Branded Outsider's Burden

Fia, a young woman marked as Riftborne—a refugee from a destroyed land—navigates life in the kingdom of Sídhe, where her people are branded and forced to assimilate. She works in an apothecary, haunted by the trauma of her past and the prejudice of the Sídhe elite. Her closest friend, Osta, is also Riftborne, and together they try to survive in a society that barely tolerates their existence. Fia's life is defined by caution, secrecy, and the constant threat of violence, both from others and from the dangerous, uncontrollable magic—her "curse"—that simmers beneath her skin.

Shadows at the Grove

Fia is forced to deliver potions to a decadent party for the Sídhe elite, where she feels out of place and exposed. The event is a microcosm of the kingdom's hierarchy and simmering tensions. There, she encounters General Laryk Ashford, a charismatic and enigmatic leader of the Sídhe Guard, whose attention unsettles her. The night spirals when Fia is confronted by old tormentors, and her suppressed magic erupts violently, nearly killing them. The General witnesses her power, setting in motion a chain of events that will upend Fia's life.

Unleashing the Curse

After the attack, Fia flees, wracked with guilt and fear that she's become a murderer. She confides in Osta, but the lines between reality and hallucination blur—her victims are alive, their memories wiped. The General's intervention is revealed: he covered up the incident, recognizing Fia's power as something unique and potentially useful. Fia is left reeling, unsure if she's a monster or a pawn, and terrified of what her magic might do next.

Haunted by the Past

Fia's dreams are haunted by the deaths of her friends, drowned in a river by Sídhe guards during her childhood. The trauma is ever-present, fueling her fear of losing control and her distrust of authority. The branding on her hand is a constant reminder of her outsider status and the violence that shaped her. These memories drive her isolation and her reluctance to trust, even as she's drawn into the orbit of the General and the Guard.

The General's Proposition

General Ashford confronts Fia, not to punish her, but to recruit her. He sees her power as a weapon for his elite faction, Venom, and offers to train her in exchange for her silence and service. The offer is laced with threat—refusal means exposure and likely death. Fia is torn between the chance to control her curse and the knowledge that she's being manipulated by the very institution that destroyed her people.

Bargains and Blackmail

Fia's initial refusal to join the Guard is met with blackmail. The General makes it clear: her only options are to serve or to be destroyed. Osta urges her to see the opportunity, but Fia is paralyzed by fear and self-loathing. A near-disastrous loss of control in public convinces her that running is futile—her power is growing, and she's a danger to everyone she loves. Reluctantly, she agrees to the General's terms, stepping onto a path that will force her to confront her past and her own nature.

A Dangerous Offer

Fia's training with the General is grueling and humiliating. She struggles to access her power on command, and the General's methods are harsh, sometimes cruel. The dynamic between them is fraught with tension, attraction, and mutual suspicion. Fia is introduced to the other recruits—each with their own powerful focus—and faces open hostility, especially from Baelor, a noble with a legacy of violence against the Riftborne. The Guard is revealed as a microcosm of Sídhe society: hierarchical, prejudiced, and obsessed with power.

Market of Masks

Amidst the relentless training, Fia finds moments of connection—with Osta, with new friends like Raine and Briar, and with the city itself. A day at the market, a tapestry map, and a night at an exclusive club offer glimpses of a life beyond fear. Yet, these moments are always shadowed by the threat of exposure and the knowledge that her place in Sídhe is precarious.

The Riftborne Mark

Fia's Riftborne identity is both a source of pride and pain. The branding on her hand is a literal and figurative mark of otherness, shaping every interaction. The Guard's blood oaths and rituals reinforce the boundaries between insider and outsider. Fia's growing power makes her both valuable and dangerous—a weapon to be wielded, but never truly trusted.

Training with Serpents

The recruits of Faction Venom are pushed to their limits, both physically and psychologically. Mercer, the Lieutenant, reveals the true threat facing Sídhe: Wraiths, shadowy invaders from another world, drawn to the magical arcanite that sustains the realm. The recruits' training is a crucible, forging bonds of loyalty and rivalry. Fia's focus—once a curse—is revealed as a potential key to defeating the Wraiths, but also as something alien and terrifying.

The Guard's Poisoned Heart

The Guard is rife with secrets and internal divisions. Fia's relationship with the General deepens, moving from antagonism to a fraught, forbidden romance. Narissa, the General's lieutenant, is both rival and threat, her own trauma fueling her hatred of the Riftborne. The politics of the Guard mirror the larger conflicts of the realm: old wounds, new enemies, and the ever-present danger of power unchecked.

Bonds of Friendship

Amidst the violence and suspicion, Fia's friendships with Osta, Raine, and Briar become lifelines. Osta's success as a designer, Raine's fierce loyalty, and Briar's humor offer moments of light. These bonds are tested by jealousy, secrets, and the ever-present threat of war, but they endure, reminding Fia of what she's fighting for.

The Mind's Unraveling

As Fia's training intensifies, her focus evolves. She discovers she can not only destroy minds, but also enter dreams, command thoughts, and even absorb the shadows of the Wraiths. The boundaries between self and other, reality and nightmare, begin to blur. Fia's identity as Riftborne, as a weapon, and as something more than human comes into focus, even as it threatens to consume her.

The Ball and the Blade

At a grand ball in Emeraal, Fia is both celebrated and isolated. Her relationship with the General is exposed, drawing the ire of Narissa and the suspicion of the court. The Wraiths attack, plunging the celebration into chaos. Fia's power is unleashed in full, absorbing the shadows and saving lives—but at a terrible cost. In the aftermath, she is captured by the enemy and spirited away to a foreign land.

The Wraiths' Approach

The Wraiths' true nature is revealed: they are not mindless monsters, but desperate invaders from a dying world, seeking the arcanite that sustains Sídhe's magic. The battle for Emeraal is brutal and costly. Fia's absorption of the shadows marks her as something new—a bridge between worlds, or a harbinger of destruction. The lines between friend and foe, victim and villain, blur as the true stakes of the conflict become clear.

The Price of Power

In captivity, Fia confronts the leader of the Wraiths—Aether—who claims she is one of them, an Umbra, a shadow wielder. Her powers, her dreams, and her very nature are called into question. The history of Sídhe, the Esprithe, and the war are revealed to be more complex than she ever imagined. Fia is forced to reckon with the possibility that everything she's been told is a lie, and that her destiny is tied to both the salvation and destruction of worlds.

The General's Secret

Fia's relationship with Laryk deepens into love, but is threatened by secrets, jealousy, and the demands of war. The General's own focus—perception and foresight—makes him both a brilliant leader and a dangerous manipulator. Together, they face impossible choices: whom to trust, what to sacrifice, and how to wield the power that could save or doom them all.

The Night of Shadows

The novel ends with Fia imprisoned in Ravenfell, her powers transformed, her identity in flux. The boundaries between Sídhe and Umbra, light and shadow, self and other, are shattered. Fia is no longer just Riftborne, or a weapon, or a victim—she is something new, a force that could reshape the fate of both worlds. The story closes on a note of uncertainty and possibility, as Fia prepares to claim her destiny, whatever it may be.

Characters

Fia Riftborne

Fia is the protagonist, a Riftborne refugee marked by trauma, prejudice, and a dangerous, evolving magic. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she moves from self-loathing and fear to reluctant acceptance of her power and her place in the world. Fia's relationships—with Osta, the General, and her fellow recruits—are shaped by her outsider status and her longing for belonging. Psychologically, she is defined by guilt, anger, and a desperate need for control. Her development is marked by increasing agency, as she moves from pawn to player, from victim to potential savior or destroyer.

General Laryk Ashford

Laryk is the enigmatic leader of Faction Venom, both Fia's captor and lover. His focus—perception and foresight—makes him a master strategist and a dangerous manipulator. He is drawn to Fia's power and otherness, seeing her as both weapon and partner. Laryk's own trauma and ambition drive him, but his growing feelings for Fia complicate his loyalties. Psychologically, he is a study in control and vulnerability, torn between duty and desire, power and intimacy.

Osta

Osta is Fia's best friend and fellow Riftborne, a designer whose focus is perception and enhancement. She navigates the divide between Riftborne and Sídhe with more ease than Fia, using charm and talent to carve out a place for herself. Osta is a source of hope and light, but her own struggles with identity and belonging mirror Fia's. Her relationship with Fia is a touchstone, grounding the story in the power of chosen family.

Raine

Raine is a recruit in Faction Venom, a lightning wielder from the Highlands. She becomes one of Fia's closest friends, offering both comic relief and fierce loyalty. Raine's confidence and directness contrast with Fia's self-doubt, and their friendship is a source of strength for both. Raine's own outsider status and ambition make her a kindred spirit.

Briar

Briar is another recruit, a nature wielder with a rebellious streak. He provides levity and perspective, challenging the Guard's hierarchy and offering Fia a model of resistance. Briar's family history and anti-war stance add depth to the story's exploration of power and complicity.

Baelor Soleil

Baelor is a noble recruit, heir to a legacy of violence against the Riftborne. His focus—fire—mirrors his temperament: destructive, proud, and volatile. Baelor's open hostility toward Fia and the Riftborne is both personal and political, rooted in family trauma and societal prejudice. His eventual defeat by Fia marks a turning point in the story's power dynamics.

Narissa

Narissa is the General's lieutenant, a blood lock with a history of loss at the hands of the Riftborne. Her hatred of Fia is both personal and symbolic, reflecting the cycle of violence and retribution that defines Sídhe society. Narissa's rivalry with Fia is both a source of danger and a mirror for Fia's own struggles with identity and belonging.

Lieutenant Callum Mercer

Mercer is the second-in-command of Faction Venom, a wind wielder and the voice of reason. He serves as a mentor to the recruits, balancing discipline with empathy. Mercer's own relationship—with his husband Halloway—offers a rare glimpse of stability and love in a world defined by conflict.

Aether

Aether is the leader of the Umbra, the shadow-wielders who are revealed to be the true nature of the Wraiths. He claims Fia as one of his own, challenging everything she believes about herself and her world. Aether's motives are ambiguous—savior, villain, or something in between—and his connection to Fia is both threatening and seductive.

Ma (Maladea)

Ma is Fia's employer and surrogate mother, a healer with her own history of loss and estrangement. Her relationship with Fia is marked by love, disappointment, and the pain of watching a child walk into danger. Ma's inventions and insights play a crucial role in the fight against the Wraiths, and her forgiveness offers Fia a measure of redemption.

Plot Devices

The Branded Mark

The branding of the Riftborne is a literal and figurative mark of exclusion, shaping Fia's identity and her relationships. It serves as a constant reminder of the violence that underpins Sídhe society, and as a source of both shame and defiance. The mark is a plot device that grounds the story's exploration of prejudice, assimilation, and the cost of survival.

The Uncontrollable Focus

Fia's focus—her dangerous, evolving magic—is both a source of terror and a key to her empowerment. Its uncontrollability mirrors her psychological trauma, and its evolution drives the plot. The focus is a metaphor for difference, trauma, and the potential for both creation and destruction. Its ultimate revelation—as a bridge between worlds—raises questions about identity, destiny, and the nature of power.

The Blood Oath

The Guard's blood oaths and rituals serve as both world-building and plot device, reinforcing the boundaries between insider and outsider, and raising the stakes for betrayal. The oaths are both magical and psychological, binding characters to the Guard and to each other, and complicating Fia's attempts to warn and protect those she loves.

The Wraiths and the Tear

The Wraiths—shadowy invaders from another world—are both literal enemies and metaphors for the darkness within Sídhe society. Their quest for arcanite, their connection to Fia, and their true nature as desperate refugees complicate the story's moral landscape. The tear between worlds is both a plot device and a symbol of rupture—between past and present, self and other, light and shadow.

The Unreliable Reality

Fia's evolving powers blur the boundaries between dream and reality, self and other. The use of dreams, hallucinations, and memory loss as plot devices creates a sense of uncertainty and instability, mirroring Fia's psychological state and the story's larger themes of truth, history, and the construction of identity.

The Forbidden Romance

The romance between Fia and the General is both a source of tension and a catalyst for change. Their relationship is marked by power imbalances, secrets, and the ever-present threat of betrayal. The romance is both a plot device and a lens for exploring questions of trust, agency, and the possibility of love in a world defined by violence.

Analysis

Riftborne is a sweeping fantasy that interrogates the costs of survival, the legacy of trauma, and the possibility of transformation in a world defined by violence and exclusion. At its heart, the novel is about the search for belonging—personal, political, and magical. Fia's journey from branded outsider to potential savior (or destroyer) is both a coming-of-age and a reckoning with the past. The story's world-building—rooted in colonialism, prejudice, and the politics of assimilation—offers a sharp critique of power and the ways it shapes identity. The evolving relationship between Fia and the General, and the bonds of friendship that sustain her, ground the story in the messy, beautiful reality of chosen family. The novel's use of magic as both curse and gift, and its blurring of the boundaries between self and other, invite readers to question the stories we tell about ourselves, our enemies, and the worlds we inherit. Ultimately, Riftborne is a story about the price of power, the possibility of redemption, and the courage it takes to claim one's own destiny—even when the path leads into darkness.

Last updated: June 29, 2025