A Fire in the Flesh

Life in Kolis’s court is dangerous and unpredictable, as his whims are carried out without question or regard for the loyalty of his subjects. Because most of A Fire in the Flesh takes place within this setting, the manipulations and betrayals of trust are a driving force behind the central conflicts of the narrative. As the false Primal of Life, Kolis epitomizes the betrayal of trust on both a personal and cosmic level. His usurpation of power by stealing the role from Eythos was not just a transgression against his twin brother but a disruption of the natural balance between life and death. Kolis’s actions show how betrayal can fracture trust on a personal level as well as destabilize entire systems, like the cosmic order of the novel’s world. Once he became the false King of the Gods, Kolis weaponized trust to consolidate his power and manipulate those around him. By keeping his victims in a constant state of uncertainty, unable to trust and filled with doubt, he ensures their dependence and compliance. 

Kolis’s weaponization of trust is also evident in the attitudes and actions of the loyalists within his court, who are simultaneously perpetrators and victims of the manipulation of trust. In earlier books in the series, the Primal Veses manipulates Nyktos, forcing him to allow her to feed from him. However, Veses herself suffers from Kolis’s violating punishments in the grand hall and tells Sera that it is not the first time this has happened. Despite this, she remains loyal to Kolis. Her loyalty to Kolis and manipulation of Nyktos illustrate the cyclical nature of the weaponization of trust, in which those who betray others often find themselves betrayed in turn. Veses is only one example of the way that Kolis fosters this mentality among those following him. This widespread culture of manipulation of trust for personal gain shows not only how individual relationships become corrupted but also how this culture can become institutionalized to redefine entire systems of power.

However, some characters, like Attes, the Primal of War and Accord, approach the manipulation of trust from a different angle. At first, Sera sees Attes as a traitor for his alliance with Kolis and attack on the Shadowlands in the prior novel. However, Attes claims that his actions saved lives and limited the destruction that Kolis sought to unleash upon the Shadowlands. It was also done out of loyalty to the deceased Eythos, whom he was close friends with. Although Attes’s actions are a betrayal, he also manipulates Kolis’s trust to gain the power to save lives. The revelation forces Sera to consider whether a betrayal is still a betrayal if done for the greater good and whether such acts can ever be fully redeemed.

On a broader level, the novel’s exploration of trust and betrayal is part of a larger conversation about power and responsibility. The Primals, as beings of immense power, are constantly faced with choices that test their integrity. The erosion of trust among the Primals is caused by centuries of betrayal and self-interest. On the other hand, the moments of trust and solidarity between Sera, Nyktos, and their allies offer a glimmer of hope that unity and cooperation are possible. The characters exist in a web of power and responsibility that depends on balance; Armentrout delves into the various ways that trust can manifest and be manipulated to consider the broader implications of how it plays into the responsibilities of each character in the larger world of the novel.