A Shadow in the Ember

“Tonight, she had looked at me. She had spoken to me. And this was what she

wanted.”

This quote shows the strain between Sera and her mother, Queen Calliaphe, due to Sera resembling her late father—the Queen’s first husband. Sera longs for her mother’s approval, but is only acknowledged when the Queen needs something. In most cases, her requests are morally reprehensible and threaten to twist Sera into a weapon.

“One such as he was dangerous. He was a predator, no matter how beautiful

or benevolent he was.”

Sera’s framing of Nyktos (Ash) as a “predator,” a creature who hunts others, is fitting considering both gods and Primals consume blood to survive. Despite her initial caution, she still acknowledges the first hints of good to him.

“I didn’t want to be angry because it seemed wrong to feel that, but he’d left me

before I even had a chance to know him.”

Sera’s desire to understand her father’s suicide, her reluctance to embrace anger at having been “abandoned” by him, humanizes her grief. Such emotions underscore the complexity of loss, especially her continued desire for familial connection from her mother.

“I wasn’t me. I became this thing that had been groomed into a submissive,

moldable creature. One that could be shaped into whatever the Primal of Death desired, what he might fall in love with. A servant. A wife. A warm, soft body. A killer.”

This quote shows Sera’s disconnect from her true self at the beginning of the novel. Her identity was intentionally shaped into many facets to meet others’ expectations, but none of them are truly “her.”

“Animals didn’t judge. They didn’t care about worthiness. They didn’t choose to

use or hurt another. They simply lived and expected to either be left alone or loved. That was all.”

When Sera finds a dying kiyou wolf, she reflects on her soft spot for animals. This sympathy stems from the non-judgmental, uncomplicated nature of animals—who contrast with the judgment of humans.

“The farmers had tried what they believed King Roderick had done. They’d

spent day and night, weeks and months, digging and scraping, but the Rot was deep.”

This quote describes the Rot overtaking Lasania’s fields. The use of sequences (“day and night,” etc.) highlights both the farmers’ desperation and the land’s destruction despite the farmers’ best efforts.

“She was the kind of warrior that fought back through the grief of losing her life

at such a young age. Through the loss of peace and control, no matter how badly the odds were stacked against her.”

While Sir Holland is referencing the mythological Sotoria, and how she persevered after her resurrection by Kolis, he is also referencing Sera’s strength. This comparison also hints at Sera’s true nature as the latest reincarnation of Sotoria.

“Many of those in attendance cared, probably even more than I knew, but all it

took was a handful of others to not.”

This is Sera’s reflection on the attitude of Lasania’s nobility toward the common people. She knows that even among the powerful, some have more influence than others—especially her stepbrother Tavius, heir to the throne. Without someone who cares in charge, the efforts of the compassionate will ultimately be for not.

“I wanted to be the one sitting there, worthy of the family that surrounded

me. Well, all but Tavius, but Ezra counted. And I wanted that.”

This is another example of Sera longing to be accepted and loved by her family, a rare instance of jealousy toward the one family member who does accept her—Ezra. Despite the sisters’ good relationship, Sera’s stepsister still has the one thing she wants but can never have—their parents’ love.

“You’re a blessing, Sera. No matter what anyone says or believes, you are a

blessing. You always have been.”

This quote from Ezra acknowledges Sera’s inherent value as a person, not a weapon, which has gone unsaid until this point. Her statement is a defiant declaration against the judgment of the rest of their family.

“I shuddered, telling myself that I could handle this. Tavius wasn’t strong

enough to break skin. He was the weak one.”

While Tavius may wield physical control during his whipping, Sera’s mental resilience challenges his attempt at dominance. This is an example of Sera’s fortitude in moments of conflict, fueled by a lifetime of dehumanization by her kingdom’s leaders.

“Now, every part of me chafed at the idea of becoming someone else to

gain the love of another. If that was what it took to make someone fall in love, then I didn’t think I wanted anything to do with it.”

This quote reflects a shift in Sera’s understanding of herself. Before, she was willingly molded into the person she needed to be, but now, she begins to reject her grooming in favor of autonomy.

“You interested me, and I hadn’t expected that. I didn’t want that. But at that

lake, you were just Seraphena. And I was just Ash. There was no deal. No perceived obligations. You stayed simply because you wanted to. I stayed only because I wanted to. You let me touch you because that was what you wanted, not because you felt as if you had to.”

This quote sets the tone for the development of Sera and Ash’s relationship. While the connection between them was unwanted at first, he values the moments when they can be themselves rather than fulfilling their required roles. The quote also indicates Sera challenged his assumptions about her, leading to a genuine interest in who she truly is.

“Love is a beautiful weapon, often wielded as a means to control another. It

shouldn’t be a weakness, but that is what it becomes. And those most innocent always pay for it.”

Ash’s cynical view of love is rooted in trauma, as his parents Eythos and Mycella, who were very much in love, were violently parted by Kolis. He acknowledges the allure of the emotion while expressing concern about the vulnerability that comes with it. This concern proves prudent, as Sera still seeks to use love as a weapon against him.

“It is far easier to be lied to than to acknowledge that you have been lied to.”

This quote deals with the concept of cognitive dissonance, in which individuals experience discomfort when faced with conflicting beliefs or realities. As Sera navigates her duty and true feelings for Ash, she experiences this dissonance.

“Do you think mortals are the only ones capable of brutality? Of hurting

others for no reason other than the fact they can? The Primals and gods are capable of the same.”

Here, Ash says anyone, including the Primals whom Sera thinks are above it, are capable of senseless violence. This quote challenges her idealized view of gods, perhaps because the likes of Kolis, the Primal of Light, are seen as beacons.

“I know one thing, liessa. A monster wouldn’t care if they were one.”

Throughout the novel, Sera refers to herself as a monster because of her past killings. Yet to Ash, a true monster lacks the capacity for self-reflection. By expressing self-doubt, Sera proves she is not unfeeling or violent by nature.

“It’s never simple. There are people who do terrible things, but that doesn’t

always mean they’re terrible people.”

This quote by Ash regarding the spirits whom he is required to judge offers a nuanced understanding of morality. He implies a separation between action and character, especially as it applies to him and Sera, who were both required to kill to survive.

“I would say I’m sorry, but you wouldn’t believe me. I don’t blame you for that, but don’t you dare insinuate that what I’ve done with you was purely an act or that what I’m feeling is fake when I’ve spent my entire godsdamn life not being allowed to want or even feel anything for myself!”

This quote by Sera voices her frustration and hurt over her past. While she acknowledges her betrayal of Ash, she also asserts her need to be seen and understood after years of suppression and yearning for autonomy.

“That was what I devoured. Greedily. Us. Because like at the lake, I knew it

wouldn’t last.”

The use of the word “devoured” suggests Sera’s voracious desire to take in her intimate moments with Ash. It also references his prior consumption of her blood. The juxtaposition of intense consumption and the impermanence of their relationship creates a poignant contrast.

“There is no way I could ever trust you. That I would not doubt or question you. Not when you were shaped and groomed to be whatever it is you believed I wanted. Not when you are just a vessel that would be empty if not for the ember of life you carry within you.”

This quote by Ash deliberately targets Sera’s self-doubt after her betrayal. He echoes her belief that she is an “empty vessel,” pointing out her lack of authenticity. Because of her past, he vows to never trust her again.

“I didn’t think his graeca was a person. He never spoke of it as if it were

something living and breathing. He talked as if it were an object. A possession that belonged to him.”

The Chosen Gemma initially thought Kolis’s graeca was an object because of how he spoke of it, but he is now known to be possessive and uncaring. While the graeca could refer to the ember of life within Sera, it could just as easily refer to Sera herself (specifically, her true identity as Sotoria).

“I knew it said something that he’d given it to me. Not that he trusted me

now, but it was as if he knew I needed it.”

Sera acknowledges that Ash giving her a shadowstone dagger with which to defend herself doesn’t necessarily mean he trusts her. However, as the dagger can kill him or his people, the act still demonstrates empathy for her.