As the novel’s title symbol, twilight represents the liminal and emotionally charged space of healing. It is the transitional state between the absolute darkness of Nova’s captivity and the full light of her future, a time defined by both vulnerability and emergent hope. Key moments in Nova’s journey unfold during these hours: Kol finds her in the “fading twilight,” and their gravest connections and confessions often occur on his back deck as evening descends. This recurring setting imbues the narrative with a sense of gentle, gradual change rather than a stark or sudden recovery, a quality further symbolized in the horse named Twilight, with whom Nova gradually establishes a mutual trust that helps both human and animal recover from their respective traumas. 

Twilight is a quiet, in-between time where shadows and light coexist, mirroring Nova’s internal state as she navigates memories and builds a new life. The symbol culminates in the epilogue, where Kol asks Nova to meet him in the twilight not just for one night, but forever. Her response that “[f]orever isn’t nearly long enough” solidifies twilight as their sacred space (401), transforming it from a symbol of uncertain transition into one of lasting love and shared peace. It represents the beauty found not in perfect daylight but in the gentle, evolving light that follows darkness.