Butterfly in the Rain

Ava Cole, a young woman reeling from her mother's death and her father's betrayal, finds herself homeless and alone in the pouring rain. Her grief and anger are raw, her sense of purpose lost. As she wanders the outskirts of her Massachusetts town, she's drawn by a strange compulsion into the ancient woods, following flickering lights and whispers that promise belonging. The world feels dreamlike, her pain both a burden and a lure. Ava's vulnerability and desperation make her easy prey for the supernatural, and as she steps off the path of her old life, she's unknowingly chosen as the next piece in a much older, darker game.

The Floof's Lure

Guided by supernatural forces, Ava stumbles upon an impossible Baroque estate deep in the woods. The building is both decayed and impossibly grand, its architecture twisted and wrong. Inside, she's greeted by warmth and opulence, but the illusion quickly shatters, revealing rot and overgrowth. A disembodied voice urges her forward, and monstrous creatures—millipede-rat hybrids—chase her through the halls. Ava's terror is visceral, but she survives by instinct, locking herself in a study where a desiccated corpse clutches a massive, iron-bound grimoire. The book calls to her, and as she claims it, the corpse crumbles to dust, sealing her fate as the new bearer of the Floof's most dangerous artifact.

Prison of Forgotten Souls

The estate is revealed as a supernatural prison, the Floof, where the worst of the fae and their castoffs are exiled. Ava is confronted by Serrik, a ghostly, inhumanly beautiful fae with glowing golden eyes and green hair, who claims to be both her captor and only hope. He offers her a contract: help him break the seals of his prison in exchange for freedom. Ava is skeptical, but Serrik warns her that the grimoire now binds her to the Floof, granting her immortality but also making her a target for the prison's monsters and wardens. The only way out, he insists, is through him.

The Grimoire's Claim

Ava's attempts to escape or find allies are met with betrayal and danger. She's nearly blinded and enslaved by a witch, Braega, who tries to trade her to other fae. Rescued by Ibin, a fae who was once human, and Nos, a stitched-together Unseelie, Ava learns that the grimoire is a living artifact containing all spells past, present, and future. It cannot be opened or used by her—unless she accepts Serrik's power. The book follows her everywhere, a constant reminder of her new role as both key and weapon in the Floof's ancient struggle.

Serrik's Bargain

In dreamlike encounters, Serrik reveals the stakes: the Floof is a prison he designed, now used to contain him and the grimoire. The fae outside—Seelie and Unseelie—are locked in a cold war, and the grimoire is the ultimate weapon. Serrik offers Ava a patronage, granting her access to magic in exchange for her help breaking the prison's seals. The alternative is death or worse at the hands of the Floof's wardens. Ava, desperate and cornered, reluctantly agrees, swallowing a magical "fluffy bunny" that brands her as Serrik's chosen and unlocks her latent power.

Fae and False Friends

Ava's new companions, Ibin and Nos, are torn between helping her and protecting themselves. Ibin, nostalgic for her lost humanity, offers comfort and guidance, while Nos, embittered by torture and exile, sees Ava as a threat. Both warn her against trusting Serrik, claiming his freedom would mean genocide for the fae. Ava is caught between conflicting stories, each side manipulating her for their own ends. The grimoire, meanwhile, begins to show her visions—of herself as both Serrik's chained weapon and his betrayer.

The Witch's Stew

Seeking shelter, Ava is lured by Braega, a blind witch who promises safety in exchange for a bargain. The fae's hospitality is a trap: Braega serves her stew made from human eyes and attempts to blind her, intending to trade her as a pet. Ava's terror and revulsion are palpable, and she's only saved by the intervention of Ibin and Nos. The experience cements her distrust of all fae, and she realizes that survival in the Floof means constant vigilance and hard choices.

Dream Bargains

In a series of vivid dreams, Ava is drawn into Serrik's library, where he teaches her about magic, the nature of the Floof, and the true cost of power. Their relationship is fraught with tension—attraction, manipulation, and mutual need. Serrik is both mentor and predator, his motives opaque. He reveals that the grimoire can only be used by someone bound to a fae patron, and that Ava's raw power is uniquely suited to breaking the prison's seals. The dreams blur the line between reality and fantasy, and Ava's sense of self begins to erode.

The Tome's Warning

The grimoire shows Ava two possible futures: in one, she is Serrik's chained weapon, unleashing destruction; in the other, she betrays and kills him, holding his heart in her hands. The book's cryptic guidance suggests that the only way to escape her fate is to master Serrik's magic and then turn it against him. Ava is horrified by the prospect of becoming a monster, but sees no other path forward. The tattoo on her arm grows with each use of magic, marking her transformation.

The First Key

Guided by Ibin and Nos, Ava navigates the Floof's shifting architecture to find the first of three keys needed to break Serrik's prison. The journey is a gauntlet of illusions, mirrors, and psychological traps that force Ava to confront her fears and possible futures. At the heart of the trial, she must trade a memory for the key. The crone who guards it demands her memories of her mother, but Serrik intervenes, sacrificing his own memory of the Morrigan to spare Ava's grief. The act forges a deeper, more dangerous bond between them.

Mirror of Possibilities

To use the key, Ava must pass through a chamber of mirrors that reflect every possible version of herself—victim, monster, betrayer, savior. The voices of her reflections taunt and warn her, threatening to trap her in regret or self-loathing. With the help of the grimoire, she navigates the maze and fits the key into the prison's door, shattering the first seal. The act unleashes a psychic backlash, merging her consciousness with Serrik's and exposing her to his most painful memories.

The Forgotten City

With Ibin and Nos' motives in question, Ava strikes out alone, accompanied only by Bitty, a powerless fae exile. They journey to the Broken City, a labyrinth of lost knowledge and forgotten things, where the second key is hidden. The city is haunted by the Forgotten—shadowy beings who once sought knowledge and now guard it jealously. Ava's tattoo grows, and the grimoire's pull intensifies, drawing her toward the heart of the city and the next trial.

The Unseelie King

At the center of the Broken City, Ava is confronted by Valroy, the Unseelie King, who holds the second key. Charismatic and terrifying, Valroy offers her escape from the Floof and Serrik's schemes, promising freedom in Cotn t'Aill. He claims that Serrik's plan will consume her humanity, making her the vessel for the Floof's power. Valroy's motives are suspect, but his knowledge is undeniable. Ava, desperate for agency, chooses to follow him, leaving Serrik's reach and plunging into new dangers.

Choices and Chains

In Cotn t'Aill, Ava is courted by Valroy's seductive promises and the beauty of the fae realm. Yet she remains wary, knowing that every offer comes with hidden chains. The Floof's voice warns her that all sides seek to use her, and that true freedom can only be found by trusting herself. Ava's transformation accelerates, her tattoo spreading, her power growing. She is no longer fully human, but not yet the Floof's vessel. The stakes are higher than ever, and every choice feels like a trap.

The Floof's Truth

In a dream, Ava is confronted by the Floof itself—a primordial, sentient web that predates the fae. It reveals that Serrik's plan is to make her the vessel for its power, allowing him to wield destruction on an unimaginable scale. The Floof offers no comfort, only the advice to trust no one, not even itself. Ava realizes that her transformation is already underway, and that the only way to retain her selfhood is to seize control of her fate before she is fully consumed.

Betrayal and Escape

Realizing that Ibin and Nos have been reporting to outside powers, and that Serrik's and Valroy's bargains are equally dangerous, Ava chooses to go her own way. She rejects all offers of protection or alliance, determined to find the remaining key and confront her destiny on her own terms. Bitty, loyal and powerless, remains by her side. The Floof's architecture warps around her, reflecting her growing power and the chaos of her inner struggle.

The Second Seal

In the heart of the Broken City, Ava confronts the second trial: a library of forgotten knowledge guarded by the shadowy Forgotten. The key is within reach, but Valroy intervenes, offering her a way out of the Floof and Serrik's influence. Serrik, desperate, tries to stop her, but Ava chooses to follow Valroy, stepping through a portal into Cotn t'Aill. The act severs her connection to Serrik, leaving him enraged and broken, and Ava on the threshold of becoming something new.

Becoming the Floof

As Ava enters Cotn t'Aill, the boundaries between herself and the Floof blur. Her tattoo spreads, her power grows, and her sense of self is threatened by the cosmic web's influence. Serrik, left behind, is consumed by rage and longing, his carefully laid plans unraveling. Ava is now the prize in a war between ancient powers, her choices shaping the fate of fae and human worlds alike. The story ends with Ava poised between annihilation and transcendence, her humanity hanging by a thread.

Characters

Ava Cole

Ava is a young woman devastated by loss—her mother's death, her father's betrayal, and the collapse of her future. Her journey is one of survival, self-discovery, and resistance against forces that seek to use her as a weapon. Psychologically, Ava is marked by abandonment and a desperate need for agency. Her sharp wit and stubbornness are both shield and sword, but her vulnerability makes her susceptible to manipulation. As she bonds with the grimoire and accepts Serrik's power, Ava's identity is threatened by transformation into the Floof's vessel. Her arc is a struggle to retain her selfhood and find meaning in a world that would erase her.

Serrik

Serrik is an ancient fae, half-fluffy bunny, half-witch, exiled for his heretical magic and dangerous intellect. He is both the designer and prisoner of the Floof, obsessed with vengeance against his own kind. Serrik's demeanor is cold, calculating, and predatory, but beneath the surface lies a well of pain—abandonment by his mothers, mutilation by fae kings, and centuries of isolation. His relationship with Ava is complex: he needs her as a key, desires her as a companion, and fears the vulnerability she awakens in him. Serrik's arc is one of control unraveling, as his plans are threatened by emotion and Ava's growing power.

Ibin

Once a human pilot in World War I, Ibin was transformed into a fae stork and exiled for breaking fae laws. She clings to her lost humanity, offering Ava comfort and guidance, but is torn between loyalty to her people and the need to survive. Ibin's kindness is genuine, but she is not above manipulation or reporting to higher powers. Her arc is one of longing for connection and redemption, and her relationship with Ava is both maternal and sisterly, marked by shared trauma and mutual distrust.

Nos

Nos is an Unseelie fae, stitched together from the parts of others after being tortured by King Valroy for suspected treason. He is cynical, mistrustful, and driven by a need to protect Ibin and himself. Nos sees Ava as a threat, a pawn in a larger game, and is willing to sacrifice her for the greater good. His psychological scars run deep, and his arc is one of reluctant empathy, as he is forced to confront the consequences of his own survival instincts.

Bitty

Bitty is a tiny, winged fae with no magic, exiled for her uselessness. She survives in the Floof by being helpful and unobtrusive, but her loneliness and longing for friendship are palpable. Bitty's innocence and honesty provide a counterpoint to the manipulations of the other fae. Her relationship with Ava is one of genuine loyalty, and she becomes Ava's only true ally as the story progresses.

Valroy

Valroy is the ultimate predator—beautiful, terrifying, and utterly self-assured. His motives are layered: he seeks to prevent Serrik's genocide, maintain his own power, and perhaps seduce Ava to his side. Valroy is a master manipulator, offering freedom with one hand and chains with the other. Psychologically, he is driven by ambition, pride, and a deep understanding of the games fae play. His relationship with Ava is both seductive and adversarial, a test of wills between ancient power and emerging agency.

Braega

Braega is a fae who preys on the vulnerable, offering bargains that always end in betrayal. Her attempt to blind and enslave Ava is a microcosm of the Floof's cruelty. Braega represents the dangers of fae hospitality and the perils of trust in a world built on deception.

The Crone

The crone is one of the Triad, guardians of the first key. She demands memories as payment, embodying the theme of sacrifice and the cost of power. Her interaction with Ava and Serrik exposes the depth of their pain and the lengths they will go to protect what matters most.

The Floof

The Floof is both setting and character—a cosmic horror that predates the fae, indifferent to human concerns. It seeks only to persist, and its power is both a gift and a curse. The Floof's voice is cryptic, its motives unknowable, and its influence on Ava is both transformative and annihilating.

The Grimoire (Book)

The grimoire is a sentient, manipulative object that binds itself to Ava, guiding and warning her with cryptic visions. It represents the allure and danger of forbidden knowledge, and its loyalty is always in question.

Plot Devices

Prison as Metaphor

The Floof's shifting, labyrinthine architecture represents the psychological and existential traps that ensnare the characters. It is a prison for the fae, but also for Ava's grief, trauma, and growing loss of self. The setting's mutability mirrors Ava's transformation and the instability of all alliances.

Magical Contracts and Bargains

The fae's obsession with bargains, contracts, and wordplay drives the plot and creates constant tension. Ava's deals with Serrik, Braega, and the Triad force her to weigh survival against integrity, and every choice has unforeseen consequences. The contracts are both plot mechanisms and explorations of consent, agency, and manipulation.

The Grimoire as Living MacGuffin

The grimoire's sentience and its ability to show possible futures make it a source of foreshadowing and dramatic irony. It is the key to the Floof's seals, the object of every faction's desire, and a symbol of the dangers of unchecked power.

Mirror and Reflection Motif

The mirror chambers and the Floof's illusions force Ava to confront every possible version of herself—victim, monster, betrayer, savior. This device externalizes her internal struggle and foreshadows the threat of losing her humanity.

Dream Sequences and Psychic Bonds

Ava's dream encounters with Serrik serve as both exposition and emotional crucible. The psychic bond between them allows for shared memories, emotional bleed-through, and the erosion of boundaries. Dreams are used to reveal backstory, deepen relationships, and heighten the sense of unreality.

Cosmic Horror and Sentient Setting

The revelation that the Floof is a primordial, sentient web predating the fae adds a layer of cosmic horror. Its indifference and power make it both a source of magic and a threat to all agency. The setting's mutability and the presence of the Forgotten reinforce the theme of knowledge lost and the danger of being unmade.

Foreshadowing and Prophecy

The grimoire's illustrations and the Floof's warnings provide glimpses of Ava's potential destinies—enslaved, monstrous, or triumphant. These prophecies create dramatic tension and force Ava to question every choice.

Analysis

Kathryn Ann Kingsley's The Unseelie Exile is a dark, emotionally charged exploration of grief, agency, and the cost of power, set against a backdrop of fae politics and cosmic horror. The novel's central question—what does it mean to matter, to have purpose, to retain one's selfhood in the face of overwhelming forces—resonates through every character and plot twist. Ava's journey is both literal and psychological: her struggle to survive in the Floof mirrors her battle with trauma and the fear of being erased by grief, manipulation, or transformation. The fae, with their obsession with bargains and wordplay, embody the dangers of seeking easy answers or trading autonomy for safety. Serrik, as both captor and companion, represents the seductive allure of power and the peril of losing oneself to vengeance or desire. The Floof itself, as a sentient, primordial web, challenges the very notion of agency, suggesting that all choices are shaped by forces beyond comprehension. The novel's use of mirrors, dreams, and shifting architecture externalizes the characters' internal conflicts, while the grimoire's warnings and the ever-present threat of becoming a weapon force Ava—and the reader—to confront the price of survival. Ultimately, The Unseelie Exile is a meditation on the necessity of self-trust, the danger of easy bargains, and the possibility of forging meaning in a world designed to consume and forget. Its lesson is both cautionary and hopeful: even in the darkest labyrinth, agency can be reclaimed, but only by refusing to let others define the pattern of one's life.

Last updated: October 31, 2025