Keir
A spoiler-free guide to A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR).
Only showing what’s been revealed up to your current progress. Future events, identities, and relationships are hidden.
Overview
Keir is the Steward of the Hewn City and Mor’s father. He administers the city’s marriages, alliances, feuds, and expenses under Rhys’s authority.
As steward, Keir can legally refuse the Court of Nightmares’ military aid to the wider Night Court. His control of the Darkbringers makes his cooperation strategically valuable despite his hostility toward Rhys and his court.
In the postwar court, Keir reaches beyond the Hewn City for leverage, courting Autumn through Eris in a maneuver the Night Court cannot let out of its sight.
Keir continues to head the hostile faction within the Court of Nightmares. The Night Court deals cautiously with him because alienating him could cost them forces they may need again.
Personality and Behavior
Keir treats Feyre with cold appraisal and open contempt, reducing her to Tamlin’s former pet now owned by another master and later hissing that she will get what is coming to her.
In bargaining over the Darkbringers, Keir quickly turns vindictive and threatening, saying he feels sympathetic to Hybern’s cause and escalating to a sexualized insult about Feyre as possible payment.
During the Solstice meeting in the Hewn City, Keir insults Mor by treating her as unworthy of direct acknowledgment and takes visible satisfaction in her constrained response.
Relationships
Keir is Mor’s father, but he displays no paternal warmth toward her.
After learning how much Velaris means to Mor, Keir demands access to the city as his price for military cooperation. The demand gives him a way to intrude upon something she cherishes and inflict further distress on her.
Keir pursues closer political ties with the Autumn Court through Eris, including private dealings in the Hewn City. Mor considers their possible alliance dangerous enough to monitor personally.
Keir retains his right to visit Velaris, though Eris has persuaded him to delay exercising it. Cassian regards the unresolved visit chiefly as another means for Keir to torment Mor.
Abilities and Skills
Keir commands the Darkbringers personally in battle and can manifest plumes of shadow. His legion uses shadow-based tactics within the allied line, and he attempts to rally the soldiers himself when their formation begins to collapse.
Possessions
Keir possesses the Ouroboros as an heirloom of his household.
He permits Feyre to claim the Ouroboros only if she first looks into it, warning that previous claimants were driven mad or broken by the experience.
Important Events
When Rhys seeks the Darkbringers for the war against Hybern, Keir exploits the need for his army and demands access to Velaris for himself and his court. Rhys concedes the demand in principle.
After the bargain, Keir’s Darkbringer forces are already being rallied under the agreement.
Keir later leads the Darkbringers in person in the war against Hybern, and his legion suffers heavy losses in the allied battles.