I haven’t been talking or having discussions about this fandom lately because I’m honestly sick of it. But again, with the bonus chapter, some people are purposefully misunderstanding Rhys’s actions and role. It’s not even about “forbidden love” — it’s about consequences.
Rhys has always been like this. He’s the High Lord, which means his job is to maintain balance in his court and prevent possible fallout that could affect his family and his people. That’s literally his role. The issue with Elain, Azriel, and Lucien is political. Elain hasn’t rejected Lucien outright; she hasn’t said anything at all. She’s avoiding him, which still leaves room for uncertainty. Meanwhile, Lucien is still coming to the house, still possibly holding out hope that Elain might change her mind. And since we know a mating bond can make a male aggressive, Rhys’s concern in that moment is politics, not meddling in someone’s love life.
We also know Rhys doesn’t actually care about his family’s personal relationships. He doesn’t like Nesta, yet he didn’t interfere when Cassian was sleeping with her. He even joked about it. The problem arises when personal choices ripple outward and create political or dangerous consequences for everyone. In the bonus chapter, Azriel was about to make a move on Elain while Lucien was still in the house — a major issue since Elain hasn’t rejected the bond yet. Rhys just happened to walk in, saw what was happening, and immediately laid out the potential fallout: *what if Lucien caught you?* He spelled it out — a blood duel could follow.
And if that happened, Rhys believed Azriel would win and kill Lucien. That’s a disaster in itself, because Rhys knows Lucien isn’t Baron’s son but Helion’s. Imagine the fallout: Elain wracked with guilt because she hadn’t rejected Lucien and one night with Azriel led to his death; Baron taking it as an excuse to march on the Night Court in “revenge” for his son; and Rhys being forced to reveal the truth about Lucien’s parentage. That’s not romance drama — that’s political chaos.
People also forget Rhys’s view of Azriel’s feelings. Rhys still believes Azriel has unresolved feelings for Mor — because Rhys doesn’t know she’s gay. So to him, it looks like Az has been tangled up with Mor for centuries, and now he’s complicating things further with Elain. Hence Rhys’s pointed question: *What is your plan with her?* Azriel’s silence there says it all.
This is not new behavior for Rhys. Back in *Mist and Fury,* Mor herself tells Feyre about the time she slept with Cassian. Rhys’s reaction was very similar — he thought about the consequences, not the act itself. In Chapter 44, Mor says:
“Rhys came back the next morning, and when he learned what had happened… I’ve never seen him and Cassian fight like that. I know Rhys wasn’t pissed off about my virginity, but about the danger that losing it had put me in. Azriel was angry too, but he let Rhys do the walloping. They knew what my family would do for debasing myself with a bastard-born lesser faerie. And they were right.”
It’s the same pattern. Rhys doesn’t care that Mor slept with Cassian — he cares about what it means for her safety, her future, and the ripple effects on their relationships. Just like with Elain, Azriel, and Lucien. Just like when Nesta gave away the Mask. It’s his job to calculate consequences, whether they touch him directly or not.
That’s why I find it frustrating when people act like this is the first time Rhys has ever “interfered.” It’s not. He’s always been the one to think five steps ahead, whether it’s politics, relationships, or the fate of the world.
And as for the Archeron sisters “unity” narrative — I don’t buy into it. I’m all for forgiveness, but let’s not rewrite history. Feyre has been on her own since she was practically a child. She does love her sisters and wants the best for them — because that’s who she is. And honestly, I admire her for that. Feyre has this endless compassion, this ability to keep caring for others no matter what they’ve done. If more people were like her, the world would be a better place. But I don’t pretend the sisters were always united — they weren’t. Bringing them back into her life as if they were never a problem feels off.
And finally, about Feyre being “selfish.” That says more about the people making the claim than about her. Even Sarah has said one of Feyre’s defining traits is her compassion. If she were selfish, everyone would have starved — she would have hunted just for herself and left. But she didn’t. She carried her family. She risked everything. She sacrificed herself again and again. Calling her selfish is projection, plain and simple.
At this point, I don’t care to argue with people anymore. But if you actually look closely, the pattern is clear: Rhys has always stepped in when choices risk bigger fallout. It’s not about control — it’s about responsibility.