55 pages • 1-hour read
Heat of the Everflame
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Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence and death.
Crown
Diem Bellator’s Crown symbolizes The Implications of Power and Duty. The novel begins immediately after Diem’s coronation, meaning she has just assumed the role of Lumnos’s Queen. Diem now holds a position of authority and is adjusting to what her title means. The more time Diem spends as Queen, the more she feels the “weight [of the Crown] on [her] head” (169). The Crown feels heavy to Diem, because it requires her to satisfy her people’s expectations, to assume authority she has never had before, and to make sacrifices she is unsure she is capable of making.
Over the course of the novel, the implications of Diem’s Crown intensify. She initially believes she is only Lumnos’s ruler. Over time, she realizes she is descended from the 10th Kindred Omnos and is thus the Daughter of the Forgotten. In this role, Diem is meant to “guard [her] people well,” to teach “them as much as [she learns] from them,” and to “seek virtue in all things” (598). She gradually gains authority over each of the independent realms as she becomes the supreme ruler of Emarion as a whole. The physical Crown’s changing appearance and magical qualities represent the evolution of Diem’s authoritative role and the lessons she is learning about being a leader.
Compass
Diem’s magical compass symbolizes her innate spirit and authentic identity. It was “a gift from the Crown of Meros” and is “spelled with Kindred magic to lead to whatever one’s heart most desires” (118). Although Diem understands the compass’s power, she is surprised when it leads her to Luther Corbois time and again. The compass is a physical representation of Diem’s instincts. When she follows the compass, she is following her heart and her gut. Her travels through the Emarion realms and her discoveries about her parental origins often obscure her independent sense of self. She often feels unable to discern what she wants, needs, or believes because of these external pressures. The compass, however, offers her a tangible way to find grounding in herself.
Diem’s relationship with Luther also helps her to remember who she is and what she wants for her future. When the compass repeatedly leads her to Luther, she realizes she is meant to be with him—not because she has been told to, but because Luther validates who she is and believes in the woman she is becoming. Diem always feels balanced and calm, seen and understood when they are together. The compass reminds her of this truth and inspires her to embrace her and Luther’s transformative love.
Secrets
Secrets form a key motif in the novel, reflecting Diem’s struggles in navigating The Challenges of Claiming Identity and Autonomy. Throughout the narrative, Diem uncovers several secrets that change her understanding of her own identity and her relationships with other people. For example, when she uncovers the secret of her mother Auralie’s involvement with the Guardians, she realizes that she did not fully know or understand who her mother really was, which creates some strain between them. She also spends part of the narrative unaware that Luther is hiding the secret of his godstone injury from her—discovering his secret wounds and illness reveals to Diem both the extent of the sacrifices Luther is willing to make for her and reminds her of the strength of her feelings for him.
Diem also discovers secrets related to Emarion’s history and her own ancestry. Omnos is the 10th Kindred. Like her people, Diem has been led to believe that there were only nine Kindred, which is why there are only nine realms of Emarion. When she learns about Omnos, Diem discovers the truth about her kingdom’s dark history. Omnos’s siblings captured, imprisoned, disempowered, and killed Omnos because they were threatened by his power. They then proceeded to take away his land and to erase his name from all archival records. Learning about Omnos opens Diem to a new understanding of Emarion and herself. She learns that she is descended from Omnos, but also that violence, discrimination, and subjugation are embedded in Emarion’s culture and society. Once Diem learns about Omnos she is better able to pursue justice and peace for her people.
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