“Royal.

I almost allow myself to laugh at the title. I frequently forget what I was before what I became. A prince before the Enforcer. A boy before the monster.

But, today, I am no one. Today, I simply get to be with who should have been.”

The Prologue, from Kai’s perspective, centers on his visit to his younger sister’s grave, an event that the novel references later to emphasize his emotional baggage. At this point in the story, however, Ava (or “who should have been”) remains unnamed, creating anticipation and intrigue. The quote helps define Kai’s character as someone who struggles to reconcile his noble position with his duty as a murderer, a moral dilemma that strongly characterizes him throughout the series.

“My blood is only useful if it can manage to stay inside my body.

My mind is only useful if it can manage to not get lost.

My heart is only useful if it can manage to not get broken.

Well, it seems I’ve become utterly useless, then.”

The first chapter of the novel, from Paedyn’s perspective, opens with lines that use parallelism, or a repetitive grammatical structure, to emphasize her dire situation. She’s wounded, heartbroken, and on the run following the events of Powerless. This quote exemplifies the author’s characteristic writing style, which uses highly lyrical syntax.

“It’s been three days since I stumbled back to my childhood home, haunted and half-dead. And yet, both my mind and body are far from healed.”

This passage frames the novel as a direct sequel to the events in Powerless, the first book in the series, which ended only three days before Reckless begins. In addition, the passage foreshadows Paedyn’s emotional and physical journey in the novel from seemingly hopeless and alone to healed and empowered.