Born Between Light and Dark

Nathan Byrn is born into a world where witches live hidden among humans, divided into White (ostensibly "good") and Black (feared as "evil") factions. Nathan's mother is a White Witch, his father the infamous Black Witch Marcus Edge. From birth, Nathan is labeled a "Half Code"—a living embodiment of the Council's deepest fears about impurity and the unpredictable mingling of good and evil. His very existence is a threat, and the Council's rules and notifications begin to close in on him from his earliest days. Nathan's family is fractured by his parentage: his mother's suicide, his siblings' mixed feelings, and his grandmother's attempts to protect him all set the stage for a life of suspicion, isolation, and relentless scrutiny.

Caged and Conditioned

As Nathan grows, the Council's fear of his potential leads to his literal imprisonment. He is caged, shackled, and subjected to the harsh discipline of Celia, a former Hunter. The "trick" to survival, Nathan learns, is not to mind the pain, the humiliation, or the endless routine. Celia's brutal training is both physical and psychological, designed to break him or mold him into a weapon for the Council. Nathan's body heals quickly, a sign of his witch heritage, but his spirit is battered by isolation and violence. The cage becomes both a prison and a crucible, forging his resilience and sharpening his instincts for the battles ahead.

Family Ties, Family Lies

Nathan's family is a microcosm of the larger witch world's divisions. His grandmother, Gran, is his protector but also a keeper of secrets—about his parents' forbidden love, his mother's death, and the true nature of his father. His siblings, especially Arran and Jessica, reflect the spectrum of attitudes toward Nathan: Arran is loving and gentle, Jessica is cruel and manipulative. The Council's relentless notifications and assessments drive wedges between them, and Nathan's sense of self is shaped by both love and betrayal. The truth about his parents' relationship, and the Council's role in his mother's death, haunt Nathan and fuel his determination to survive.

The Council's Relentless Watch

The Council of White Witches is a bureaucratic, authoritarian force, obsessed with purity and control. Nathan is subjected to constant assessments, coded notifications, and invasive rules that restrict his movements, education, and relationships. The Council's Hunters—elite enforcers—are ever-present threats, and Nathan learns that even his family and friends can be used as spies. The Council's ultimate goal is to determine whether Nathan will be White or Black, and to use him as bait to capture or kill his father. Their methods are cruel, and their hypocrisy is evident in their willingness to torture, imprison, and manipulate in the name of "good."

Schoolyard Battles and First Love

Despite his outsider status, Nathan attends school with fains (non-witches) and other witches. He is bullied, ostracized, and marked as different, but finds solace in his gentle half-brother Arran and in Annalise, a White Witch girl who defies her family to befriend—and eventually love—him. Their relationship is a rare source of joy and hope, but it also brings danger: Annalise's brothers violently punish Nathan for daring to cross the boundaries of blood and code. The scars—literal and emotional—of these encounters shape Nathan's understanding of love, loyalty, and the cost of defiance.

Marked by Violence

Nathan's life is a cycle of violence: from Jessica's childhood cruelty to the O'Brien brothers' torture, from Celia's beatings to the Council's experiments. He is branded, both by the Council's tattoos and by the "BW" and "W" carved into his back. These marks are not just physical—they are symbols of the world's refusal to let him be whole, to accept his dual nature. Nathan's ability to heal is both a blessing and a curse, as it allows him to survive but also subjects him to ever more extreme tests. The violence he endures is a constant reminder of the world's fear and hatred.

The Weight of Heritage

Haunted by the legacy of his parents and ancestors, Nathan struggles to define himself. Is he destined to be a killer like his father, or can he choose a different path? The Council's narrative insists that Black is evil and White is good, but Nathan's experiences reveal the hypocrisy and brutality on both sides. Stories of his grandmother Saba's madness, his father's crimes, and the Council's tortures force Nathan to question the meaning of good and evil. His own powers—healing, resilience, and a growing affinity for the night—suggest that he is more than the sum of his bloodlines.

The Council's Trap

As Nathan nears his seventeenth birthday—the age when witches receive their Gifts—the Council's plans for him intensify. He is codified with magical tattoos, intended to brand him forever as a Half Code and to serve as a means of control or even destruction. The Council's ultimate goal is to use Nathan as a weapon against his father, Marcus Edge, fulfilling a prophecy that the son will be the instrument of the father's death. Nathan's training under Celia is revealed to be preparation for this role, and his every move is monitored, manipulated, and restricted.

Escape and Exile

With the help of his own cunning and a network of sympathetic witches and outcasts, Nathan escapes the Council's prison. His flight is a desperate, lonely journey through the underbelly of the witch world: safe houses, forgers, and Black Witch contacts. He is hunted relentlessly, forced to steal and fight to survive. Along the way, he meets Nikita/Ellen, a resourceful Half Blood who becomes an ally, and Bob, a mind-reading artist who helps him navigate the Black Witch underground. Nathan's exile is both a physical and existential journey, as he seeks not just safety but a sense of belonging and purpose.

Allies and Betrayals

Nathan's quest for freedom and identity brings him into contact with a range of allies—some trustworthy, some not. Jim and Trev, forgers and potion-makers, help him evade the Council but at a price. Mercury, a powerful Black Witch, offers the promise of the Giving ceremony but demands dangerous favors in return. Gabriel, a shape-shifting Black Witch trapped in a fain's body, becomes Nathan's closest friend and confidant, their bond deepening into something more. Yet betrayal is always a risk: spies, double agents, and the ever-present threat of the Council's reach make trust a dangerous gamble.

The Black Witch Network

The Black Witch community is a shadowy, fragmented network of exiles, criminals, and survivors. Nathan learns their ways—spells, codes, and the art of survival. He discovers that the lines between White and Black are blurred, that power and cruelty exist on both sides, and that the true enemy is the system that demands purity and obedience. Mercury's domain is a place of both refuge and danger, where bargains are struck and debts are paid in blood. Nathan's interactions with Black Witches challenge his assumptions and force him to confront the complexity of his own nature.

Mercury's Price

Mercury agrees to perform Nathan's Giving, the ritual that will grant him his full powers, but only in exchange for two favors: information about the Council's tattoos and a future service—possibly the assassination of Marcus Edge. Nathan is caught in a web of manipulation, forced to weigh his own survival against the lives of those he loves. Mercury's motives are personal—her sister was killed by Marcus—and her power is formidable. Nathan must navigate her demands, the threat to Annalise (now also in Mercury's hands), and the ever-present danger of the Hunters closing in.

The Knife and the Vision

A legendary knife, the Fairborn, becomes the focal point of the Council's and Mercury's schemes. Prophecy holds that two weapons will kill Marcus Edge: the Fairborn and his own son. Nathan, Gabriel, and Rose (Mercury's assistant) risk everything to steal the knife from Clay, the leader of the Hunters. The heist is a disaster: Rose is killed, Gabriel is separated, and Nathan is wounded and poisoned. The Fairborn's power is seductive and dangerous, and Nathan is forced to confront the possibility that he is destined to fulfill the prophecy he most fears.

Love and Loyalty Tested

As the final confrontation approaches, Nathan's relationships are tested to the breaking point. Annalise, now a fugitive herself, seeks Mercury's help and is caught in the crossfire of the witch war. Gabriel, risking his life to protect Nathan, becomes both a source of strength and a symbol of the choices Nathan must make. Love, loyalty, and trust are all fraught with danger, as every connection can be used as leverage by enemies. Nathan's struggle to save Annalise, honor Gabriel, and resist Mercury's manipulations is the emotional core of his journey.

The Final Hunt

The Hunters track Nathan and his allies to Mercury's mountain stronghold. In a night of violence and chaos, Rose is killed, Gabriel disappears, and Nathan is left wounded and alone. Mercury's fury is unleashed, and Annalise's life hangs in the balance. Nathan's healing powers are pushed to their limits, and he is forced to make impossible choices. The prophecy looms ever larger, as Nathan realizes that the only way to save those he loves may be to confront his father—or become the weapon the Council has always feared.

Gifts of Blood and Power

On the eve of his seventeenth birthday, Nathan is near death, poisoned and hunted. In a moment of suspended time, Marcus Edge appears and performs the Giving: three gifts (a ring, a knife, and his blood), the ritual words, and the transmission of power. Nathan is transformed, his identity as a witch finally affirmed. The encounter with his father is both a blessing and a curse—a moment of connection and a reminder of the prophecy's shadow. Marcus's motives remain ambiguous, and Nathan is left with both hope and dread for the future.

Running Toward Freedom

With the Giving complete, Nathan is hunted by all sides: the Council, the Hunters, Mercury, and the prophecy itself. Annalise's fate is uncertain, Gabriel's whereabouts unknown, and the world remains hostile to those who do not fit its rigid codes. Yet Nathan is changed—stronger, more self-aware, and determined to forge his own path. The story ends with him running, not just from his enemies but toward a future he will define for himself, armed with the gifts of his bloodline and the hard-won knowledge of who he is.

Characters

Nathan Byrn

Nathan is the protagonist, a Half Code—half White Witch, half Black Witch—whose very existence challenges the witch world's binary morality. Marked by trauma, violence, and relentless surveillance, Nathan is both a victim and a survivor. His relationships with his family, especially Arran and Annalise, reveal his capacity for love and loyalty, while his encounters with Celia, Mercury, and the Council force him to confront the darkness within and around him. Nathan's journey is one of self-discovery, as he struggles to define himself beyond the labels imposed on him. His healing powers, resilience, and capacity for empathy set him apart, even as he is shaped by the scars—physical and emotional—of his upbringing. By the end, Nathan is both more powerful and more vulnerable, poised between the roles of weapon and free agent.

Marcus Edge

Marcus is the most notorious Black Witch, Nathan's absent father, and the object of the Council's obsession. He is a figure of myth and menace, capable of transforming into animals and stealing other witches' Gifts by consuming their hearts. Marcus's relationship with Nathan is defined by absence, secrecy, and the weight of prophecy: that his son will be his undoing. When he finally appears, Marcus is both powerful and enigmatic—offering gifts, wisdom, and a measure of affection, but also reminding Nathan of the dangers of love and trust. Marcus's motives are never entirely clear, and his legacy is both a burden and a source of strength for Nathan.

Gran (Elsie Ashworth)

Gran is Nathan's grandmother and guardian, a White Witch who tries to shield him from the Council's worst excesses while keeping her own secrets about his parents' past. She is both nurturing and complicit, enforcing the Council's rules even as she resists them. Gran's love for Nathan is genuine, but her inability to protect him from the world's cruelty—and her own complicity in its systems—adds layers of tragedy to her character. Her eventual death is both a loss and a liberation for Nathan, forcing him to rely on himself and his chosen allies.

Arran Byrn

Arran is Nathan's half-brother, a White Witch whose kindness and loyalty are a constant source of comfort. He is the only family member who consistently supports Nathan, offering love without judgment. Arran's own struggles—with the Council, with his Gift, and with the dangers of association with Nathan—mirror the broader themes of loyalty and sacrifice. His presence in Nathan's life is a reminder of what is worth fighting for, and his absence is keenly felt when Nathan is forced into exile.

Jessica Byrn

Jessica is Nathan's half-sister, a White Witch whose Gift is disguise and whose personality is shaped by resentment and ambition. She is both a tormentor and a symbol of the witch world's intolerance, using her powers to manipulate and punish Nathan. Jessica's violence—both physical and psychological—leaves lasting scars, and her role as a Hunter makes her a direct agent of the Council's cruelty. She is a cautionary figure, showing how power can be twisted by fear and hatred.

Annalise O'Brien

Annalise is a White Witch from a powerful family, and Nathan's first love. Her willingness to defy her family and the Council to be with Nathan is both a source of hope and a catalyst for tragedy. Annalise's own suffering—ostracism, violence, and eventual captivity—mirrors Nathan's, and their relationship is a microcosm of the larger conflict between love and law, freedom and control. Annalise's fate is left unresolved, a reminder of the costs of defiance and the dangers of hope.

Celia

Celia is Nathan's jailer and trainer, a former Hunter tasked with preparing him for the Council's purposes. Her methods are brutal, but her motives are complex: she is both a victim and an agent of the system, shaped by her own losses and loyalties. Celia's relationship with Nathan is adversarial but not without moments of understanding, and her training is both a source of trauma and a foundation for Nathan's survival. She embodies the ambiguity of power and the possibility of change.

Mercury

Mercury is a legendary Black Witch, a fixer and broker who helps outcasts—for a price. Her motives are personal—revenge for her sister's death at Marcus's hands—and her methods are ruthless. Mercury's domain is a place of both refuge and danger, and her bargains are always double-edged. She is both a mentor and a threat to Nathan, offering the promise of power but demanding loyalty and sacrifice. Mercury's complexity lies in her capacity for both generosity and vengeance.

Gabriel

Gabriel is a Black Witch whose Gift is transformation, but who is trapped in a fain's body. He becomes Nathan's closest ally, confidant, and possibly more. Gabriel's own struggles with identity, acceptance, and love mirror Nathan's, and their bond is a source of strength for both. Gabriel's willingness to risk everything for Nathan, and his insights into the witch world's complexities, make him a vital companion. His fate is left uncertain, a testament to the dangers of loyalty in a world of shifting allegiances.

Rose

Rose is Mercury's assistant, a White Witch with the Gift of mist and forgetfulness. She is both a guide and a cautionary figure, skilled in survival but ultimately a victim of the witch war's violence. Rose's death is a turning point, underscoring the costs of resistance and the fragility of even the most talented outcasts.

Plot Devices

Duality and Code

The central device of Half Bad is the concept of "code"—the genetic and moral coding that divides witches into White and Black, and Nathan's status as a Half Code. This duality is explored through every aspect of the narrative: family, society, power, and self. The Council's obsession with purity, the rituals of Giving, and the branding of bodies all serve to reinforce the theme of division and the dangers of binary thinking. Nathan's journey is a quest to transcend these codes, to claim his own identity in a world that insists on either/or.

Prophecy and Foreshadowing

The prophecy that Nathan will be the instrument of his father's death hangs over the narrative, shaping the actions of the Council, Mercury, and Marcus himself. Foreshadowing is woven throughout: the Council's training, the branding, the focus on the Fairborn knife, and the repeated warnings about trust and betrayal. The tension between fate and free will is a constant undercurrent, as Nathan struggles to escape the roles others have written for him.

Imprisonment and Escape

Nathan's story is one of captivity—cages, chains, tattoos, and the invisible prisons of prejudice and fear. Each escape is both a physical act and a metaphor for self-assertion. The narrative structure alternates between scenes of confinement and moments of fleeting freedom, reinforcing the sense of a world where true autonomy is always just out of reach.

Ritual and Transformation

The ritual of Giving—receiving three gifts and the blood of an ancestor—is the hinge of the plot, marking the transition from whet (child) to witch (adult). The ceremony is both a source of hope and a site of conflict, as the Council, Mercury, and Marcus all seek to control or prevent Nathan's transformation. The motif of transformation—physical, magical, and psychological—runs throughout, culminating in Nathan's final acceptance of his powers and identity.

Violence and Healing

**Pain is both

Last updated: May 10, 2025