The Prisoner & the Captor
This character is a healer who ends up captive after the war.
Who is Helena Marino?
The story takes place after a long conflict known as this.
What is the Alchemical War / the Great War?
The ancient practice at the heart of Helena’s past.
What is alchemy?
Helena’s greatest loss.
What is her memory?
“You survived. That is enough.”
Who is Helena Marino?
The person who holds Helena captive — powerful, cold, and dangerous.
Who is the high reeve / her captor (Kane ferret)?
The new ruling powers after the war belong to these groups.
Who are the necromancers / the victors’ regime?
The dark opposing force that uses death as power.
What is necromancy?
The general believes her mind hides this.
What is the secret to the Eternal Flame / her weapon?
“when I heard it was you I’d be getting, I was looking forward to breaking you.”
Who is Kaine Ferron
Helena’s memories are missing from this time period.
What is during the war?
The defeated alchemists were stripped of these.
What are their abilities / memories?
Helena’s alchemical talent was taken through this act.
What is the destruction of her memories / suppression of her power?
Helena fights to preserve the last pieces of this.
What is her sense of self / humanity?
“You’re like a rose in a graveyard,” he said, his lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I wonder what you could have turned into without the war.”
Who is Kaine Ferron
The captor forces Helena to explore her lost memories to find this.
What is the secret of the alchemical weapon / the truth about the war?
The victors used these reanimated soldiers to win the war.
What are the undead / revenants?
The necromancers’ use of undead soldiers symbolizes this.
What is the corruption of science and life?
The captor’s question: “What is it you think you’re protecting in that ___ of yours?”
What is head / mind?
“If he’s a monster, then I’m his creator.”
Who is Helena Marino
The setting of Helena’s imprisonment.
What is a crumbling estate / fortress controlled by the victors of the war?
Helena is driven to protect this at all costs.
What is the truth about the war / her lost identity?
The title “Alchemised” symbolizes transformation of self, memory, and this.
What is love / humanity / trauma into healing?
The novel asks who controls this once the war has ended.
What is the narrative / the truth / history?
“I promised I’d do anything for you.” She curled her fingers into a fist. “Maybe you didn’t realise how far I was willing to go.”
Who is Helena Marino