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Disclaimer: as usual, this is just a potential parallel that I noticed, and makes no claims of being canon.
We know that SJM loves to sneak in subtle imagery to hint at her characters' future journeys, and that - in some of our opinions - she appears to be going for a trifecta of couples that will cover rulers, armed forces, and the intelligence services. I believe I've found a parallel from the original trilogy that was shared between Elain and Azriel, and Nesta and Cassian, that hinted at each sisters' future journey.
Azriel and Elain - the Knife in the Dark
When Feyre first met Azriel, she immediately noted the threat he could pose if he wished. "The knife in the dark," she called him; the one to look out for.
But the second male, the more classically beautiful of the two … Even the light shied from the elegant planes of his face. With good reason. Beautiful, but near-unreadable. He’d be the one to look out for—the knife in the dark. Indeed, an obsidian-hilted hunting knife was sheathed at his thigh, its dark scabbard embossed with a line of silver runes I’d never seen before. Rhys said, “This is Azriel—my spymaster.” Not surprising. - ACOMAF, chapter 16
One book later Azriel was covering Cassian (heading the remaining Illyrian ranks), and gave his legendary dagger to Elain during the final battle of ACOWAR. Fulfilling both the Nephelle philosophy and taking on Azriel's title as the Knife in the Dark, for whom didn't the King of Hybern "look out"? Elain.
Nesta did not move from where she shielded Cassian’s body. The king raised his hand, power whirling like a dark galaxy in his palm. I knew they’d both die the moment that power hit them. Anything, I begged the Cauldron. Anything— The king’s hand began to drop. And then halted. A choking noise came out of him. For a moment, I thought the Cauldron had answered my pleas. But as a black blade broke through the king’s throat, spraying blood, I realized someone else had. Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king’s neck as she snarled in his ear, “Don’t you touch my sister.” - ACOWAR, chapter 74
Cassian and Nesta - Enalius
There are many parallels that exist between Azriel and Elain Archeron, and this one has been discussed before - though I haven't seen it paralleled to Nesta and Cassian - but it stands out to me because it was fulfilled in a key battle scene, similar to Nessian...
Cassian has been likened to Enalius since ACOWAR, both by others and himself. His inner monologue in ACOSF even said that his main goal as a youngster had been to become the most skilled Illyrian warrior since Enalius himself.
Nesta listened to the low-level Illyrian soldiers whispering about how Cassian had thrown that spear, how he’d cut down soldiers like stalks of wheat, how he’d fought like Enalius—their most ancient warrior-god and the first of the Illyrians. It had been a while, it seemed, since they had seen Cassian in open battle. Since they’d realized that he’d been young in the War, and now … the looks they gave Cassian as he passed … they were the same as those the High Lords had given Rhys upon seeing his power. Like them, and yet Other. - ACOWAR, chapter 56
At twenty-one, he’d still been drinking and brawling and fucking, unconcerned with anything and anybody except his ambition to be the most skilled of Illyrian warriors since Enalius himself. At twenty-one, Feyre had saved their world, mated, and found true happiness. - ACOSF, chapter 11
“And with our healing slowed to a human rate thanks to the rules of the Rite,” Emerie went on, “we’ll be lucky to make it to the Pass of Enalius in one piece.” “What’s that?” Nesta asked. Emerie’s eyes shone. “Long ago—so long ago they don’t even have a precise date for it—a great war was fought between the Fae and the ancient beings who oppressed them. One of its key battles was here, in these mountains. Our forces were battered and outnumbered, and for some reason, the enemy was desperate to reach the stone at the top of Ramiel. We were never taught the reason why; I think it’s been forgotten. But a young Illyrian warrior named Enalius held the line against the enemy soldiers for days. He found a natural archway of stone amongst the tangle of boulders and made that his bottleneck. He died in the end, but he held off the enemy long enough for our allies to reach us. This Rite is all to honor him. So much of the history has been lost, but the memory of his bravery remains.” As Cassian’s name would last through history, Nesta thought. Would her own? Some small part of her wished for it. - ACOSF, chapter 68
To complete the parallel, who ended up performing a deed that read very much like the one for which Enalius was remembered? Nesta Archeron.
Nesta stood under the Pass of Enalius for a long minute. She took out her canteen. Drank the last of the water. Chucked it to the side. She tucked the dagger into her belt. Picked up the sword. And drew a line in the dirt in front of the archway. Her final stand. Her last line of defense. Nesta gathered the shield. Peered over her shoulder to where Emerie had cleared the last cluster of boulders and now struggled up the long, straight path to the peak. A small, quiet smile passed over Nesta’s face. Then she hefted her shield. Angled her sword. And stepped beyond the line she’d drawn to meet her enemy. - ACOSF, chapter 69
She’d joined them at the river house one night to find a mating present from Feyre waiting for her. Hanging on the wall in the grand entry. A portrait of Nesta, holding the line at the Pass of Enalius. She’d let Rhys see some parts of the Rite—but had no idea he’d asked not out of curiosity, but to give his mate ideas for this. - ACOSF, chapter 80
So, it seems that the original ACOTAR trilogy began to set up shared imagery between (likely) endgame couples.
Though Elain and Azriel's example was completed at the end of ACOWAR, it still left a lot of unanswered questions, whereas we had to wait until ACOSF to see Nesta take up Cassian's mantle. What does this mean for the hypothetical Elriel book? Will we see Elain become the Shadowsinger's Knife once more, or use shadows in some other way?
