“Even though I had fears about our return, I was mostly exuberant too. I could finally admit that I loved Hell’s Mouth. It hummed in my blood like it had that first day I rode into it. Only this time I wouldn’t be an intruder looking for trouble. I’d have trouble riding right beside me, and I would be a part of it all, helping Tor’s Watch to become something more.”

Kazi’s exuberance and love for Hell’s Mouth contrast sharply with the grim reality awaiting her. This passage is also an example of dramatic irony since her optimism about helping Tor’s Watch and not being an intruder is undercut by the reader’s knowledge of her impending capture and the turmoil in the town. This heightens the tension and underscores the unpredictable nature of her journey, reinforcing the theme of Secrets and Deceptions.

“Only now did I understand the unbearable weight of secrets. You can never know their true burden until they’ve been lifted from you. These past weeks we had been swept up in the near-giddy lightness of truth. […] Though our truthfulness was a heady elixir that I wanted more of, the closer we got to Tor’s Watch, the more I felt the weight of new secrets creeping back in.”

Kazi is in a difficult position: Although she is married to Jase and wants to support him, her loyalty to the Queen takes precedence. The Queen has ordered Kazi to secure or destroy documents related to the Ballengers’ weapons. Destroying these papers could damage her relationship with Jase. Yet, she refuses to tell him about her assignment despite their growing honesty with each other, illustrating the difficulties with Secrets and Deceptions.

“We. Everything was we now. We wove our dreams together like armor. Nothing could stop us now.”

Kazi and Jase’s relationship undergoes a significant transformation from the previous book in the duology, Dance of Thieves, evolving from an adversarial relationship to a cooperative one. This quote highlights their shared dreams and mutual support, portraying their newfound view of each other as family. The use of “we” in this passage symbolizes their partnership and collective strength.