“She had made a vow—a vow to free Eyllwe. So in between moments of despair and rage and grief, in between thoughts of Chaol and the Wyrdkeys and all she’d left behind and lost, Celaena had decided on one plan to follow when she reached these shores. One plan, however insane and unlikely, to free the enslaved kingdom: find and obliterate the Wyrdkeys the King of Adarlan had used to build his terrible empire. She’d gladly destroy herself to carry it out.

Just her, just him. Just as it should be; no loss of life beyond their own, no soul stained but hers. It would take a monster to destroy a monster.”

The opening chapter clarifies Celaena’s goals, setting up the main plot points for this book and the rest of the series. It also emphasizes her priorities—she wants to protect as many people from harm as possible. Finally, it shows her self-perception—she views herself as a “monster” due to her traumatic experiences.

“There was nothing left in her, not really. Only ash and an abyss and the unbreakable vow she’d carved into her flesh, to the friend who had seen her for what she truly was.”

This passage exemplifies Celaena’s self-perception at the beginning of Heir of Fire. Her depression is evident, tying into the symbolism of her Fireheart nickname. Here, she is the Heir of Ash, unable to marshal her magic amid her despondency and grief.

“‘Symbols have power, Prince,’ Aedion said, pinning him with a stare. Celaena’s stare—unyielding and alive with challenge. ‘You’d be surprised by the power this still wields in the North—what it does to convince people not to pursue foolhardy plans.’”

The symbol of the Sword of Orynth is developed by Aedion’s conversation with Dorian. The double meaning of his words hints at Aedion’s secret work as a rebel against the Adarlan forces.