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Cast

Talya Caro : our favorite human-turned-time-mage.

A fire took her village, her family, and her memories when she was only six years old.

Taken in by the Marquess Ivain Castaro, Taly grew up at Harbor Manor.

It was an idyllic childhood, especially for a human born into a world that didn’t care whether she lived or died.

So, when her latent magic made her a target, she chose exile to protect her loved ones, surviving as a scavenger in the underbelly of Tempris.

Then a harpy dragged her back.

Not literally—harpies aren’t known for their altruism. Or their navigational skills.

But after a good dose of deadly poison, a week in bed, and a healer smart enough to realize she’s not as mortal as she pretends to be, she decides maybe it’s time to stop running.

She reconciles with Skye—her best friend, her anchor, and annoyingly, extremely hot. Not that she notices. Not officially. That would mess with the very convenient story she’s been telling herself: that she’s not in love with him, thank you very much.

Then an invasion hits the island. Bodies drop.

And then get back up again. It’s all very unsettling.

Somewhere between fighting and nearly dying, Taly and Skye finally admit that there might be something more than just friendship between them.

They share a steamy, “ I almost died, so let’s admit the obvious ” kiss in the library.

Then Kato fucks everything up, because that’s what he does. He accuses her of being a traitor and working with the mysterious force invading the island.

Taly runs (yet again), this time to Vale, her old hometown, to send a message for help.

There, she meets Vaughn—not a nice man. She was perfectly justified in shooting him in the head.

Her powers are finally unleashed, and in a final battle with ghosts of the past returning, mech armor, and lots of fireworks, Taly is spirited away to a land of eternal summer where Azura Raine, High Lady of Time, is waiting.

She’ll spend the next year here, training.

Skylen Emrys : the best friend. Ivain’s student and heir to the richest, largest, most well-armed Dominion in the Fey Imperium, he grew up alongside Taly. When she left, it devastated him. And it takes finally losing her a second time to realize the obvious.

He’s head-over-heels in love with her.

So, when she leaves him behind in Ebondrift (yet again), he’s gutted. He wants to go after her, but duty holds him back. He’s responsible for the refugees who have taken shelter with him, and when the compound they’re holed up in is no longer safe, he moves them to Ryme.

They’re ambushed at Crescent Canyon, but Ivain saves the day.

And then Skye discovers—Taly can’t be the traitor Kato is accusing her of being. She did exactly what she said she would. She sent a message for help. Called Ivain, and here he is.

Unfortunately, all signs are pointing to Taly having died in the process.

Everyone is pushing him to start grieving, but he refuses.

What follows is a spiral of confusing dreams, a slight descent into madness—like just the first few steps down the staircase winding into the endless dark—a dash of illegal bloodcraft, and finally the projection of his lost friend and love at his most vulnerable moment, where he discovers that not only is she Fey and a time mage—she’s his soulbonded mate.

Cue the rescue mission.

Sarina Castaro : the disgraced noblewoman. Once the favorite daughter of House Fairmont, she’s now hiding out on Tempris with her slightly eccentric brother. She’s sharp, ambitious, and not at all amused by the fact that the children she raised are no longer talking to one another.

If they won’t fix it themselves, she’ll do it for them. Really, we have her to thank for jumpstarting this whole love story.

Ivain Castaro : the hermit. A noble with a storied past, he raised Taly as his own after the fire that took her family. He’s lived a quiet life since the death of his wife and child—tinkering in his workshop, reading, and pretending he isn’t still one of the most dangerous minds in the Imperium.

When shades descend on Tempris, he battens down the hatches, gathering refugees in Ryme, where he awaits the opening of the Aion Gate.

Aiden Bryer : the healer. Newly enrolled in the Crystal Guard, and already too clever for his own good. Every summer, he visits his great-great uncle, Ivain Castaro—a man most people would find intimidating. He never did.

He’s the one who initially puts the pieces together. The strange illness following the harpy attack, the impossible recovery. He suspects that Taly isn’t exactly what she claims to be.

Aimee Bryer : the social climber. Aiden’s sister.

She’s determined to overcome the unfortunate circumstances of her half-human lineage and has her sights set squarely on Skye.

She’s determined to make him love her, whether he likes it or not.

And if you asked her, Taly is the only thing standing in her way.

Not the gaping void of shared interests. Not the complete lack of chemistry with her mark.

Nope, it’s Taly.

So, imagine her shock when she realizes that Taly just might be the long-lost cousin she thought was gone.

Kato Emrys : the fallen prince. He’s a miserable bastard, and he likes it that way.

He used to be the heir of Ghislain before Skye came along and ruined everything.

He lost his inheritance, his titles, his sense of self—all because his family prioritized a pureblooded goldenboy over a half-human placeholder.

So, he spiraled. He let himself get mean. But now he’s trying to turn things around. Trying to be a better man and fumbling it. Spectacularly.

He meant well when he accused Taly of being a traitor. Probably.

Just like he meant well when he recruited Vaughn and company into their little suicide—sorry, rescue —mission.

It’s a start. A messy, half-broken, bleeding start, but hey—no one becomes a better man overnight. Unless you’re Riven Locke. But that’s another story, and frankly, no one likes a show-off.

Lucky for Kato, his abs make up for the lack of brains, tact, and tendency to wallow.

Azura Raine : the Queen of Time, Terror, and Tea Parties. She shattered the world in an event known as the Schism, then disappeared into a time loop where she relives the same day over and over with the ghosts of all her time mage minions there to serve her.

Why? Your guess is as good as anyone’s.

How long has she been there? Too long. Definitely too long. Tea is how she marks time now. Not hours or days, but how many cups it takes to keep the madness orderly.

And now she’s decided Taly is her latest pet project. She’s going to train her. Or break her. Whichever comes first.

Vaughn Adamaer : the Big Bad’s henchman. A shadow mage, a brute, and an all-around bastard, Vaughn once tried to capture Taly and failed. Now, with his mysterious “master” breathing down his neck, he’s got one goal: find the time mage and bring her in.

Little does he know, the Queen planned his arrival at Infinity’s Edge. He’s set up to make it look like he killed Skye. And when Taly sees the blood—the marks he put on that pretty face—she goes into a rage.

She doesn’t just kill him. She hunts him.

And then shows him his still-beating heart right before she ends his life.

Aneirin : the Big Bad. Vaughn’s mysterious master. He’s powerful. Terrifying. Nobody knows what he truly is, only that he’s watching, waiting, and when he moves, the world trembles.

Sanctorum: the corrupted order. Their original purpose died with the last of the time mages.

These days, they mostly harass villages, interrogate innocent fortunetellers, and pretend they’re still relevant.

Ivain cast them off Tempris years ago, but somehow, they just keep coming back. Like cockroaches.

Memory refreshed? Good.

Let’s begin.