Entombed in Darkness

Karigan G'ladheon, battered and disoriented, finds herself sealed in a stone sarcophagus, suffocating in darkness. Panic and exhaustion war within her as she struggles to understand how she came to be here, her last memory the shattering of the looking mask in Blackveil. When she is finally freed, it is not by friends but by strangers in a circus, thrusting her into a world that is both familiar and alien. Her injuries and confusion are compounded by the realization that magic is weak here, and her Rider abilities are failing. The sense of isolation and fear is palpable, as Karigan is forced to rely on her wits and resilience to survive in a place where nothing is as it seems.

A City Out of Time

Escaping the circus, Karigan limps through Mill City, a place of brick, smoke, and unfamiliar customs. The city is Sacoridia, but not as she knew it—its streets are straight, its air acrid, and its people veiled and wary. She is pursued by thugs and rescued by a mysterious stranger, only to be drugged and taken to a house where she is told she is the niece of a professor. The dissonance between her memories and this industrial, magic-starved future is overwhelming. She is forced to hide her identity, her magic, and her pain, all while trying to piece together what has happened to her world and how she might return home.

Strangers and Saviors

In the house of Professor Josston, Karigan is tended by Mirriam, the formidable housekeeper, and Lorine, a former slave. The professor, an archeologist, is both her protector and interrogator, fascinated by her artifacts and knowledge of forbidden history. As she heals, Karigan learns of the empire's repression, the outlawing of Sacoridia's past, and the dangers of being discovered. The professor's motives are ambiguous—he is a rebel, but also a collector, and his protection comes with strings. Karigan's sense of self is challenged as she navigates the roles forced upon her: mad niece, artifact, and potential threat.

The Professor's Secret

Professor Josston reveals his secret: beneath his house lies the buried city of Sacoridia, and in his mill, a cache of artifacts and a clandestine opposition. Karigan is shown the ruins of her home, now entombed beneath Mill City, and the devastation wrought by the empire. The professor's opposition is cautious, more a gentleman's club than a true rebellion, but Karigan's presence rekindles hope. She is both a living relic and a catalyst, her knowledge and abilities coveted by those who would resist the emperor. The emotional weight of loss and the burden of history press upon her as she is drawn deeper into the professor's world.

The Future Revealed

Karigan learns the fate of Sacoridia: King Zachary fell in battle, the city was destroyed by a mysterious weapon, and the land was absorbed into the Serpentine Empire. The emperor is Xandis Pierce Amberhill, her old acquaintance, now immortal and possessed by Mornhavon. The empire is built on slavery, repression, and the extraction of etherea, with magic nearly extinct. The professor's research hints at a lost artifact—the dragonfly device—that might counter the emperor's power. Karigan's grief and anger are sharpened by the knowledge that her actions in the past may be the only hope for changing this future.

Mill City's Shadows

As Karigan recovers, she trains with Cade Harlowe, the professor's protégé and a secret Weapon. Their bond deepens, complicated by the strictures of the empire and the dangers of rebellion. The opposition is divided between the professor's cautious circle and the more radical rebels led by Jax. Karigan's Rider abilities flicker in and out, and her visions through the mirror shard connect her to her lost home. The city is a place of surveillance, informants, and mechanical enforcers, where every act of defiance is fraught with peril. The emotional stakes rise as Karigan and Cade risk everything for each other and the cause.

The Heir and the Weapon

The professor confides in Karigan that Arhys, the spoiled child in his care, is the last descendant of King Zachary and Queen Estora. Cade, training to be her Weapon, is torn between duty and his growing feelings for Karigan. The revelation of Arhys' identity raises the stakes for the opposition, as the survival of the royal line becomes a symbol of hope. Karigan's sense of responsibility deepens, even as she struggles with her own longing for home and the impossibility of her love for Cade in this world.

Rebellion and Resistance

Cade orchestrates a rebellion, hoping to free the slaves and distract the empire while he, Karigan, and Luke escape to Gossham. The plan is betrayed, the uprising crushed, and the opposition decimated. Luke is forced to betray his friends to save his family, and the cost is fatal. The journey to the Capital is fraught with danger, subterfuge, and the constant threat of discovery. Karigan and Cade's love blossoms in the brief respite of their flight, but the shadow of the empire looms ever larger.

The Emperor's Empire

In the Capital, Karigan and Cade are ensnared by Dr. Silk, the emperor's ambitious son. The palace is a labyrinth of luxury and menace, its canals and fountains powered by stolen etherea. The emperor, Amberhill, is revealed as a vessel for Mornhavon and the sea king, his mind fractured into three. Karigan is paraded as a living artifact, forced to fight the Eternal Guardian—Fastion, her old ally, now immortal and scarred. The emotional toll of loss, betrayal, and the weight of history threaten to break her, but the hope of escape and the memory of Cade sustain her.

The Eletian's Fate

Lhean, the Eletian, is held prisoner, his life ebbing in the poisoned etherea of the empire. Karigan, with the help of Fastion and Cade, orchestrates a daring rescue, battling guards, enforcers, and the darkness within herself. The moondial, stolen from Castle Argenthyne, is the key to returning home, but the way is barred by the empire's might and the taint of corrupted magic. The emotional reunion with Lhean is tempered by the urgency of their mission and the knowledge that time is running out.

The Prison of Forgotten Days

As Silk's drill breaks into the royal tombs, Chelsa, the chief caretaker, races to find the dragonfly device, the rumored antidote to the emperor's weapon. The tombs, last bastion of the old realm, are desecrated and collapse, their secrets lost. Karigan, Cade, and Lhean are pursued through the palace, their only hope the moondial and the fading power of Rider magic. The emotional weight of failure and the loss of allies threaten to overwhelm them, but the memory of those who sacrificed for the cause drives them forward.

The Scything Moon

In the shattered museum, as dragons awaken and the empire falls to chaos, Karigan, Cade, and Lhean reach the moondial. With the silver light of the moonstones and the guidance of Lhean, Karigan becomes the blade of the shadow cast, the gnomon that will open the way home. The crossing is agonizing, tearing at body and soul. Cade, unable to pass, lets go, sacrificing his chance for a new life so Karigan can return. The emotional climax is raw and devastating, as love and duty collide in the face of destiny.

The Three-Faced Reptile

The emperor's fractured mind is laid bare: Amberhill, the vessel; Mornhavon, the destroyer; and the sea king, the ancient power. Yolandhe, the sea witch, is unleashed, her vengeance flooding the empire and awakening the dragons. The empire's destruction is both cataclysmic and redemptive, a reckoning for centuries of oppression. Fastion, the Eternal Guardian, fulfills his duty to the royal line, and the survivors flee as the world is remade. The emotional resonance of loss and hope is profound, as the old order is swept away.

The Witch Unleashed

Freed from her prison, Yolandhe unleashes the fury of the elements, drowning the empire and confronting the emperor in a battle of gods. The dragons, hidden for centuries, rise and lay waste to the land. The opposition's sacrifices are not in vain, as the empire's foundations crumble. The emotional catharsis is both triumphant and tragic, as the cost of freedom is measured in blood and memory.

The Blade of the Shadow Cast

As the palace collapses, Karigan, Lhean, and Cade make their final stand at the moondial. The crossing is a crucible, Cade torn away, Lhean guiding Karigan home. The silver shards of the looking mask pursue her, embedding in her flesh and eye. Westrion, the god of death, claims her as his avatar, flinging her through the heavens and back to her own world. The emotional aftermath is searing, as love is lost and the future unmade.

The Longest Night

Karigan crashes into her own time, wounded and disoriented, her memories of the future already fading. The king and her friends struggle to comprehend her tale, the warnings she brings, and the price she has paid. The emotional reunion is bittersweet, as the world she fought to save is both familiar and forever changed. The hope of redemption is tempered by the scars of her journey.

Mirror Sight

As Karigan heals, her memories of the future slip away, but the mark of her journey remains: a silver eye, mirror sight, and the knowledge that she has altered the threads of time. The people she met, the love she found and lost, are preserved in ink and memory, a testament to the power of hope and the courage to change the world. The emotional resonance lingers, as the past, present, and future are bound together by the choices of one determined Rider.

Characters

Karigan G'ladheon

Karigan is the heart of the story, a Green Rider torn from her time and thrust into a dystopian future. Her journey is one of survival, loss, and the relentless pursuit of hope. She is defined by her loyalty, her stubbornness, and her capacity for love, even in the face of overwhelming despair. The trauma of her experiences—physical, emotional, and metaphysical—shape her into a figure both heroic and deeply human. Her relationships, especially with Cade and the professor, reveal her vulnerability and strength. Karigan's development is marked by her struggle to reconcile duty and desire, and her ultimate acceptance of the cost of changing the world.

Cade Harlowe

Cade is the professor's protégé, a secret Weapon, and Karigan's unexpected love. His journey from street thief to rebel leader is fraught with self-doubt, loyalty, and sacrifice. Torn between his duty to Arhys, the last royal heir, and his love for Karigan, Cade embodies the tension between personal longing and the greater good. His willingness to risk everything for Karigan, and ultimately to let her go, is both heartbreaking and redemptive. Cade's psychological depth is revealed in his struggle with the empire's constraints, his yearning for a better world, and his acceptance of loss.

Professor Bryce Lowell Josston

The professor is both Karigan's protector and her captor, a man obsessed with preserving the past and resisting the empire. His secret opposition is more a club than a movement, but Karigan's arrival rekindles his hope. He is torn between caution and the desire for change, his motives a blend of altruism and self-interest. The professor's ultimate sacrifice—destroying his artifacts and himself to protect his secrets—reveals the cost of living in the past and the dangers of fearing change. His relationship with Karigan is paternal, fraught with betrayal and redemption.

Dr. Ezra Stirling Silk

Dr. Silk is the emperor's son, an archeologist, and a master manipulator. His fascination with Karigan is both personal and political, seeing her as a means to power. Silk's mechanical hand and altered vision symbolize his embrace of the empire's corrupted magic and technology. He is both a collector and a destroyer, his actions driven by the desire to surpass his father and win the emperor's favor. Silk's psychological complexity is revealed in his moments of vulnerability, his need for validation, and his ultimate downfall.

Arhys

Arhys is the last heir of Sacoridia, a child caught between worlds. Her bratty behavior masks the weight of destiny and the trauma of loss. Arhys is both a pawn and a hope for the future, her survival essential to the opposition's dreams. Her relationship with Cade, her Weapon, and with Karigan, is fraught with jealousy, dependence, and the longing for love. Arhys embodies the possibility of renewal, even as she is shaped by the empire's cruelty.

Fastion (The Eternal Guardian)

Fastion is Karigan's old ally, now immortal and disfigured, serving as the emperor's Eternal Guardian. His duty to the royal line and his struggle to retain his identity in the face of Mornhavon's corruption are central to his character. Fastion's actions are driven by honor, sacrifice, and the hope of redemption. His relationship with Karigan is one of mutual respect and shared history, and his ultimate allegiance to the king's line is a beacon of hope in a world gone mad.

Lhean

Lhean is the Eletian companion, a being of magic and memory, whose survival in the poisoned future is precarious. His calm, otherworldly presence anchors Karigan, and his knowledge of thresholds and time is essential to their escape. Lhean's psychological depth is revealed in his acceptance of loss, his longing for home, and his willingness to risk everything for the chance to return. His relationship with Karigan is one of trust, guidance, and shared purpose.

Yolandhe

Yolandhe, the sea witch, is both victim and goddess, her power unleashed in the empire's final reckoning. Her centuries of torment fuel her rage, and her elemental magic is the catalyst for the empire's destruction. Yolandhe's psychological complexity lies in her duality—compassionate and merciless, lover and avenger. Her relationship with Amberhill is fraught with love, betrayal, and the desire for release.

Xandis Pierce Amberhill (The Emperor)

Amberhill is the vessel for Mornhavon and the sea king, his mind split into three. His transformation from minor aristocrat to emperor is marked by ambition, possession, and the loss of self. Amberhill's psychological torment is evident in his moments of lucidity, his longing for death, and his inability to escape Mornhavon's grasp. He is both destroyer and victim, his actions shaping the fate of the world.

Mirriam

Mirriam is the housekeeper who enforces order and discipline, but beneath her stern exterior lies a heart of resistance. Her loyalty to the professor and her willingness to risk everything for the cause reveal her strength and courage. Mirriam's psychological depth is shown in her care for Karigan, her defiance of the empire, and her ultimate sacrifice.

Plot Devices

Time Displacement and Mirror Sight

The central device is Karigan's displacement from her own era into a dystopian future, achieved through the shattering of the looking mask. This not only propels the plot but allows for a meditation on history, memory, and the consequences of choice. The mirror shard serves as both a literal and metaphorical lens, connecting Karigan to her past and the people she loves, while also symbolizing the fragmentation of identity and the possibility of change. The device of time travel is used to explore the cyclical nature of history, the burden of legacy, and the hope of redemption.

Duality and Fractured Identity

The emperor's mind, split between Amberhill, Mornhavon, and the sea king, mirrors the fractured state of the world and the characters' own struggles with identity. Fastion's transformation into the Eternal Guardian, Karigan's role as both artifact and agent, and Cade's conflict between duty and love all reflect the theme of duality. The empire itself is a place of contradictions—technological marvels and moral decay, luxury and oppression. This device is used to heighten tension, create ambiguity, and underscore the difficulty of change.

Resistance and Rebellion

The various forms of resistance—the professor's secret opposition, the rebels of Mill City, the caretakers of the tombs—serve as both plot engine and commentary on the nature of rebellion. The tension between caution and action, hope and despair, is embodied in the characters' choices and sacrifices. The device of rebellion is used to explore the costs of freedom, the dangers of complacency, and the necessity of courage.

Foreshadowing and Prophecy

The captain's riddle, the visions in the mirror shard, and the prophecies of the Eletians all serve to foreshadow the climax and the choices Karigan must make. These devices create suspense, deepen the sense of inevitability, and challenge the characters to interpret and act upon ambiguous guidance. The use of prophecy is both a narrative tool and a meditation on free will versus fate.

Emotional and Physical Sacrifice

The emotional arc of the story is driven by sacrifice—Karigan's willingness to risk everything for home, Cade's decision to let her go, the professor's self-destruction, and the deaths of allies and friends. The physical toll of the journey, the loss of magic, and the scars left behind are all used to underscore the cost of transformation. This device is central to the story's impact, creating resonance and catharsis.

Analysis

Mirror Sight is a powerful meditation on the nature of history, memory, and the courage required to change the world. Through Karigan's journey into a dystopian future, the novel explores the consequences of complacency, the dangers of forgetting the past, and the resilience of hope in the face of overwhelming darkness. The fractured identities of the characters and the empire itself serve as a mirror for our own struggles with power, oppression, and the longing for redemption. The story's emotional core lies in the sacrifices made for love, freedom, and the possibility of a better future. Britain's use of time displacement, duality, and prophecy elevates the narrative beyond simple fantasy, inviting readers to reflect on the choices that shape our lives and the world we inherit. The ultimate lesson is that change is possible, but it comes at a cost—and that the courage to remember, to resist, and to love is the blade that can cut through even the darkest of shadows.

Last updated: December 6, 2025