A theory I have on the character Nuan, the inventor from the Dawn Court that we meet in ACOWAR, who her family might be and why -
I believe Nuan is also Helion’s biological child!!
In Chapter 11 of ACOWAR, Lucien says in reference to Feyre’s Day Court light powers: ”… my friend at the Dawn Court has the same power - her light is identical…”. Lucien is talking about Nuan, because when we see her at the High Lord/Lady meeting Feyre refers to her as Tamlin and Lucien’s ”mutual friend”. Rhys tells Beron, that Nuan is the person who made Lucien’s eye. And Nuan admits that she’s been in contact with Lucien to get the faebane samples out of Velaris. We know that Feyre’s light powers come from the Day Court, and specifically Helion himself. Lucien also specifically says that Nuan’s powers are identical to Feyre’s. Not just similar, but exactly the same. To me this hints that Nuan’s powers come directly from Helion himself as well, but as her biological father. This is my strongest argument, but here are some other points, and even an argument against this theory:
Nuan and Helion’s interactions at the HL meeting are unusually tense. I think maybe one or both of them know she’s his biological daughter. Helion is known for putting on a mask, maybe he was harsh with her to protect her from the other High Lords finding out? Here are some examples: “… as she (Nuan) studied Helion. And did not seem impressed…”; ”Helion shifted with impatience…” in reference to Nuan discussing the faebane antidote; ”Helion’s amber eyes flashed.” After Beron questioned whose interests Nuan served.
She did not balk from the High Lords, as an average citizen might, instead she challenged them, hinting that she has great power: “She did not break Tarquin’s stare, and he straightened, as if surprised she did so.”; “Nuan said to the Lord of Autumn, her chin high, ‘I am a child of Prythian. I was born here, on this land, as your sons were.’”; She admits freely to Rhys, that she and Lucien went behind his back with the faebane samples, bc they did not want to get his hopes up, not until she found the antidote.
Helion is associated with gold and the sun, and so are Lucien and Nuan: Both Lucien and Nuan have golden mechanical body parts that Nuan invented, Lucien’s eye and Nuan’s hand. At the HL meeting, SJM made a point to write “… the sun glinting off her metal hand.” Also, her light powers. We see like calls to like, throughout the series, not just with the cauldron and the Archeron sisters. I think Nuan and Lucien both having golden mechanical body parts, forging a strong bond as friends, and each having a half of Helion’s powers (Nuan - light, Lucien - spell cleaving) is significant and points to them being siblings.
Nuan and Helion share similarities, both in looks and personality: Nuan and Helion are both extremely intelligent, a trait that is common in the Day Court. Nuan is an expert inventor and alchemist, Helion and his one thousand libraries are said to “hold the knowledge of the world.” Nuan and Helion both have black/onyx hair. Helion’s skin is dark brown, while Nuan’s is light brown. I agree that this point is the weakest. This could also be simply explained by Nuan’s Xian heritage, as Thesan is described similarly.
The biggest argument I’ve found to this theory is Nuan’s own words to Beron after he asks who she is, Nuan says: ”’I am the daughter of two High Fae from Xian, who moved here to give their children a better life, if that is what you are demanding to know,’ Nuan answered tightly.” However, I think this could be simply another Lucien situation. Or, it could be the case, that she knows Helion is her biological father, but considers the man who raised her to be her true father. There are multiple scenarios. While we do not know Nuan’s age, we know she was born before Under the Mountain, because she invented Lucien’s eye. The Solar Courts are close allies, so it is not out of the question that Helion was visiting the Dawn Court and could have had relationships with the citizens there.
I rest my case.