The Never List

Rylee Gray is the primary narrator and protagonist of The Never List. Rylee initially attends the Choosing not because she wishes to partner with the Legends of Chaos but because she seeks information about her sister, Erin, who has been missing since the previous year’s Choosing. Though Rylee takes the risk of going to the Choosing with a forged invitation for pragmatic reasons, she also thrills at the danger. Her risk-taking leads her to make caustic, anti-monarchical comments, which draws Jax’s attention. When she is selected at the potential mate to the four Legends, Rylee’s initial reaction is terror, as she is a citizen of the Ashlands and a demi, a person with magical powers. Though possessing these powers is not illegal in itself, Rylee’s decision to hide her powers—because demis are strongly discriminated against in Lumathyst—makes her vulnerable to arrest or execution if discovered.

Rylee begins the courting process with the Legends determined to make them love her, no matter the cost, feeling this is the only way to ensure her survival. Gradually, however, she finds that her affection for the four Legends is increasingly legitimate, leading her priorities to change. She begins to value her partners’ safety over her own secrets, even the ones that she keeps to protect herself.