The Never List

The Occuli are a group of magical aides to the kings who perpetually spy on Rylee and the four Legends of Chaos as they undergo their courtship. The Occuli therefore have the effect of a panopticon, which, per critical theorist Michel Foucault, makes the observed feel as though they are under perpetual observation (regardless of how often authority figures actually maintain this observation) while the observer remains invisible in a way that maximizes their sense of power. Rylee and the Legends suffer under the oppressive presence of the Occuli, whose presence, they repeatedly note, never becomes comfortable, no matter how long one lives under their observation. Their constant surveillance reinforces the theme of The Corruption of Power Through Immortality, as the kings’ use of magical tools to enforce submission reflects how absolute power becomes increasingly paranoid and controlling.

The Occuli never speak in the novel. Instead, they create an ominous, silent presence that speaks to the omnipresence of the immortal kings in Lumathyst. This indicates that the kings’ authority pervades all elements of life in Lumathyst, leaving its citizens to constantly fear their violent interventions if they even slightly transgress the kings’ rules. This adds to the secrecy in the novel, as Rylee must keep her own secrets and keep constantly aware of how she is conducting herself in public as the kings—and their kingdom—are watching.