The Serpent and the Wings of Night

Vincent moves young Oraya into the palace. After several weeks, Oraya becomes hungry enough to leave her hiding spot between her dresser and the wall while Vincent is present in her chambers. Vincent commends her for not trusting vampires, and his words become a mantra that she will remember into adulthood: “‘You are not safe. Not in this castle. Not in this room. You are prey in a world of predators […] I will never hurt you […] But I am the only one who will make that promise, and keep it” (44). He promises to teach her how to protect herself, and for the first time since coming to the House of Night, Oraya feels safe.

The narrative returns to the present moment. Vincent’s voice in Oraya’s head combats her panic within the Moon Palace, an enchanted castle within Sivrinaj that is used only for the Kejari. She heads toward the uppermost tower, which offers enough sunlight during the day to keep vampires away. As Oraya moves upward, human screams echo throughout the castle, and she recognizes Ilana’s voice among them. Oraya runs toward the sound, desperate to save her friend, but is grabbed by a stranger who claims to be saving her.