“His voice was careful, soft. As if Rune were made of glass and he needed to handle her with caution.”

Alex is the only person in Rune’s life who loves her unconditionally. While it is admirable how he looks after Rune, his desire to protect her rather than place her in danger highlights a distinct difference in their values. Alex would rather flee from the problems of the New Republic than continue in a futile effort to save all the witches from the execution block.

“Rune was a deer, and he was a hunter. Taking her measure, noting every detail and flaw, trying to decide if she would be worth the hunt. A second later, he frowned and looked away. Evidently, she wasn’t.”

Kristen Ciccarelli uses distinct imagery and metaphor to portray the danger of Rune and Gideon’s interactions. As they play their double-sided, deadly game of cat and mouse, Rune never loses sight of the fact that he is the hunter and she is his prey.

“In a war room full of weapons, Gideon was the deadliest, and Rune was heading straight toward that honed edge, her throat bared.”

This passage describes the courtship in which Rune and Gideon engage. As Rune falls for Gideon, she acknowledges that she’s opening herself up to not only heartbreak but also death should he ever discover her true identity.