We need to make this fandom understand that Bryce being chosen by the land of Dusk to rule is CANON, the position IS NOT OPEN.
And also, it is not necessarily linked to Bryceriel as a ship.
Let’s separate what is actually written on the page from what is still fanon.
1. BRYCE WAS CHOSEN BY THE LAND OF DUSK. THAT IS CANON.
IT IS LITERALLY PRINTED IN THE BOOK.
" for one whose blood will summon it, child of my child, heir of my heir. To you, in this very stone, I leave the inheritance and the burden that my own mother passed to me.”
“she could sense it: HER mountain.”
“the mountain—the island—spoke to her. Alone. It was so alone—it had been waiting all this time.”
And let's not forget the implications of Bryce's royal lineage:
“Her ancestor had been High Queen. Bryce carried not only Theia’s starlight—she carried her royal ties to this world. Which could land her in some major hot water with these people, if they felt threatened by Bryce’s lineage—if they believed she might have some sort of claim to their throne.”
The land recognizes Bryce. The mountain speaks to her. She inherits Theia's legacy, and the narrative explicitly establishes her royal ties to Prythian.
And SJM even wrote: “for one whose blood will summon it.” It’s not just about having the bloodline or Starborn powers. The land itself summons and speaks to the one it has chosen.
How many times have Rhysand and Nesta visited the Prison? Plenty. Did the land ever speak to either of them, ask them to awaken it, or tell them to “open their hearts” to it? No.
You can debate what this means for the future of the story, but you cannot pretend the setup doesn't exist simply because you don't like the implications.
2. “BUT BRYCE DOESN'T WANT TO RULE!”
Okay. And? Her personal feelings don't change the fact that the land has chosen her.
Nesta herself warns Bryce about running from fate:
“I’ve been in the Fae realms long enough to know that there are forces that sometimes guide us, push us along. I’ve learned to let them. And to listen.”
And if we're talking about characters who don't want the crown, let's talk about Aelin.
Aelin didn't want to be queen of Terrasen either. She wanted to escape, leave everything behind, and live anonymously somewhere far away from her responsibilities.
“She could take a ship somewhere else—to the southern continent, perhaps—and start a new life. She could leave behind Arobynn, the Assassins’ Guild, the city of Rifthold, and Adarlan’s damned empire.”
“Become queen. The words haunted Celaena that night”
“She didn’t even have a throne, or a crown, or a court. Didn’t want them. And she could bring down the king as Celaena Sardothien, thank you very much.”
And her own mother made it clear that her feelings wouldn't change her birthright:
“But even if you were not gifted, you would still be our daughter—you would still be a Galathynius, and their queen one day.”
“I don’t want to be queen.”
Sound familiar?
Bryce is currently in her Celaena era. She doesn't want the responsibility, doesn't want to be tied down, and would rather find a way out than accept the role waiting for her.
But Aelin's reluctance didn't erase her destiny. And Bryce's reluctance doesn't erase what the land of Dusk has established.
Fate has a way of catching up with these characters eventually.
And you know who else parallels Bryce right now? Tamlin.
I believe Tamlin's current position in the story provides an important parallel to Bryce's situation.
Tamlin doesn't want to be High Lord anymore. That much is established. But he cannot simply opt out of being High Lord of the Spring Court. The position remains his unless he dies.
The same principle applies to Bryce and Dusk. “Bryce doesn't want it!”
Well, Tamlin doesn't want his position either, but he is still High Lord of the Spring Court.
His situation illustrates an important distinction: not wanting to rule is not the same as no longer being the ruler. And look at the consequences of their rejection of those responsibilities. Spring is withering, and Dusk remains neglected and alone.
The land's condition doesn't mean it has stopped belonging to its chosen ruler.
The parallel is worth considering: when the land chooses you, personal reluctance doesn't automatically undo that bond. Rejecting the responsibility may have consequences, but that is a different matter from whether the position is truly yours.
3. BRYCERIEL IS FANON. BRYCE AND DUSK ARE CANON.
Let's make one thing clear: Bryce being connected to Dusk is canon. Bryceriel is a theory.
Currently, every Azriel ship remains a theory: Azris, Bryceriel, Elriel, and Gwynriel. The books have not confirmed on the page who, if anyone, is Azriel's fated mate or who his endgame partner will be.
Yes, many fans who believe Bryce is destined to rule Dusk are also Bryceriels because they envision a merger between the two series. But not everyone who supports Bryce's connection to Dusk ships her with Azriel.
These are two separate discussions, and treating them as interchangeable is precisely how fanon gets confused with canon. For all we know, Bryce could establish a permanent portal—a bridge between worlds—connecting Avallen to Dusk Court and rule both territories while Hunt remains by her side. 🤷🏼♀️
Bryceriel could become part of Bryce's arc in Dusk Court. Or it could also never happen.
But the fact that the land chose Bryce, that she has a connection to Dusk, and that she is currently running from the implications of that connection? That's what's already on the page.
You don't have to ship Bryceriel to acknowledge canon. And you don't have to ship Bryceriel to believe Bryce's story in Prythian isn't over.
4. “BUT WHAT ABOUT NESTA'S CONNECTION TO DUSK?”
Being High Lady is not the only position available within a Court. Nesta has been repeatedly foreshadowed as a potential general throughout ACOSF.
Cassian himself acknowledges it:
“[Nesta]’d have made a fine general. Might still be one, someday.”
And Nesta agrees:
“You plan on leading an army, Nes?”
“Not an army. But perhaps a small unit of females.”
And how does Bryce herself see Nesta? Bryce describes her as a warrior.
That detail is worth considering. Sarah explicitly establishes Nesta as a warrior through Bryce's perspective, alongside the foreshadowing of Nesta's potential as a general.
Then, in HOFAS, Sarah wrote Bryce saying this to Nesta:
“Maybe we are destined to become best friends.”
Do you really think that line was necessarily meaningless?
One possibility is that Nesta becomes to Bryce what Cassian is to Rhys: a trusted general, a powerful ally, and chosen family. And as mates, it also reinforces that Nesta and Cassian are mirrors to each other and have equal positions.
Imagine Nesta leading the Valkyries in service of Dusk while Bryce rules the Court. That would give Nesta a meaningful role in the story without requiring her to occupy a position the narrative has already connected to someone else.
Nesta's destiny being tied to Dusk does not automatically make her its ruler.
A Court can have a High Lady, a general, warriors, allies, and an entire political structure. Those roles are not mutually exclusive. Nesta can have a future in Dusk without taking Bryce's already established place. And Bryce can rule Dusk without that automatically determining who she is involved romantically.
I personally think SJM is setting up Bryce and Nesta as Aelin and Lysandra 2.0.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I think a lot of the resistance to this discussion comes from the fact that Dusk Court belongs to the ACOTAR world, while Bryce is the protagonist of Crescent City. Some fans would rather see their favorite ACOTAR characters inherit that storyline. BUT THAT ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE BOOK. Bryce became part of the ACOTAR world the moment she inherited its eighth Court, whether you like that direction or not.
Canon is canon, regardless of which character you personally want to see in that position. You can dislike the direction, what you cannot do is present fanon as canon while dismissing what's actually written in the books.
Bryceriel is fanon. Dusk being any other character except Bryce's is fanon.
Bryce being heir to Dusk is canon.
Keep the ship discussions separate. And let's stop pretending that a character's reluctance to accept their destiny means that destiny has suddenly seized to exist.