diff --git a/serde_json_path/src/parser/primitive/int.rs b/serde_json_path/src/parser/primitive/int.rs
index cd2bbd5..8338cbb 100644
--- a/serde_json_path/src/parser/primitive/int.rs
+++ b/serde_json_path/src/parser/primitive/int.rs
@@ -50,18 +50,9 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn parse_integers() {
-        assert_eq!(parse_int("0"), Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_opt(0).unwrap())));
-        assert_eq!(
-            parse_int("10"),
-            Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_opt(10).unwrap()))
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            parse_int("-10"),
-            Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_opt(-10).unwrap()))
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            parse_int("010"),
-            Ok(("10", Integer::from_i64_opt(0).unwrap()))
-        );
+        assert_eq!(parse_int("0"), Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_unchecked(0))));
+        assert_eq!(parse_int("10"), Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_unchecked(10))));
+        assert_eq!(parse_int("-10"), Ok(("", Integer::from_i64_unchecked(-10))));
+        assert_eq!(parse_int("010"), Ok(("10", Integer::from_i64_unchecked(0))));
     }
 }
diff --git a/serde_json_path/src/parser/segment.rs b/serde_json_path/src/parser/segment.rs
index a6365cb..e48b595 100644
--- a/serde_json_path/src/parser/segment.rs
+++ b/serde_json_path/src/parser/segment.rs
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert_eq!(s[0], Selector::Name(Name::from("name")));
             assert_eq!(
                 s[1],
-                Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_opt(10).unwrap()))
+                Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(10)))
             );
             assert_eq!(
                 s[2],
diff --git a/serde_json_path/src/parser/selector/mod.rs b/serde_json_path/src/parser/selector/mod.rs
index e66bf58..54ba2f5 100644
--- a/serde_json_path/src/parser/selector/mod.rs
+++ b/serde_json_path/src/parser/selector/mod.rs
@@ -87,14 +87,11 @@ mod tests {
     fn all_selectors() {
         {
             let (_, s) = parse_selector("0").unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(s, Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_opt(0).unwrap())));
+            assert_eq!(s, Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(0))));
         }
         {
             let (_, s) = parse_selector("10").unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(
-                s,
-                Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_opt(10).unwrap()))
-            );
+            assert_eq!(s, Selector::Index(Index(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(10))));
         }
         {
             let (_, s) = parse_selector("'name'").unwrap();
diff --git a/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/integer.rs b/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/integer.rs
index 6c86863..2dd4535 100644
--- a/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/integer.rs
+++ b/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/integer.rs
@@ -35,12 +35,21 @@ impl Integer {
         (MIN..=MAX).contains(&self.0)
     }
 
+    /// Produce an [`Integer`] with the value 0
+    pub fn zero() -> Self {
+        Self(0)
+    }
+
     /// Get an [`Integer`] from an `i64`
     ///
-    /// This will produce `None` if the inputted value is out of the valid range
+    /// This is intended for initializing an integer with small, non-zero numbers.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// This will panic if the inputted value is out of the valid range
     /// [-(2<sup>53</sup>)+1, (2<sup>53</sup>)-1]).
-    pub fn from_i64_opt(value: i64) -> Option<Self> {
-        Self::try_new(value).ok()
+    pub fn from_i64_unchecked(value: i64) -> Self {
+        Self::try_new(value).expect("value is out of the valid range")
     }
 
     /// Take the absolute value, producing `None` if the resulting value is outside
diff --git a/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/selector/slice.rs b/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/selector/slice.rs
index a829abe..3eb7750 100644
--- a/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/selector/slice.rs
+++ b/serde_json_path_core/src/spec/selector/slice.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl Slice {
     ///
     /// This will panic if the provided value is outside the range [-(2<sup>53</sup>) + 1, (2<sup>53</sup>) - 1].
     pub fn with_start(mut self, start: i64) -> Self {
-        self.start = Some(Integer::from_i64_opt(start).expect("valid start"));
+        self.start = Some(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(start));
         self
     }
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ impl Slice {
     ///
     /// This will panic if the provided value is outside the range [-(2<sup>53</sup>) + 1, (2<sup>53</sup>) - 1].
     pub fn with_end(mut self, end: i64) -> Self {
-        self.end = Some(Integer::from_i64_opt(end).expect("valid end"));
+        self.end = Some(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(end));
         self
     }
 
@@ -75,20 +75,20 @@ impl Slice {
     ///
     /// This will panic if the provided value is outside the range [-(2<sup>53</sup>) + 1, (2<sup>53</sup>) - 1].
     pub fn with_step(mut self, step: i64) -> Self {
-        self.step = Some(Integer::from_i64_opt(step).expect("valid step"));
+        self.step = Some(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(step));
         self
     }
 
     #[inline]
     fn bounds_on_forward_slice(&self, len: Integer) -> (Integer, Integer) {
-        let start_default = self.start.unwrap_or_default();
+        let start_default = self.start.unwrap_or(Integer::zero());
         let end_default = self.end.unwrap_or(len);
         let start = normalize_slice_index(start_default, len)
-            .unwrap_or_default()
-            .max(Integer::default());
+            .unwrap_or(Integer::zero())
+            .max(Integer::zero());
         let end = normalize_slice_index(end_default, len)
-            .unwrap_or_default()
-            .max(Integer::default());
+            .unwrap_or(Integer::zero())
+            .max(Integer::zero());
         let lower = start.min(len);
         let upper = end.min(len);
         (lower, upper)
@@ -98,23 +98,23 @@ impl Slice {
     fn bounds_on_reverse_slice(&self, len: Integer) -> Option<(Integer, Integer)> {
         let start_default = self
             .start
-            .or_else(|| Integer::from_i64_opt(1).and_then(|i| len.checked_sub(i)))?;
+            .or_else(|| len.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1)))?;
         let end_default = self.end.or_else(|| {
-            let l = len.checked_mul(Integer::from_i64_opt(-1).unwrap())?;
-            l.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_opt(1).unwrap())
+            let l = len.checked_mul(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(-1))?;
+            l.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1))
         })?;
         let start = normalize_slice_index(start_default, len)
-            .unwrap_or_default()
-            .max(Integer::from_i64_opt(-1).unwrap());
+            .unwrap_or(Integer::zero())
+            .max(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(-1));
         let end = normalize_slice_index(end_default, len)
-            .unwrap_or_default()
-            .max(Integer::from_i64_opt(-1).unwrap());
+            .unwrap_or(Integer::zero())
+            .max(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(-1));
         let lower = end.min(
-            len.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_opt(1).unwrap())
+            len.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1))
                 .unwrap_or(len),
         );
         let upper = start.min(
-            len.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_opt(1).unwrap())
+            len.checked_sub(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1))
                 .unwrap_or(len),
         );
         Some((lower, upper))
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl Queryable for Slice {
     fn query<'b>(&self, current: &'b Value, _root: &'b Value) -> Vec<&'b Value> {
         if let Some(list) = current.as_array() {
             let mut query = Vec::new();
-            let step = self.step.unwrap_or(Integer::from_i64_opt(1).unwrap());
+            let step = self.step.unwrap_or(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1));
             if step == 0 {
                 return vec![];
             }
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ impl Queryable for Slice {
     ) -> Vec<LocatedNode<'b>> {
         if let Some(list) = current.as_array() {
             let mut result = Vec::new();
-            let step = self.step.unwrap_or(Integer::from_i64_opt(1).unwrap());
+            let step = self.step.unwrap_or(Integer::from_i64_unchecked(1));
             if step == 0 {
                 return vec![];
             }