Scarred

“If you want to burn down hell, you must learn to play the devil’s game.

The metaphorical crown being placed on my head is almost as heavy as the knowledge that everyone depends on me to see things through.”

This quote highlights the burden that Sara feels toward her duty, and her words also introduce The Struggle Between Duty and Personal Desire. In this early moment, she firmly believes that her duty is to kill the Faasas and avenge her father’s murder, even though her quest will most likely result in her death. By characterizing Michael as “the devil” and the castle surroundings as a metaphorical version of “hell,” she also reveals her contempt for the country’s current regime.

“But one of the first things my father taught me was to keep your friends close and your secrets closer. So while I love Sheina, I don’t trust her with the heavy burden of my truths.”

This quote captures Sara’s loneliness and indicates that in reality, her revenge quest is a heavy burden. While she cares for her friend Sheina, she does not feel free to be honest with her or with anyone else, and her resulting sense of isolation stands as one of The Consequences of Vengeance that she finds to be personally debilitating.

“My chair tilts until I’m staring at the textured ceiling, feeling cold even though there’s a fire roaring in the room’s corner. Or maybe that’s just my insides—where my heart used to be—now empty and lacking, a hollow ache that craves chaos just to see it burn.”

By linking the concrete details of his surroundings with his own emotional state, Tristan’s contemplations convey the dark overtones of his current emptiness and existential angst. When he mentions “crav[ing] chaos just to see it burn,” his words foreshadow the deadly conflagration that he is later willing to start in order to achieve his vengeful goals. However, his emphasis on his own lack of feelings indicates that he must undergo a drastic internal shift before he regains his “heart.”

“That’s the difference between me and other people. They run away from the bad things, and I become them.”

This quote from Tristan’s perspective explores the consequences of vengeance. While Tristan wants to kill his brother in order to satisfy his own burning need for some form of justice, he acknowledges the irony that his quest has forced him to become the same type of bully that his brother always was. However, unlike Michael, Tristan is more honest about his inner darkness, embracing it and using it as a shield against those who would oppose him.

“No one else has treated me the way she does—with anger brimming so potently that it tries to bleed through their gaze and strike me down.”

This quote delves into Tristan’s fascination with Sara, and in accordance with the conventions of the dark romance genre, he is just as entranced with her more ominous qualities as he is with her overt personality traits. Because she treats him differently than anyone else does, he becomes intrigued by their deeply fraught interactions. Far from avoiding him or cowering before him, she flares out in defiance, thereby earning his respect.

“I feel out of control. Every single piece of me is raging to grab her, fuck her, brand her, and keep her, which is crazy because I don’t even want her.”

Even as the inherent violence in this quote exemplifies the tropes of dark romance, Tristan’s thoughts also explore the struggle between duty and personal desire. Tristan knows that Sara is betrothed to his brother, but he desires her even as he tries to convince himself that he does not want her. His vehement denial stems from his knowledge that his instinctive attraction to her can only complicate and endanger his rebellion in progress.

“She stares at me for so long, I become convinced she knows what I’m about to do, and I expect her to step in and put a stop to it, the way anyone else would.”

This quote shows that Sara subverts Tristan’s expectations and also shows him that she holds hidden depths, secrets, and strengths. By analyzing her body language so closely, Tristan reveals the true extent of his interest in her and conveys the intensity of their wordless communication. When she implicitly condones his intentions to kill the interfering Antony, Tristan becomes fully aware of her mercenary side and finds it appealing.

“It continually surprises me how easy it is to end a person’s life. Even as a boy, I never felt the type of attachment others do, and there’s only been one death that’s affected me.”

This quote reveals Tristan’s sense of detachment from traditional morality and clearly delineates him as an anti-hero who sees himself as being vastly different from those around him and those above them. In this scene, Tristan feels no remorse over his cold-blooded murder of Antony, even though Antony has done nothing wrong. Tristan’s calm, emotionless statement reveals his innate ruthlessness and suggests that any redemption he manages to find will be very hard to come by.

“The conversation should put me at ease. After all, he’s finally speaking to me as if I’m part of the plans. But there’s something about the way the air thins that sends alarm tickling my skin, making my hair stand on end, and it hits me that maybe my cousin Xander isn’t the person my uncle has led me to believe he is.”

This quote foreshadows Sara’s eventual break with her cousin, who proves himself to be less than trustworthy. Later in the novel, it will be revealed that Xander and his father are using Sara as a scapegoat in their plot to take the throne from the Faasas. Thus, in this earlier scene, Sara’s doubt of Xander also casts doubt upon Uncle Raf by association, indicating that her family holds even darker secrets than the revenge plot that currently guides her actions.

“‘You thirst for power?’ he rasps, his palm ghosting across my collarbone before wrapping around my throat. ‘I can fill you with it until you scream.’”

This scene features Tristan’s first indication that he wants Sara for more than just a few moments of meaningless passion. Despite the implicit physical threat in his actions, his words imply that he wants to share his power with her and join their destinies together. The contradiction between his body language and his statement creates a dark and oppressive tone that is common to the relationships featured in the dark romance genre.

“There are a few seconds of silence, tension wringing the air tight as we gaze into each other’s eyes, not knowing how—or maybe unwilling—to admit there’s something more than animosity between us.”

This quote represents a major turning point in the enemies-to-lovers trope that forms the basis of the novel’s premise, and both characters begin to realize that they feel an affinity for one another despite their overt opposition to one another’s goals. From this point forward, they will begin to sacrifice their broader duties to their personal desires, and this shift in dynamic will complicate the rhythm of the narrative.

“But I know the truth.

Something has spooked him.

And it’s something to do with his dead father.”

Throughout the novel, McIntire uses the alternating first-person narratives to incite dramatic irony and provide crucial information that continues to elude the characters themselves. Tristan’s narrative has already revealed that he strategically planted the handkerchief to scare his brother, who feels guilty for murdering the king. Therefore, the reason for Michael’s unease is already fully explained even though Sara lacks this knowledge. She knows that Michael is frightened, but she does not know who left the handkerchief or why it frightens Michael.

“Perhaps it was stupid of me to let Edward live, and if it were anyone else, I wouldn’t. But Edward is a critical piece in the rebellion. Losing him would be akin to losing an arm, and that’s a risk I’m not prepared to take.”

This quote characterizes the mercenary way in which Tristan views everyone around him—even his closest confidante, Edward. Because his callous worldview compels him to see people as tools rather than allies, his essentially ruthless nature takes center stage in this scene. However, Tristan’s callous attitude renders him, like Sara, deeply isolated, implying that he damages himself as much as he harms others.

“I suppose that’s what happens when you experience the harsh cruelties that this world and the people within it offer. And as I stare at Ophelia, her soft features looking up at me in awe, I send up a quick prayer, hoping she’s able to hold on to that innocence for as long as possible.”

This quote foreshadows the climax of the novel, when Ophelia is revealed to have been spying on Sara for Michael’s benefit. In that context, this particular scene gains a tinge of irony in retrospect, as despite what Sara currently believes, Ophelia is not innocent; she and Michael are having an affair. The moment also suggests that Sara is not always a good judge of character since she trusts Ophelia and mistrusts the loyal Marisol.

“He makes me feel safe. Important. And I haven’t known that since my father.

If I dig a little deeper, it’s easy to see that Tristan and I, we’re cut from the same cloth, and that’s part of the reason I can’t stand the sight of him. Because looking at Tristan is like looking in a mirror and seeing the pieces of myself I try so hard to hide.”

This quote reveals the growing attraction between Sara and Tristan even as it emphasizes their affinity for each other and their equally ruthless worldviews. Once again, the author uses this scene to conform to the twisted paradoxes that characterize the dark romance genre, for despite Tristan’s inherent personality flaws and taste for violence, his presence makes Sara feel safe. By equating Tristan to a “mirror,” Sara uses this metaphor to acknowledge the more unscrupulous acts of her own nature.

“Timothy’s blood has long since been washed away, yet somehow, I feel as though I’ll never be clean again. The sins of my decisions have always been heavy, but tonight, they’re crushing me beneath their weight. If only I had listened.”

Despite Sara’s calculating and mercenary personality, this quote indicates that she is not without a sense of remorse, as she openly acknowledges that her rash actions have led to the violent death of her guard and friend, Timothy. Thus, even as she remains immersed in her own plans for revenge, she proves that she is not entirely incapable of reflecting on the consequences of her actions.

“And the way he stares, as though he’s diving into my soul and seeing every part, makes me feel like I could ask him for the world, and he’d tear it to pieces just to fit it into my hands.”

This quote vividly captures the intensity and depth of the connection between Sara and Tristan. The imagery of Tristan “diving into [Sara’s] soul” suggests a profound understanding and emotional intimacy that transcends superficial interactions. In this light, even the pair’s most incidental exchanges become fraught with deeper meaning, and their growing fascination with one another highlights the struggle between duty and personal desire.

“There’s only been one thing I’ve longed for in this world, and it’s at my fingertips, the crown so close I can almost reach out and place it on my head.

But now there’s her.

And everything else pales in comparison.”

This quote captures Tristan’s internal conflict, as he finds himself torn between his pursuit of power and his need to explore this unexpected emergence of love for Sara. Although he has come so close to gaining power, Sara’s presence has shifted his priorities, making it clear that his love for her has transformed him and given him access to The Convoluted Road to Redemption.

“My eyes scan over the people, my heart screaming and spitting in the center of my chest, but I ignore the pain, refusing to admit to myself that the man I’ve fallen for is the one who murdered my father.”

The visceral details of this passage illustrate Sara’s intense emotional turmoil and inner conflict. Likewise, her refusal to acknowledge the truth about Tristan’s actions underscores the complexity of her feelings as she finds herself torn between love and betrayal. This moment becomes McIntire’s version of the requisite “third-act breakup,” in which a sudden misunderstanding pushes the protagonists apart despite their desire for one another.

“‘The truth is, I am yours. Wholly. Inexplicably. Painfully. Unconditionally.’ He moves my hand until the dagger presses against his throat. ‘And if you need to sacrifice my soul so you’re able to live with yours, then do it.’”

This quote marks the beginning of a turning point between Tristan and Sara because Tristan is finally being open and honest about his feelings for her as he tells her that he did not cause her father’s death. His willingness to sacrifice himself to assuage her need for vengeance illustrates how profoundly he has changed. Earlier in the novel, he considered himself willing to kill Sara to further his own ends, and instead, he now sacrifices his own goals, even offering to let her kill him.

“‘You were the scapegoat, little doe. The one who would take the fall for the murders of the monarch and blaze the path for them to steal the crown.’ […] My chest feels heavy, and my soul feels worn, but there’s also a sense of relief that lifts a burden from my shoulders, the chains tying me to the Beatreaux name breaking away and smashing as they fall to the ground.”

In this moment, Uncle Raf’s words force Sara to realize that he and Xander have always regarded her as expendable and have been using her for their own ambition. The condescending phrase “little doe” also implicitly compares Sara to a naïve, innocent being whose only purpose is to be sacrificed. Her resulting fury paradoxically provides her with a sense of relief to be freed from the burden of supporting her family’s goals and collective honor. Her sense of obligation and loyalty therefore shifts from her family to Tristan, reconciling the struggle between duty and personal desire.

“I’ve felt loyalty before; it runs through my veins deep. It used to beat for family, for duty. For my people.

But with Tristan? I would light myself on fire and revel in the burn if I knew it would please him.”

This quote explores how Sara’s priorities have shifted; unlike her mindset at the novel’s outset, her loyalty is now entirely focused on Tristan, just as his loyalty is dedicated to her. This quote therefore explores the convoluted road to redemption, indicating that Sara has found a new source of love and acceptance in her unlikely relationship with Tristan.

“I slam my fist against my chest. ‘But together we rule, and divided we fall. I am asking you—begging you—to stand with me. There is no one better to lead you than Tristan Faasa. And he deserves your fight, the same way he has always fought for you.’”

In this scene, Sara summons her own powers of rhetoric in an effort to rouse the rebels to action, inciting them to infiltrate the castle and save Tristan’s life. Although Sara does not feel equipped to speak to the crowd, she harnesses her passion for Tristan to deliver a speech that proves that she harbors the talents and strength of will to serve as an influential leader.