The first-person narrator of The Gilded Ones is Deka, who is 16 when the novel begins. Throughout the book, she learns about her true identity and lineage. At first, all she knows is that her mother was from the South, which is where she gets her dark skin and curly hair, as well as some subtle premonitions. Much of the novel is her reflections and reactions or, in other words, her “thoughts are always spinning” (259).

Deka’s deeper differences are initially revealed when the deathshrieks try to rescue her from the Ritual of Purity. Once the villagers learn she can control the deathshrieks, they murder her repeatedly and sell her golden blood. This is where Deka begins to question all the teachings of the men. Deka believes her suffering at the hands of the villagers helps her understand women who are not as powerful as she is, being the chosen one.

White Hands facilitates Deka’s escape from the cellar and offers the life of a warrior but does not reveal Deka’s true nature until the end of the book. Once in training and in battle, Deka becomes more powerful and confident. Without knowing her divine origins, she seeks to unite the alaki and investigate the deathshrieks rather blindly accepting that they are evil.