The Never List

The Never List (2025) is a “why choose” romantasy novel—a romance trope involving more than two romantic partners in a polyamorous romance—by American author Jade Presley. Presley is known for The Shattered Isle series, which is inspired by the Marvel comics films, and The Veil of Blood and Magic (2024), a “why choose” romantasy set in a different fantasy land. The Never List explores themes of The Corruption of Power Through Immortality, Love as Risk and Redemption, and Using Privilege to Benefit the Less Fortunate.

This guide references the 2025 Kindle e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of sexual violence and harassment, graphic violence, sexual content, cursing, death, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.

Language Note: The source material and this guide use the term “mate” to describe romantic and sexual partners.

Plot Summary

The Never List begins when protagonist Rylee Gray sneaks into the Choosing—an event where the princes of Lumathyst, descendants of the sleeping goddesses who protect the land, select a potential mate. Unlike most attendees, Rylee is not interested in the princes, known as the “Legends of Chaos.” Rylee seeks answers about her sister Erin, who disappeared at last year’s Choosing. She attends with her friends, Ivy Parcell and Layce Willis, despite her two secrets: Rylee is an Ashlander, a citizen of an impoverished and disenfranchised district, making her ineligible to enter the Choosing. She is also hiding her “demi” status, which indicates that she has magical powers as a gift from one of the four goddesses.

Rylee sneaks into the library and finds the “Never List,” which contains information on Ashlanders and demis, who are ineligible to ascend the social strata of Lumathyst. Later, she is distracted by a purple-eyed man who shows interest in her anti-monarchic comments. Rylee is shocked when the man reveals himself as one of the Legends, who were hiding in the crowd. He calls her number, choosing her as the Legends’ potential mate. Rylee, terrified that she will be discovered and executed, bids her friends goodbye.

The four Legends introduce themselves: Kal Erhart, Axl Dawson, Pierce Bertrand, and Jax Lavine, the purple-eyed man. Though Kal and Axl are pleased to meet her, Jax senses that she is lying to them. They leave Rylee to face a “test” from their fathers, the four kings of Lumathyst, who mated with the goddesses. The kings ask Rylee to have sex with them first to see if she can be influenced by their power. Rylee refuses, and Baydel, Jax’s father, attempts to sexually assault her before Jullian, Kal’s father, stops him.

Rylee finds that she likes the Legends, despite their violent reputations, which Pierce contends are largely untrue. She meets Mirren, a staff member assigned to aid her, and learns that she may face further tests from the kings. Mirren explains that Rylee will spend a month with each Legend in his respective city. She will be followed by the Occuli, magical advisors to the king. If Rylee remains with the Legends and gains tokens from each of them, she can submit to the Athanry—the dangerous process of becoming the immortal queen of Lumathyst.

Rylee spends the first month in the Ruby Aire, Kal’s city. She pursues a romantic and sexual relationship with Kal, surprised by the intensity of her feelings. She learns that a group called the Faders are attacking the Legends’ cities with powers that affect the nearly indestructible Legends. Rylee worries when Kal and the Legends leave to fight the Faders. She insists that Kal take her for the next fight; he agrees. She worries that the Legends’ suspicion that the Faders are demis will lead them to reject her if they learn her secret.

At the end of her time in the Ruby Aire, Rylee sees a painting that she knows was done by her sister. As the public installment was only completed six months prior, this means that Erin is still alive. Kal offers Rylee his token, which she accepts. They attend a dinner with the kings. Baydel produces a doctored report that supports Rylee’s false story about her origins, confusing Rylee. He reports that Erin is on a dangerous “Never List” mission. Baydel executes a demi thief, using his magical powers to make the man jump from a balcony.

Rylee travels to the Sapphire Cove, where she spends time with Kal and Axl. She wins a swimming race against Axl; for her victory, she asks Axl to look for real information about Erin. He and the other Legends search but find nothing definitive. Her romantic and sexual relationship with Axl strengthens, and he offers her his token, which she accepts. At the end of their month together, they have another dinner with the kings. It is interrupted by a nearby Fader attack. Rylee joins the Legends to help protect a nearby fishing village from destruction.

Rylee goes to the Emerald Wood to spend time with Pierce, with whom she develops and emotional and intellectual bond before a sexual one. Pierce arranges for Rylee to meet with her friends; Ivy, a forger, denies having any connection to the changing of Rylee’s records. While Rylee is alone, Brooks, Pierce’s father, offers her a chance to get away from the Legends without risk to her safety. Rylee is surprised to find that she wishes to stay with the Legends, even if this is dangerous. She tells Pierce about the encounter, which brings them closer together.

Rylee goes to Jax’s city, the Obsidian City. Jax, whose powers over emotion leave him vulnerable to the fear that most experience around him, avoids her. He senses that she is keeping secrets, which makes him mistrust her. Rylee follows him to a sex club, where she shows she is not afraid of him. Jax tries to push her away. He defends her against Turner when the guard threatens sexual violence. Rylee admits to being born in the Ashlands, which Jax dismisses. They begin a romantic and sexual relationship. When Turner tries to harm Jax, Rylee uses her powers to defend him, admitting to Jax and the other Legends that she is a demi. They agree to hide her secret.

As the Athanry approaches, the Legends encourage her to refuse to take the trial, as they fear she will die. Even though they cannot access their full powers without being immortally bonded to their fated mate, they will not risk losing Rylee. She insists she will undertake the trial and survive. Baydel gives Rylee a ritual elixir. She enters a magical door, which presents scenarios that require her to use the Legends’ powers to survive. Though she passes these tests, the goddesses tell her that she is already dead; someone tampered with the elixir.

The Legends are struck with grief at Rylee’s death. They take the remaining doses of the elixir, determined to travel into the magical realm to save her. The goddesses tell their sons that they can revive Rylee by giving her all their powers, which will only return to the Legends at Rylee’s discretion. The Legends don’t hesitate. They return to the living world as Faders attack. Rylee wakes and passes the powers back to her partners, who use them to fight off the rebels. Rylee chases the leader of the Faders, whom she realizes is her sister, Erin. Jax, assuming Erin is threatening Rylee, stabs at Erin, but Rylee steps in the way. The novel ends as Rylee seemingly succumbs to her injury.