Mari: The Brilliant Witch and Loyal Friend in A Dawn of Onyx

Overview

Mari is the daughter of Owen, a soldier at Shadowhold, and a young witch whose mother died in childbirth. Introduced in chapter five when she retrieves her father’s sock from the apothecary, she quickly becomes Arwen’s closest confidante and ally. Mari is defined by her fierce intellect, her deep-seated fear of failure, and her unwavering loyalty. Her journey in A Dawn of Onyx revolves around mastering her inherited witchcraft, confronting the pressure she places on herself, and discovering that her worth extends far beyond her academic and magical accomplishments.

Plot Role

Mari serves as Arwen’s primary emotional support and a source of practical knowledge within Shadowhold. She helps Arwen navigate the keep, provides crucial information about the king and the castle’s secrets, and later becomes a partner in the dangerous scheme to steal Briar Creighton’s amulet. Mari’s research uncovers the cure for Arwen’s mother’s illness (Plait’s Disorder) and reveals the existence of burrowroot, setting in motion Arwen’s pivotal journey into the Shadow Woods. During the escape from Peridot, Mari uses her cloaking spell to aid the group, and at the story’s close, she tends to Arwen after her mother’s death. Without Mari, Arwen would have lacked both the emotional resilience and the critical information needed to advance the plot.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Mari’s primary motivation is to prove herself worthy of her mother’s legacy as a brilliant witch. She admits that being good at things, especially knowledge, is “all I’m worth” — a belief that drives her to study obsessively and take risks, such as attempting spells she has not yet mastered. Her actions show a constant need for validation: she takes the barrister’s exam “just to see if I could ace it,” and she risks her life to steal an amulet that will amplify her magical power. Yet beneath this ambition lies a deep fear of failure. When her spell to hold the strix fails, she confesses she was “so afraid of failing at these spells … that I almost got us both killed.” This vulnerability humanizes her and makes her friendship with Arwen all the more meaningful — Arwen reassures her that her worth is not contingent on success.

Mari is also fiercely loyal. She introduces herself to the new healer with unfiltered gossip about the king and warns Arwen about Lieutenant Bert. She later stands by Arwen during the dangerous amulet theft, even though it could cost her life. In Peridot, she continues to research Fae history and uses her magic to support the group’s escape. Her intelligence is matched only by her compassion; she listens to Arwen’s painful past without judgment and offers both solace and practical solutions.

Chronological Arc

Mari’s character development unfolds in stages:

First meeting (Chapter 5): Mari appears as a talkative, confident-seeming young woman who quickly befriends Arwen. She shares information about the keep and warns her about the dangerous woods and the king.
Deepening friendship (Chapter 9): Mari listens to Arwen’s true story (minus the abuse) and offers sympathy. Their bond strengthens as Arwen confides in her about her mother’s illness. Mari’s suggestion to search medical texts leads to the discovery of the cure.
Confronting her fear (Chapter 12): Mari reveals she is a witch and asks Arwen to help steal the amulet. During the raid, her spell nearly fails, and afterward she admits her terror of failing at witchcraft. Arwen’s reassurance helps Mari begin to see her value beyond achievement.
Continued research and support (Chapters 10, 25): Mari identifies the burrowroot cure and later researches Fae lore in Peridot, demonstrating her commitment to helping Arwen.
Climax and aftermath (Chapters 28–31): Mari’s cloaking spell and magical abilities are used in the escape from Peridot. After Arwen’s mother dies, Mari is the one who tends to Arwen on the ship, showing her loyalty to the very end.

Relationships

Arwen: Mari’s most significant relationship is with Arwen. She is the first person in Shadowhold to treat Arwen with warmth and without suspicion. Their friendship is built on mutual vulnerability: Arwen shares her family story, and Mari confesses her deepest insecurities. Mari’s loyalty never wavers, even when Arwen’s choices put them both in danger. Their bond is a key emotional anchor in the novel.

Owen (her father): Mari speaks of her father with affection but also implies she stayed in Shadowhold partly because he “didn’t want to be alone.” Owen’s presence as a soldier and his positive relationship with Mari are mentioned by both characters.

King Kane Ravenwood: Mari does not trust Kane. She warns Arwen not to be won over by him, describing him as a “whore” and a womanizer. She believes he is “not worthy” of Arwen. Her distrust is consistent throughout the story.

The late mother (witch): Mari never knew her mother, but she feels immense pressure to live up to her legacy. Her mother’s reputation as a brilliant witch is both an inspiration and a burden.

Griffin and Dagan: Mari has limited direct interaction with Griffin, but at one point Griffin unexpectedly compliments her hair. Dagan helps translate a grimoire for her, showing that the adults at Shadowhold support her intellectual pursuits.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Stealing Briar’s amulet: Mari decides to risk everything to take the amulet, driven by her need to succeed at witchcraft. The immediate consequence is a near-death encounter with Kane’s strix. The long-term consequence is that she gains magical power and confidence — but also learns that the amulet’s power was not essential: Mari’s magic is her own.
Confessing her insecurities to Arwen: This decision deepens the friendship and allows Mari to start redefining her self-worth. Without this confession, her character growth would have been stalled.
Using her magic to help Arwen escape: Mari’s cloaking spell makes Arwen invisible at critical moments (e.g., visiting Halden, sneaking out of Shadowhold). This shows Mari’s willingness to act against the king’s authority for a friend.
Researching the burrowroot cure: By dedicating herself to the library, Mari not only saves Arwen’s mother (temporarily) but also pushes Arwen toward the risk that ultimately reveals her true Fae nature.
Staying with Arwen after the defeat: On the ship to Citrine, Mari tends to Arwen, choosing loyalty over safety. This reinforces her role as a steadfast ally.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Mari’s arc is deeply tied to the theme of self-discovery and bravery. She must learn that her identity is not defined by her abilities — a lesson Arwen echoes in her own journey. The symbol of the amulet represents external validation; Mari initially thinks she needs it to be a worthy witch, but the story suggests that true power comes from within. Mari’s love of books and knowledge also connects to the theme of trust and betrayal — what begins as a tool for self-worth becomes a way to build genuine trust with Arwen. Furthermore, Mari’s kindness and compassion embody the healing and sacrifice theme, as she sacrifices her own safety for Arwen’s wellbeing. In a world of power and control, Mari represents a form of power rooted in intellect and loyalty rather than domination.

5 Book-Specific Questions with Direct Answers

How does Mari first meet Arwen?
Answer: Mari comes to the apothecary to retrieve a sock her father Owen left behind when he was being treated for bramble poisoning. She introduces herself with a friendly, talkative attitude and they quickly bond.
What is Mari’s reason for needing Briar’s amulet?
Answer: Mari believes her witch lineage is tied to the amulet’s power. She wants to amplify her magic because she is terrified of failing at spells — specifically of being unable to live up to her mother’s legacy as a great witch.
What does Mari discover about Arwen’s mother’s illness?
Answer: While searching the library, Mari finds a book from the Pearl Mountains that describes Plait’s Disorder. She learns the cure requires a concoction made from burrowroot, a plant that only blooms during a lunar eclipse and leaves iridescent residue year-round.
What secret does Mari share about her childhood in Shadowhold?
Answer: Mari admits she had no friends growing up because the keep had few children, and she sometimes hid in Kane’s study to avoid bullies. Her social isolation contributed to her intense focus on academics.
How does Mari react when Arwen refuses Kane’s protection at the end of the novel?
Answer: Mari is not directly quoted reacting to that specific decision in the available evidence, but throughout the story she consistently supports Arwen’s choices. On the ship, she tends to Arwen physically and emotionally after the loss of her mother, remaining a loyal friend even when the group’s future is uncertain.

For more on the story’s major events, visit the ending explained page or browse questions and answers.