Symbols A Queen of Thieves & Chaos K.A. Tucker

The Ulysede Coin: Symbol of Secrecy and Destiny

What Is the Ulysede Coin?

The Ulysede coin is a gold piece stamped with two intertwined crescents, representing the hidden nymph city of Ulysede. It functions as both literal currency and a symbol of the city’s existence—an object that, when revealed to Cirilea’s elites, signals a connection to a realm that has been secret for tens of thousands of years. The emblems match the marks branded on mortals during King Atticus’s purge, linking the coin to the current crisis. Unlike ordinary gold, this coin carries weight only when its origin is recognized, making it a tool of identification and a token of allegiance.

Where the Coin Appears in the Story

The coin recurs at several pivotal moments, each time surfacing in a scene where trust is tested or a secret is about to be exposed:

  • Romeria bribes Captain Kaders (Chapter 46 / CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE): Romeria places a gold coin with the Ulysede emblem on the table to secure ships for mortal evacuation. The physical coin acts as a promise of payment and a visual claim of her hidden identity.
  • Bexley gives the coin to Atticus (Chapter 47 / CHAPTER FORTY-SIX): After a tense conversation in the Goat’s Knoll, Bexley leaves a Ulysede coin behind for Atticus. He recognizes the crescents and immediately understands that someone from Ulysede is within Cirilea.
  • Pan hands the coin to Gracen (Chapter 49 / CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT): The young mortal Pan gives Gracen a gold coin as proof that Romeria’s kingdom exists. For Gracen, the coin becomes a tangible promise of safety and a connection to the exiled queen.
  • Corrin finds the coin in Gracen’s pocket (Chapter 52 / CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE): Corrin discovers the coin while helping Gracen dress. This moment forces Gracen to reveal the truth about Romeria’s visit and sets up a dangerous alliance within the castle.

How the Coin’s Meaning Evolves

Initially, the coin is nothing more than a bribe. Romeria uses it to buy cooperation from a sea captain, treating it as conventional wealth. But as the story progresses, its symbolic range expands:

  • From payment to proof of identity: When Romeria places the coin face-up on the table, she signals to Bexley that she is connected to Ulysede. Bexley, who trades in secrets, recognizes the emblem as the same mark being branded on mortals, linking the coin to the larger conspiracy.
  • From secret to threat: Atticus, upon seeing the coin, feels his stomach clench. The coin transforms from a forgotten piece of metal to a source of dread. He immediately rushes outside to confront the caster and legionary, nearly costing him his life. The coin here is a catalyst for violence.
  • From promise to burden: For Gracen, the coin represents hope but also risk. Corrin’s discovery of it puts Gracen in a position where she must either lie or trust a servant who may report her. The coin becomes a test of loyalty, and Gracen chooses to keep the secret, altering her relationship with the crown.

Character Connections

  • Romeria uses the coin as a practical tool for evacuation and as a means of revealing her connection to Ulysede without words. Her handling of it shows her willingness to stake her claim to power while prioritizing mortal lives.
  • Bexley wields the coin as a deliberate clue. By giving it to Atticus, she distances herself from the king while hinting at future allegiances. Her phrasing—“It was mildly pleasant knowing you, Atticus”—implies she expects him to understand the coin’s meaning and act on it.
  • Atticus is the receiver of the coin, and his reaction reveals his vulnerability. He realizes Bexley knows more than he does about Ulysede, and that realization fuels his paranoia. The coin literally stops him in his tracks long enough to be attacked.
  • Gracen treasures the coin as a lifeline. She hides it and later discloses it only under pressure from Corrin. Her decision to trust Corrin with the coin’s origin deepens the theme of forming alliances across enemy lines.
  • Pan hands the coin to Gracen as a gesture of solidarity. For him, the coin is a token of Romeria’s promise, freely given to reassure a frightened mother.

Theme Connections

  • Secrecy and Truth: The coin is a physical secret. Its appearance forces characters to confront what they know and what they hide. Atticus recognizes the city name only because of prior knowledge; Bexley must decide how much to reveal; Gracen must choose between silence and honesty. The coin functions as a truth-teller in a world built on lies. (See the Secrecy and Truth theme.)
  • Trust across Enemy Lines: Every exchange involving the coin crosses a boundary. A Ybarisan princess bribes a Skatranan captain; a tavern owner tips off a king; a mortal boy passes a message to a noble’s tributary. The coin becomes a currency of trust, given and received by people who have no reason to trust one another. (Related: Trust across Enemy Lines.)
  • Prophecy and Destiny: The coin originates from a city that prophecy says should remain hidden. Gesine’s translation of ancient tomes confirms that Ulysede’s emergence was foretold. By circulating the coin, Romeria is inadvertently driving events toward the fulfillment of a deeper design. (Explore Prophecy and Destiny.)
  • Freedom and Servitude: Mortals are branded with the crescent mark as a sign of subjugation, yet the same emblem on the coin offers them a path to freedom. The dual use of the symbol highlights the tension between oppression and liberation. (See Freedom and Servitude.)

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Bexley choose to give the coin to Atticus rather than keep it?
    Bexley understands that the coin is more valuable as a message than as a possession. By leaving it behind, she tips Atticus off to the presence of Ulysede agents in the city, forcing him to act while she distances herself from the outcome. Her gift is a calculated betrayal—she gives Atticus a clue she knows will endanger him, all while maintaining plausible deniability.

  2. How does the coin connect the mortar branding subplot to the Ulysede storyline?
    The double-crescent emblem is used both to mark mortals (as a sign of taint) and to identify the hidden city. When Pan gives Gracen the coin, he tells her the same emblem on her hand will be recognized in Ulysede. The coin thus turns a symbol of persecution into one of belonging, inverting the meaning from fear to safety.

  3. In what way does Gracen’s possession of the coin test her loyalty?
    Corrin discovers the coin and demands an explanation. Gracen must decide whether to lie, deflect, or reveal the truth about Romeria’s visit. She chooses to trust Corrin, sharing the coin’s origin and the message about the prophecy. This act of vulnerability deepens their alliance and sets Gracen on a path that opposes Atticus’s regime.

  4. What does Atticus’s reaction to the coin reveal about his character?
    Atticus immediately deduces that someone from Ulysede is in Cirilea and rushes outside without considering danger. His reaction shows that he is driven by a need to control every threat, even at the cost of personal safety. The coin exposes his impulsive nature and his growing isolation—he has no one nearby to caution him against the ambush that follows.