Cece ❀Rants, Raves &Reviews❀

Cece’s Conspiracy Corner: A Court of Splintered Harmony Theories

The evidence board

I have theories. I am not claiming to be right. I’m claiming to be suspicious. And the more I think about this book, the more I think we’re supposed to be questioning absolutely everything.

My biggest suspicion: somebody is deliberately weakening the Inner Circle. Compromising their weapons, fracturing their relationships, and getting them to make decisions they would NEVER have made before. And I have receipts.

Last updated November 3, 2026. Next update: January 12, 2027, when A Court of Forgotten Melody drops and every theory gets stamped CONFIRMED or BUSTED.

Current status

Trust nobody. Rhysand girl forever. Azriel under investigation.

  • Rhysand

    High Lord · my man

    Knows more than he says

    Letting Nesta use the Trove. Letting Amren look defeated. Doing whatever it takes, and not telling Feyre all of it.

  • Feyre

    High Lady · our narrator

    Unreliable narrator?

    First person, so certain they’d never touch the Trove, and now not telling us her plans. Shut the fuck up, Feyre. What do you know?

  • Elain

    Seer · Lucien’s mate

    Identity under investigation

    Avoids the eye that sees through lies. The shadows flee from her. I am not giving her the benefit of the doubt.

  • Azriel

    Shadowsinger · emo goth boy

    Possibly manipulated

    Says he won’t go. Goes. Wonders why he went. Throws Truth-Teller in a corner like a time-out. That is not normal decision-making.

  • Amren

    Not really back yet

    Time is running out?

    “Wasting time.” Over and over. She’s working to a deadline and she doesn’t trust Feyre to understand it.

  • Clotho

    Priestess · the string

    I’m watching you

    What if the string was the only thing strong enough to keep Rhysand down and busy while something else happened?

  • The Inner Circle

    Formerly the Court of Dreams

    House divided

    A song with too many drums, too many beats, too many melodies, and somebody conducting from the dark.

The theories

Eleven things I refuse to believe were placed there for nothing

Every one of these gets a verdict when A Court of Forgotten Melody lands on January 12, 2027. I’ll come back and stamp them. Hold me to it.

  1. Is Elain really Elain? I’m glad I finally have real reasons to hate Elain

    Suspicion

    Elain is not Elain. I think Elain died in the Cauldron and something else came out.

    OR

    What if Elain, as a Seer, saw a timeline where she could survive? What if the price was becoming something else? What if she saw a way to convince Azriel to leave?

    Here’s what I think happened. She saw a future where she survives AWAY from the Night Court, by getting Azriel to take her away. She fought hard to make that come true the entire book. And when it didn’t work? She left.

    Evidence
    • Lucien’s eye sees through deception. Elain avoids his gaze. She’s his mate.
    • Azriel gets so close to her and then pulls away, with the most unhinged inner monologue. Seriously: he kept saying how he loves Feyre, then that he HATES her PITY and he needs them for NOTHING. Those are IMPRINTED thoughts, because what the actual fuck.
    • The shadows flee from her. EXCUSE ME???
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  2. Where is Truth-Teller? The Truth-Teller situation is insane

    Suspicion

    This is the male who built his identity around that blade. He would never casually abandon it. He’d have given it to Cassian or Amren to keep secure. Instead it’s thrown in a corner like a literal time-out, in a house someone could walk into and retrieve a Made item from. And then he wishes he had it in battle because the other blades aren’t as good.

    Evidence
    • He rants about being compelled to hate the blade and send it away.
    • He says he won’t go. Then he goes. Then he wonders why he went.
    • Where is Truth-Teller now? Returned to its rightful place? Or did someone go and get it?
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  3. Why is the Dread Trove back in play? The Trove. The fucking Trove.

    Suspicion

    Before this book they would never use the Trove. Feyre was adamant. There was a whole attitude about keeping those objects away. Now Rhysand basically tells Nesta: do as you will to keep my son safe. The old Inner Circle would have had 700 conversations before that decision. Either the rules changed, or somebody made sure they had no other choice.

    Evidence
    • Rhys and Amren going back and forth about not using it, earlier, when Feyre was SO certain.
    • Amren’s defeated face: “it’ll be whatever the High Lady wants.” That isn’t giving up. That’s knowing something.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  4. Is Feyre an unreliable narrator? Feyre is first person. Everyone else is third. That matters.

    Suspicion

    Feyre and Rhysand’s chapters are written in first person. The rest of the Inner Circle gets third. We’ve spent the whole series inside Feyre’s head, knowing what she knows and what she chooses to tell us. Now she’s choosing not to tell us her plans. What if the things she leaves out are the actual story?

    Evidence
    • Sarah literally asks, through the characters, whether it’s better to tell a story in order or from where a character first learned it. I see you, Sarah.
    • Feyre is now exactly where Amren said she wanted her to be, mentally. That is not an accident.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  5. Is Amren really back? Amren, are you actually back?

    Suspicion

    “I’m not really back yet.” Recovery, or something more sinister? Was that even Amren? And why does she keep saying wasting time? She is operating with a very specific understanding of how little time they have, and she doesn’t trust Feyre to understand it. Is Amren dying? Is there a deadline we aren’t being told about?

    Evidence
    • Wasting time. Wasting time. Wasting time.
    • Her willingness to let the Trove decision happen.
    • She told Nesta to bring one specific sword to the Prison. And then it was lost.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  6. Did Clotho plan the Bryaxis attack? Clotho, the string, and Bryaxis

    Suspicion

    The Bryaxis scene was insane, and it stands for something bigger: fear is back in Velaris. The city that was supposed to be the refuge doesn’t feel safe, and we feel it on every page. And Clotho? What if she planned that from the beginning, and the string was the only thing powerful enough to keep Rhysand down and busy while something else happened?

    Evidence
    • The library doors locking. Fuuuck, that hurt.
    • I got déjà vu reading the Bryaxis scene. I swear I’ve heard this before.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  7. What happens if Nyx stays nameless? The naming ceremony. Nameless is the price.

    Suspicion

    If Nyx never completed the ceremony, what does that mean? Is there a consequence? Is nameless the price? And why do I keep thinking about someone wanting to claim his soul? I don’t trust this situation one little bit.

    Evidence
    • Did Clotho know? What did Clotho know?
    • Too many references to walls, courts, power, and a bigger political structure. Nesta as High Queen? A Dusk Court?
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  8. Do Cassian and Azriel get redemption arcs? The Bat Boys need a redemption arc

    Suspicion

    Rhys is still my man. Cassian and Azriel have some explaining to do. Cassian and Nesta are giving Aedion and Lysandra. And Azriel? AZRIEL IS CHAOL. Sir, please go find your Yrene and come back when you’ve completed your character development. I need a redemption arc, and I need it to be GOOD.

    Evidence
    • Mr. Doesn’t-Visit-His-Mate-With-A-Broken-Arm.
    • A childhood-trauma dump interrupted to get a hookup invite from Elain. Dead to me.
    • We got a Mor POV and I am literally SCREAMING. Truth and Queen in her own right. It’s been ten years. What does it MEAN.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  9. What is Rhysand hiding? Rhysand is not telling us everything (and Nesta might be the reason)

    Suspicion

    I cannot reconcile the Rhysand we knew with the decisions happening now without there being information we don’t have. He has to be plotting something. His magic can only keep doing its current thing for so long, and letting Amren use the Trove is him buying time for it. He will do whatever it takes.

    And then there’s Nesta. I might be reaching, but what if Rhys and Nesta have a connection we haven’t understood, the way Throne of Glass does it: two enormous powers that work together? Carranam, or whatever Sarah calls it in this world. I don’t have the mechanics figured out. I just don’t think we’re done exploring what those two represent together.

    Evidence
    • The secret conversation with Amren about the Trove, the one Feyre waved off.
    • Amren’s defeated face when it became “whatever the High Lady wants.” That’s because Rhysand will do whatever it takes.
    • Feyre getting past his mental shields. Their connection is different from everyone else’s. Could they become something bigger than High Lord and Lady of the Night Court? High King and Queen? I’m just saying.
    • Rhys saving Nesta at the cliffhanger. I need more there. It felt exactly like the Feyre-and-Amren water scenes from the book hunt.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  10. Who is weakening the Night Court? Somebody is weakening the Court on purpose

    Suspicion

    This is the one everything else hangs off. Not defeating the Night Court. Making sure it’s already compromised before the actual confrontation begins. Take away the weapons. Divide the family. Twist the minds. Get them to make the decisions that weaken their own position. Then strike. A united Inner Circle is a terrifying thing to fight. A divided one? Much easier.

    Evidence
    • Azriel leaves Truth-Teller behind and immediately questions himself.
    • The Trove is suddenly back in play after years of “absolutely not.”
    • Feyre and Rhysand aren’t telling each other (or us) everything.
    • Amren won’t stop talking about time.
    • Bryaxis. Fear is back in Velaris.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7

  11. Is there a time jump in A Court of Forgotten Melody? If book 7 is a time jump, I will be absolutely livid

    The theory I hate

    The next book opens five years later. The consequences of every decision in this book have already landed. Nyx is older, and now has to deal with growing up in a court where Azriel lost Truth-Teller. We skip straight to the aftermath.

    I will be absolutely livid.

    What actually worries me

    The other courts are still healing from the war with Hybern. They do not want another big war, the one the Inner Circle keeps insisting is so essential. And at the same time, Feyre can’t even justify to Tarquin why she wants to do it. A five-year jump lets Sarah skip the part where somebody has to answer that.

    Evidence
    • The Tarquin scene. They talked about building walls.
    • Every seed in this book is still in the ground. I want to watch them grow, not get handed the harvest.
    Verdict: awaiting book 7 (please no)

The Celestial Armory

Every object and blade on the board, drawn in the night sky

Tap or hover a constellation to light up its entry in the key. Solid lines are canon. Dashed rings are missing or unknown. The red dotted cluster is mine, and I’m not claiming it’s canon. Yet.

The Maasverse Celestial Armory: a star map of the Dread Trove, the paired and missing blades, Nesta’s Made sword, the wider Maasverse arsenal, and the Prison incident theory cluster. THE MAASVERSE Celestial Armory I · The Dread Trove · four ancient objects The MaskCalls, raises and commands the dead The HarpOpens doors, moves objects, 26th string stops time The CrownBends the strongest minds The HornLuna’s Horn · opens rifts between worlds II · The missing and paired blades III · Made in Prythian GwydionThe Starsword · savior’s light Truth-TellerAzriel’s dagger · unknown NarbenDark twin · missing The twin daggerMidgard · identity to verify twin-blade resonance AtaraxiaNesta’s Made sword IV · The wider Maasverse arsenal GoldrynAelin’s ruby blade DamarisSword of truth Sword of OrynthGalathynius heirloom Wind-CleaverManon’s iron sword NothungAdarlan’s blade Autumn King’s broadswordCrescent City The Prison incidenttheory cluster · see below Some stars never fade

Map key

  • Artifact or weapon
  • Canon connection
  • Missing or unknown
  • Theory. Mine. Suspicious.
  • I · The Dread Trove
  • The MaskA golden death mask molded from a forgotten king. Worn, it calls, raises and controls the dead.
  • The HarpTwenty-six golden strings. Opens doors between places and worlds, moves objects, and the twenty-sixth string stops time.
  • The CrownGolden spikes. Bends the strongest minds and steers the thoughts of anyone near it. (Dossier 10, I’m looking at you.)
  • The Horn Crescent CityLuna’s Horn, bone, opens rifts between worlds. Crushed to dust and tattooed onto Bryce Quinlan’s back in Midgard.
  • II · The missing and paired blades
  • Gwydion, the StarswordSibling blade to Narben, carrying the savior’s light. Long thought lost to Prythian; it surfaced in Midgard as the Starsword. We fucking lost that one.
  • Truth-Teller UnknownAzriel’s obsidian dagger. Never misses, has shadow-magic of its own, and sings near Gwydion. Thrown in a corner like a time-out. Then: gone.
  • Narben MissingThe dark death-sword, antithesis of Gwydion’s light. Said to have been dumped in the sea by Amarantha when it refused her. Was that what Nesta felt in the water?
  • The twin dagger VerifyA companion blade to Gwydion kept by the Autumn King in Midgard, resonating with Truth-Teller across worlds. Kept separate on the map until we’re sure it isn’t Truth-Teller counted twice.
  • Twin-blade resonance TheoryGwydion, Truth-Teller and the twin dagger answer each other across worlds. If one moves, the others know.
  • III · Made in Prythian
  • AtaraxiaNesta’s Made sword from A Court of Silver Flames: her grief, her anger and her silver death-magic forged into steel, powerful enough to scare ancient monsters. Not a Trove object, but on the board for a reason.
  • IV · The wider Maasverse arsenal
  • GoldrynAelin’s blade, originally Athril’s, with a flawless ruby in the pommel and built to survive Fae fire.
  • DamarisKing Gavin’s sword of truth, passed to Dorian. It warms or rings when someone lies.
  • The Sword of OrynthThe Galathynius ancestral blade and Aelin’s birthright: rightful rule and the protection of Terrasen.
  • Wind-CleaverManon Blackbeak’s heavy iron sword, handed down through the Blackbeak witches. Brutal, not elegant.
  • NothungThe King of Adarlan’s ancient, heavily enchanted sword, lined with dark power.
  • The Autumn King’s broadswordHigh-Fae steel from Crescent City, forged to channel starlight and ambient power.
  • Theory cluster
  • The Prison incident TheoryAmren’s instruction, the loss, the retrieval question, the manipulation. Full breakdown below.

The suspicious constellation

The Prison, the sword, and the timing

  1. Amren’s instructionWhy was Nesta told to bring that particular sword to the Prison? Why that weapon, for that trip, at that moment? WHY WHY WHY, to lose it?
  2. The lossWe lose a weapon of enormous significance. Was that an accident? Or was the loss the point? It had to be a plot. It had to be someone else.
  3. The retrievalTruth-Teller was left in a corner after Azriel’s strange behavior. A valuable Made item, in a marked house. Did somebody know exactly where it was? Did somebody go and get it?
  4. The manipulationHis sudden changes of mind, rejecting the blade, then wanting it back. Was someone twisting thoughts he already had rather than planting new ones?
The big question

The weapons weren’t just lost. They may have been moved.

Final conspiracy-board status

  • RhysandKnows more than he says
  • FeyreUnreliable narrator?
  • ElainIdentity under investigation
  • AzrielPossibly manipulated
  • AmrenTime is running out?
  • ClothoI’m watching you
  • The Inner CircleHouse divided

I have approximately seventeen theories and absolutely no evidence that I am sane.

I have no idea if I’m right. But I know I’m not done thinking about this book, and I refuse to believe all these little details were placed here for nothing. Sarah J. Maas, I’m going to need you to explain yourself.

Sincerely,
Cece, who just wanted to read about some hot Fae males and has apparently enrolled herself in a full-time investigative position within the Night Court.

Tell me I’m wrong on Instagram Back to the review

Part of my Sarah J. Maas reading guide. This board gets updated when A Court of Forgotten Melody arrives on January 12, 2027.

Bonus footage · Live from the floor

My texts while reading, unedited, in order

Pink is me. Grey is my reading buddy who had the audacity to be a few chapters ahead.

  1. Chapter 3
  2. Did you get to the Cassian and Nesta chapter? Cause DAMNNNNN
  3. I think it was 3
  4. Okay then yes!!! Nes is in the dog house
  5. That was such an intense after-Bryce situation. Not surprised but that was crazy
  6. I mean it makes sense but also TOUGH
  7. Chapter 6
  8. I could do without all the mentions of breastfeeding Nyx… kinda excessive. For a series starting as YA it is crazy. Like 6 chapters in and it’s come up in her chapters AND Az’s
  9. Ekkkkkk. OMG.
  10. Chapter fucking 6 bro. Them parting words cut DEEP
  11. Imma end up on the floor I know it. My jaw. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Is on the floor
  12. That’ll be me tomorrow
  13. The cliffhanger
  14. The cliffhanger with Rhys saving her?! wtf I need more there
  15. Yes!!! That felt so similar to the Feyre and Amren getting-the-book water scenes. Ughhhhh
  16. Also their fight. Hahah I laughed. Pretty sure Feyre can squash her now
  17. Yess, it’s giving sisters energy
  18. Azriel check-in
  19. So thoughts on Az so far?
  20. He’s kinda. Sad. Impulsive. More heated and like “ugh let’s see if I survive” than cold calculating so far. I don’t like. Probably cause I am a Rhysand stan
  21. Yes way less shadow daddy vibes haha
  22. The Tarquin scene
  23. They talked about building Walls
  24. Girl you’re sooooo far
  25. If they don’t finish the naming ceremony then Nyx is nameless. Wtf did Clotho know
  26. Nameless is the price
  27. Amren and Rhysand’s look about not using the Trove means for sure he is. And her defeated look about doing whatever High Lady wants means he’s doing it for Feyre, our unreliable narrator. I’m not done but
  28. The verdict
  29. Do you hate Cassian or Azriel more now?
  30. Az. Mr. doesn’t-come-to-see-broken-arm-mate. Tries to childhood trauma dump, interrupted to get a hookup invite from Elain. That little bitch is dead to me
  31. That means his decision later comes to a head. Great
  32. I have a theory about Nesta and Rhys. All the tension points of “I wonder if it’s important he didn’t mention that” are leading up to a conflict, and how each person’s fucked-up-ness is layering up and no one trusts the NC
  33. Hmm ok I will want to hear. Would u partner with Hybern
  34. I saw a theory that Elain died in the Cauldron
  35. I’m getting déjà vu reading the Bryaxis scene idk why, I swear I’ve heard this before
  36. Ooo I so agree

Lightly cleaned up for spelling. Emotional state preserved exactly as it was.

Questions people keep asking me

ACOTAR 6 questions, answered as far as anyone can

When does ACOTAR 7 come out?

A Court of Forgotten Melody, book 7, comes out January 12, 2027. That is the day every theory on this board gets stamped CONFIRMED or BUSTED. I will be back. Hold me to it.

Is Elain evil in A Court of Splintered Harmony?

Nothing is confirmed. My theory is that Elain is not Elain: either she died in the Cauldron and something else came out, or, as a Seer, she saw a timeline where she survives away from the Night Court and spent the whole book trying to get Azriel to take her there. She avoids Lucien’s eye, the one that sees through lies. The shadows flee from her. Excuse me???

What happened to Truth-Teller?

Azriel threw it in a corner like a time-out, in a house anyone could walk into, and then wished he had it in battle because the other blades aren’t as good. Where it is now is the question: returned to its rightful place, or did somebody go and get it?

Is A Court of Splintered Harmony worth reading?

Yes. My verdict is a solid 4-star writing of a 3-star plot: nothing happened the whole time, and I loved it. It is the setup book that puts every character where they need to be for the actual plot. My spoiler-free thoughts are in my full review.

Does this page spoil Crescent City?

Yes. The Celestial Armory covers Gwydion, the Starsword, Luna’s Horn and Bryce, so finish Crescent City before you look at the star map. My Sarah J. Maas reading guide has the full order.

Is there a time jump in A Court of Forgotten Melody?

Nobody knows yet. If book 7 opens five years later with every consequence already landed, I will be absolutely livid. Every seed in this book is still in the ground. I want to watch them grow, not get handed the harvest.