Clockwork Heart Awakens

Everley O'Shea, a young woman with a mechanical heart built by her uncle after a childhood trauma, lives in the shadow of her family's murder. The relentless ticking of her heart is both a comfort and a curse, a constant reminder of her survival and her difference. When the man responsible for her family's death, Governor Markham, reappears in her city, Everley's carefully constructed life is upended. Her uncle's warnings and her own simmering need for answers set her on a path of vengeance, even as her heart's fragile mechanics threaten to fail her at every emotional spike. The world she inhabits is one of myth and machinery, where time is both enemy and savior, and Everley's existence is a defiance of fate itself.

Shadows of Vengeance

Everley's nights are spent prowling the city's underbelly, seeking information and justice. Her swordplay in the dueling pits is both a release and a training ground, as she sharpens her skills for the day she will face Markham. The trauma of her family's murder—her parents and siblings lost in a single night of betrayal—fuels her every move. Her uncle, both protector and jailer, pleads for her to let go of vengeance, but Everley cannot. The city's shadows are thick with secrets, and Everley's heart, both literal and metaphorical, is wound tight with the need to confront the monster who destroyed her world.

Night Duels and Arrest

Everley's quest for answers leads her to the Hammer, a raucous wharf where duels and secrets are traded in equal measure. She challenges Harlow, a cunning duelist and information broker, hoping to learn Markham's whereabouts. But a sudden raid by the constable corps sweeps up Everley and her companions, landing them in a filthy prison cell. The camaraderie and rivalry among the women—streetwalkers, thieves, and survivors—reveal the harsh realities of their world. Everley's clockwork heart is pushed to its limits, and her fate is no longer her own as she is swept into the machinery of justice and punishment.

Sentenced to the Isle

In a courtroom presided over by Queen Aislinn herself, Everley and her fellow prisoners are sentenced to transportation: seven years on the remote and cursed Dagger Island, to serve as wives and laborers in a penal colony. The trial is a spectacle of power, with the queen handpicking the women who will populate her new outpost. Everley's honesty and defiance seal her fate, and her uncle's desperate attempts to save her are in vain. Lieutenant Jamison Callahan, a nobleman with his own burdens, is tasked with escorting the women to their new lives. Everley's journey of vengeance is now bound to the fate of the colony and the mysteries of the island.

Prisoners and Voyages

The women are chained in the ship's hold, surrounded by fear, rumors, and the ever-present threat of forced marriage. Friendships and alliances form among the prisoners—Vevina, the shrewd madam; Claret and Laverick, the Fox and the Cat; Quinn, the youngest and most vulnerable. Lieutenant Callahan's unexpected kindness and Dr. Huxley's attentions complicate Everley's resolve. The legend of Dagger Island, with its tales of a ruined kingdom and a curse, looms over them. As the ship sails into the unknown, Everley's heart is tested by both the dangers of the sea and the choices she must make to survive.

Chains, Choices, and Marriage

Upon arrival at the penal colony, the women are paraded before the crew, and a brutal lottery of marriage begins. Everley is claimed by Lieutenant Callahan, a union of convenience and protection, but also of unspoken truths and growing tension. The colony is a place of hardship and suspicion, ruled by Markham, whose presence is both a threat and a lure. The women navigate the perils of their new lives—violence, hunger, and the ever-present specter of the island's curse. Everley's clockwork heart, both a marvel and a vulnerability, becomes a symbol of her resilience and her isolation.

Storms and Secrets

A violent storm batters the ship, testing the limits of Everley's heart and the bonds among the women. The Terrible Dorcha, a legendary whale, attacks, and the line between myth and reality blurs. Everley's relationship with Callahan deepens, complicated by secrets, guilt, and the shared trauma of survival. The legend of Princess Amadara and the lost prince becomes more than a story, echoing in the events that unfold. The island's mysteries grow darker, and Everley's quest for vengeance is entangled with the fate of everyone around her.

The Legend's Lure

As the colony struggles to survive, Everley recounts the legend of the Ruined Kingdom to comfort Quinn and the others. The tale of Amadara, Father Time, and the lost prince is a mirror of Everley's own journey—love, betrayal, sacrifice, and the breaking of time. The boundaries between myth and reality dissolve as signs and omens appear on the island. Everley's sense of destiny intensifies, and the quest for answers becomes a quest for meaning. The legend is not just a story—it is a warning, a promise, and a map to the heart of the island's curse.

Monsters in the Deep

The dangers of Dagger Island are not limited to legend. Everley faces real monsters—both human and otherworldly. A deadly encounter with a centicore and a grindylow tests her courage and the loyalty of her companions. The cost of survival is high, and Everley is forced to take a life to protect Quinn. The trauma of violence and the burden of guilt threaten to break her, but her resolve hardens. The island's curse is no longer a distant threat—it is a living force, and Everley is at its center.

The Queen's Colony

The colony is a microcosm of the world Everley left behind—hierarchies, alliances, and betrayals abound. Markham's rule is absolute, but his motives are increasingly suspect. Everley's reunion with her brother Tavis, long thought dead, brings both hope and heartbreak. The truth about her family's murder and the secrets of the island begin to surface. The women's struggle for autonomy and dignity is a battle against both the men who would control them and the supernatural forces that shape their fate. Everley's clockwork heart is both a weapon and a wound, driving her toward a confrontation with destiny.

Reunion and Betrayal

Tavis's survival is both a miracle and a betrayal, as Everley learns of his complicity with Markham. The lines between victim and villain blur, and Everley is forced to question everything she believed about her family, her enemies, and herself. Markham's true identity—as the lost prince of legend—is revealed, and the quest for the Ruined Kingdom becomes a race against time. The bonds of love, loyalty, and vengeance are tested to the breaking point, and Everley must decide who she can trust as the island's mysteries unravel.

Into the Thornwoods

Guided by a trail of daisies and the pull of her clockwork heart, Everley leads a party—including Markham, Tavis, Harlow, and her friends—into the Thornwoods, a labyrinthine forest where time and direction lose all meaning. The group faces magical beasts, illusions, and the haunting presence of the past. The boundaries between worlds thin, and Everley's role as Time Bearer becomes clear. The journey is both a physical and spiritual trial, as each member confronts their own fears, desires, and regrets. The path to the Ruined Kingdom is marked by sacrifice and revelation.

The Cottage of Souls

The party stumbles upon a magical cottage, a place of deceptive beauty and hidden danger. The old hag who dwells there offers comfort and hospitality, but her true nature is revealed in a terrifying transformation. The encounter is a test of will and wisdom, as Everley and her companions resist the lure of false safety and press on toward their goal. The cottage is a microcosm of the island's curse—a place where the past is both a refuge and a trap, and where the price of survival is the loss of innocence.

Daisies and Destiny

The trail of daisies leads Everley and her companions through the heart of the Thornwoods, each flower a marker of destiny and divine favor. The journey is fraught with peril—rivers teeming with monsters, fields of flesh-eating crickets, and the ever-present threat of betrayal. The sword of Avelyn, a relic of creation power, becomes both a guide and a prize. Everley's role as the chosen one is affirmed, but the cost of leadership is high. The group's unity is tested, and the path to the Everwoods is paved with both hope and heartbreak.

The Everwoods Revealed

The party finally reaches the Everwoods, the legendary bridge between worlds. The forest is a place of wonder and sorrow, inhabited by sprites, pixies, and ancient trees that mourn the loss of time. Everley's encounter with Father Time is both a blessing and a burden, as she learns the true nature of her clockwork heart and the responsibilities it entails. The journey through the Everwoods is a passage from story to reality, from vengeance to purpose. The portal to the Land of Youth awaits, and the final confrontation with destiny is at hand.

The Ruined Kingdom

The Land of Youth is a kingdom trapped in stasis, its people turned to wood, its river and moon suspended. Markham's quest to reunite with his beloved Amadara is revealed as both tragic and monstrous. The cost of breaking the curse is the destruction of a world, and the price of creation power is blood. Everley and her companions witness the consequences of ambition, love, and betrayal on a cosmic scale. The boundaries between hero and monster, savior and destroyer, are shattered, and Everley must choose what kind of legacy she will leave.

Heartwood and Sacrifice

Markham carves the heartwood from Amadara's tree, sacrificing Tavis to awaken creation power and reanimate his army. The act is both a culmination of centuries of longing and a final descent into monstrosity. The collapse of time is both literal and metaphorical, as the world unravels and the bonds of love and loyalty are tested to the breaking point. Everley's grief and rage are matched only by her determination to stop Markham, even as her own heart falters. The cost of vengeance is revealed in all its horror and necessity.

Collapse of Time

The collapse of the Land of Youth is a cataclysm of loss and revelation. Everley's clockwork heart fails, and her spirit journeys through visions of possible futures—battles, betrayals, and the end of worlds. The consequences of Markham's actions ripple across realities, and the hope of redemption is balanced against the certainty of destruction. Everley's resurrection is both a miracle and a mandate, as she is charged with stopping Markham and reclaiming the sword of Avelyn. The boundaries between life and death, time and eternity, are forever altered.

Battle for Survival

Markham returns to the island with his army of wooden soldiers, intent on erasing all witnesses and securing his power. Everley, Jamison, and their allies rally the survivors for a desperate defense. The battle is brutal and costly, with friends and foes falling alike. The heartwood is both the source of Markham's strength and his vulnerability, and Everley's ingenuity and courage are tested to their limits. The intervention of the Terrible Dorcha, the loyalty of friends, and the sacrifice of many turn the tide. The monster is swallowed, but the scars remain.

The Monster's End

The aftermath of battle is both relief and mourning. The dead are honored, the survivors gather, and the future is uncertain. Markham's fate is ambiguous—swallowed by the whale, but not truly gone. The bonds forged in suffering and struggle are both a comfort and a challenge, as Everley and Jamison face the consequences of their choices. The question of justice, forgiveness, and the possibility of healing lingers. The island's curse is broken, but the wounds of the past are slow to heal.

Farewell to the Isle

The survivors prepare to leave Dagger Island, each carrying the weight of what was lost and what was gained. Everley says goodbye to her brother, her family, and the ghosts of her past. The ship is commandeered by Vevina and her crew, and Everley must choose between returning to the world she left behind or pursuing the monster who still haunts her dreams. The promise of new adventures, new dangers, and new beginnings beckons. Everley's clockwork heart, battered but unbroken, beats on—a testament to the power of time, love, and the indomitable will to survive.

Characters

Everley O'Shea

Everley is the story's fierce, wounded protagonist, defined by the trauma of her family's murder and the miracle of her mechanical heart. Raised by her uncle after being left for dead, she is driven by vengeance against Markham, the man who destroyed her world. Her relationships are marked by both longing and distance—she loves deeply but fears attachment, knowing her heart is both fragile and unnatural. Everley's journey is one of transformation: from victim to avenger, from isolated survivor to reluctant leader. Her clockwork heart is both a literal device and a symbol of her resilience, her alienation, and her capacity for hope. Through suffering, love, and loss, she learns that true strength lies not in vengeance, but in the courage to choose her own destiny.

Jamison Callahan

Jamison, the Earl of Walsh and a lieutenant in the queen's navy, is Everley's reluctant ally and eventual husband. Haunted by family tragedy and his own failures, he seeks redemption by protecting the vulnerable and righting old wrongs. His relationship with Everley is fraught with tension, attraction, and mutual misunderstanding—each is both a shield and a wound to the other. Jamison's sense of duty is both his strength and his weakness, as he struggles to balance honor with desire, and loyalty with love. His development is marked by humility, sacrifice, and the willingness to risk everything for those he cares about. In the end, Jamison is both anchor and compass, guiding Everley through the storms of fate.

Killian Markham / The Lost Prince

Markham is the story's central antagonist, a man cursed by time and driven by longing for his lost princess, Amadara. His charm and intelligence mask a deep well of pain, ambition, and moral decay. As both the governor of the colony and the legendary lost prince, Markham embodies the dangers of unchecked desire and the corrosive power of regret. His relationship with Everley is complex—he is both her family's murderer and a mirror of her own obsession. Markham's immortality is both a gift and a curse, rendering him incapable of change or peace. His pursuit of creation power leads to the destruction of worlds, and his ultimate fate is a testament to the dangers of refusing to let go.

Tavis Donovan

Tavis, Everley's older brother, is a figure of both hope and betrayal. Thought dead, his survival is a shock that reopens old wounds and forces Everley to confront the complexities of loyalty and forgiveness. Tavis's complicity with Markham is born of fear, weakness, and a desperate need to survive. His relationship with Everley is fraught with unspoken pain and longing for reconciliation. In the end, Tavis's sacrifice is both a redemption and a tragedy, a reminder that love and guilt are often inseparable.

Harlow Glaspey

Harlow is a duelist, spy, and survivor whose shifting loyalties and sharp wit make her both a valuable friend and a dangerous foe. Her relationship with Markham is one of mutual exploitation, and her rivalry with Everley is marked by both respect and resentment. Harlow's past is a tapestry of hardship and ambition, and her choices are driven by a fierce will to survive at any cost. She is a mirror to Everley's own darkness, and her fate is a warning about the price of aligning with monsters.

Vevina

Vevina is the queen of the docks, a woman who has survived by her wits, charm, and ruthlessness. Her loyalty to her girls—Claret and Laverick, the Fox and the Cat—is unwavering, and her ability to adapt to changing circumstances makes her a natural leader. Vevina's relationship with Everley is one of wary respect, and her eventual commandeering of the ship is both a triumph and a risk. She represents the power of community, cunning, and the refusal to be defined by one's past.

Claret and Laverick (The Fox and the Cat)

Claret and Laverick are inseparable partners in crime, each with a tragic past and a fierce loyalty to each other. Their skills—Claret's thievery and Laverick's expertise with explosives—are invaluable to the group's survival. Their friendship with Everley is a source of both comfort and conflict, as they challenge her to trust and to lead. The Fox and the Cat are symbols of resilience, adaptability, and the power of chosen family.

Quinn

Quinn is the youngest prisoner, a girl whose vulnerability and courage inspire those around her. Her relationship with Everley is maternal, and her survival is a constant motivation for the group. Quinn's innocence is both a reminder of what has been lost and a beacon of what can still be saved. Her growth from frightened child to resilient survivor is a testament to the power of kindness and the importance of protecting the vulnerable.

Dr. Alick Huxley

Dr. Huxley is the ship's surgeon, a man of compassion and quiet strength. His affection for Everley is sincere but ultimately unfulfilled, as he is unable to win her heart. His role as caretaker and confidant is vital to the group's survival, and his willingness to join Vevina's crew is a sign of his adaptability. Huxley represents the possibility of healing, both physical and emotional, in a world marked by violence and loss.

Father Time

Father Time is both a mythic figure and a living presence, guiding Everley and shaping the destiny of worlds. His relationship with Everley is one of both challenge and comfort, as he demands courage and offers reassurance. Father Time's power is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, a reminder that time is both a gift and a debt. His interventions are subtle but decisive, and his lessons are the heart of the story's moral arc.

Plot Devices

Clockwork Heart as Living Symbol

Everley's clockwork heart is the central plot device, representing the intersection of fate, trauma, and resilience. It is both a literal mechanism—requiring winding, repair, and recalibration—and a symbol of Everley's emotional journey. The heart's ticking marks the passage of time, the limits of mortality, and the possibility of defying destiny. Its malfunctions and repairs mirror Everley's psychological struggles, and its ultimate survival is a testament to the power of hope and the refusal to be defined by the past.

Legend and Reality Intertwined

The legend of Princess Amadara, Father Time, and the lost prince is woven throughout the narrative, serving as both a cautionary tale and a blueprint for the characters' journey. The boundaries between story and reality blur as the events of the legend are echoed and reenacted in the present. The use of prophecy, foreshadowing, and symbolic parallels deepens the emotional resonance and stakes of the plot, inviting readers to question the nature of fate, choice, and the power of stories to shape reality.

Duality of Monsters and Heroes

The narrative structure is built on the tension between vengeance and forgiveness, heroism and monstrosity. Markham is both a tragic lover and a ruthless killer; Everley is both a victim and a potential monster. The use of mirrors, doubles, and shifting alliances challenges readers to reconsider the nature of justice, the cost of survival, and the possibility of redemption. The story's climax and resolution hinge on the characters' ability to confront their own darkness and choose a different path.

Magical Realism and World-Building

The setting is richly imagined, blending elements of steampunk, fantasy, and folklore. Magical creatures, enchanted forests, and cursed islands coexist with clockwork technology, naval warfare, and political intrigue. The use of magical realism grounds the story's emotional arc in a world that is both wondrous and dangerous, inviting readers to suspend disbelief and embrace the possibility of miracles and monsters alike.

Foreshadowing and Nonlinear Time

The narrative is punctuated by visions, dreams, and prophecies that foreshadow future events and reveal hidden truths. The collapse of time in the Land of Youth, the spinning of Everley's clockwork heart, and the recurring motifs of cycles, repetition, and reversal all reinforce the story's central concern with the nature of time, memory, and destiny. The use of nonlinear storytelling—flashbacks, visions, and parallel narratives—deepens the sense of inevitability and the possibility of change.

Analysis

Before the Broken Star is a story that interrogates the boundaries between myth and reality, vengeance and forgiveness, and the human and the monstrous. At its heart is Everley, a heroine whose literal and figurative clockwork heart embodies the struggle to survive trauma without becoming defined by it. The novel explores the seductive power of vengeance and the dangers of letting the past dictate the future, while also affirming the possibility of healing, love, and self-determination. The blending of steampunk and mythic elements creates a world where the consequences of ambition, grief, and longing are writ large—entire worlds rise and fall on the choices of individuals. The story's ultimate lesson is that time, while inescapable, is also malleable: we are not doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, but can choose to forge new paths, even in the face of overwhelming loss. The cost of survival is high, but the rewards—connection, purpose, and the chance to write one's own story—are worth the risk.

Last updated: September 21, 2025