Early in their relationship, Caspen gifts Tem a claw fashioned out of his semen which hardens into a solid, pearlescent substance. Later, he gives her a second claw fashioned out of their combined fluids after a sexual encounter. By keeping the claw inside her, Tem secretly carries a piece of Caspen with her, an act that defies her public duty to court the prince and instead nurtures her private desire for the basilisk. The claw also frequently pulses when Caspen is thinking about Tem, creating a pleasurable experience for her and sometimes leading to telepathic sexual encounters. The pulses of pleasure he sends her through the claw are not just acts of seduction; they are a constant, tangible reminder of their developing emotional intimacy and his claim on her. The claw symbolizes the ubiquitous presence of desire and sexual awareness that is unlocked once Caspen initiates Tem’s sexual awareness.

Before meeting Caspen, Tem’s sexuality is a solitary and private affair. The claw transforms it into a shared, albeit secret, experience, allowing her to receive pleasure from another for the first time. This object, born of magic, offers the first hints of her basilisk nature long before it is revealed to her. Its presence inside her is a physical manifestation of her emerging identity as an embodied and confident woman who is unashamed of her desires and capacity for pleasure. Tem’s embrace of her sexuality sets the stage for her to later embrace her basilisk identity: by showing her that she should revel in everything about herself and never feel shame, Caspen lays the groundwork for her self-acceptance.

While the claw symbolizes Tem’s right to pleasure and Caspen’s adoration, it is also a complex object that embodies possessiveness, ownership, and jealousy. Just as sexual desire frequently engenders jealousy, Caspen uses the device to give Tem pleasure and to stake his claim toward her. Tem is repeatedly worried Leo will encounter the claw, which he eventually does. While it satisfies and empowers her, Tem’s initiation into sexual exploration with a partner also comes with fraught emotional complexities to navigate.