any more damage is done (aka Lucien invoking the Blood Duel).
One day later, Elain has it out with her sisters, particularly Nesta, but it’s pretty clear she’s feeling conflicted about her role in all of this. She decides to go with Mor to Vallahan to continue negotiations. As of the end of the book, Azriel doesn’t know she’s left yet, so it’ll be interesting to see his reaction when he does inevitably find out.Â
Although it’s a short introduction, ACOSH is a wild ride, and I can’t wait for ACOFM in January!