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Collins (Nick Collins) Character Analysis

Overview

Collins—whose full name is later revealed as Nicholas Collins, though he goes by Nick—is a former Library employee and trained bodyguard who can hear magic, much like Joanna Kalotay. He enters the story bound by a magical Non‑Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that silences him about his past and his true allegiances. Initially presented as a gruff, book‑hating enforcer, Collins is actually a deeply loyal protector working undercover for Maram to destroy the corrupt Library. His arc moves from forced secrecy to open defiance, from isolation to connection, as he helps the Kalotay sisters and Nicholas unravel centuries of magical tyranny.

Plot Role

Collins first appears as Nicholas’s bodyguard at the Library, where he helps stage a fake attack to frighten Nicholas into fleeing. Under Maram’s orders, he steals the ward codex from Joanna’s basement, revealing his betrayal just before the group’s confrontation with Richard. When the NDA is broken, his true name and backstory emerge: he was blackmailed into Library service by Richard, who threatened his sister and his former magical community in Boston. Collins’s knowledge of Maram’s secret daughter—Esther—becomes the key to reframing Maram’s motives and uniting the group against Richard. In the final battle, Collins physically defends the others and helps destroy the immortality spell. Months later, he picks up Joanna at the airport and stands beside her as she begins the ritual to break Richard’s inheritance curse.

Motivations and Traits

Collins is motivated above all by protection—of his sister Angie, his former friends in the Boston collective, and later of Joanna and the Kalotay household. Though he claims to hate books, this antipathy stems from the Library’s exploitation of magic, not from a genuine dislike of reading. In a rare vulnerable moment, he tells Joanna he used to love books and majored in hospitality with a minor in art history; he confesses a fondness for romance novels because they promise connection against the odds.

His traits include practical courage (he stage‑fights, steals wards, and faces Richard’s wrath without magical ability), emotional guardedness (the NDA and his years of service have taught him to keep secrets), and tender loyalty that breaks through his tough exterior. He is physically imposing—he was a boxer and bouncer—but his softness shows in moments like kissing Joanna with searching tenderness and later grieving over the deaths Richard caused.

Chronological Arc

  • Before the novel: Collins worked security for a magical collective in Boston until Richard blackmailed him into Library service. He underwent the NDA and became a bodyguard, his love of books curdling into resentment.
  • Early in the story: He colludes with Maram to fake an assassination attempt on Nicholas, using a gun charmed to fire bees, to scare Nicholas into fleeing the Library. He helps Nicholas and Sir Kiwi escape to Paris and eventually to the Kalotay house.
  • At the Kalotay house: He is added to the wards, granting him freedom of movement. He grows close to Joanna, sharing a kiss when Cecily unexpectedly arrives. He steals the ward codex on Maram’s orders, which triggers a confrontation when Joanna discovers its absence.
  • The confession: When Esther’s spell breaks his NDA, he reveals his real name—Nicholas Collins—and explains Richard’s blackmail, Maram’s plan, and the photograph of Maram with a baby (Esther). He helps the group decode the tracking book and deduces it contains Richard’s life.
  • The climax: He fights alongside the others, and after Richard’s death, he witnesses Maram’s confession that she is Esther’s mother. He comforts Nicholas, who is overwhelmed.
  • Epilogue: Two months later, he picks up Joanna at the airport as she returns to the Library to break the curse. He stands ready in Richard’s study, holding herbs for the ritual, a symbol of his commitment to the new path.

Relationships

  • Nicholas: Initially employee and employer, their relationship deepens into friendship when Collins helps him escape. They share the same first name, which becomes a bond. Collins is protective of Nicholas’s health and sanity, even forcing him to keep moving during emotional breakdowns.
  • Joanna: Their romance develops slowly, built on shared vulnerability and trust. Joanna notes his eyes are “old‑denim blue” and implicitly trusts him despite her wariness. Collins kisses her searchingly, “like she was a page he couldn’t wait to turn.” After his betrayal, she must grapple with that trust, but she ultimately accepts him into the wards and the fight.
  • Maram: He trusts her because he tested her with a truth spell. She promises to protect his sister and friends if he follows her orders. His faith in her proves correct when she orchestrates Richard’s downfall and reveals Esther’s parentage.
  • Richard: His antagonist and blackmailer. Collins despises Richard’s cruelty and participates directly in his destruction.
  • Esther: Initially wary, Collins becomes an ally. He respects her power and is instrumental in bringing the group together through the photograph of Maram with baby Esther.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  • Helping Nicholas escape the Library: This ends his cover and puts him at odds with Richard, but it aligns him with Maram’s true plan and begins the chain of events that leads to Richard’s death.
  • Stealing the ward codex: This could have destroyed the group’s trust, but it forces a confession that ultimately unites them. Joanna’s quick use of Esther’s spell to break the NDA turns a betrayal into a revelation.
  • Trusting Maram: He vouches for her when others doubt. His faith is validated when Maram’s true goal—destroying the Library and protecting Esther—is revealed.
  • Allowing himself to be vulnerable with Joanna: Their romance strengthens his emotional resilience and gives him a stake in the future beyond mere survival.
  • Participating in the curse‑breaking ritual: He physically assists in the final spell, symbolizing his transition from a pawn of the Library to a free agent helping to heal magical history.

Theme and Symbol Connections

  • Family Secrets and Loyalty: Collins’s loyalty to his sister Angie and his willingness to betray the Library for her echo the Kalotay sisters’ own bond. Explore the family secrets theme.
  • Sacrifice and the Cost of Magic: He sacrifices his freedom, his name, and his love of books to serve the Library under duress. His NDA is a literal cost of magic. Read about sacrifice and magic.
  • Identity and Belonging: Collins’s real name reveals he shares a name with the Scribe, a fact that unsettles both of them. His journey is about reclaiming his identity from the Library’s control. Learn about identity and belonging.
  • Betrayal and Trust: He betrays Joanna’s trust by stealing the wards, but his later confession and actions rebuild it. The novel examines how betrayal can be a path to deeper truth. Examine betrayal and trust.
  • Freedom vs. Duty: Collins is torn between his duty to Maram’s mission and his personal desire to protect those he loves. His final choice to join the curse‑breaking ritual represents freedom from both blackmail and obligation. Consider freedom vs. duty.

Common Questions About Collins

1. Why was Collins working for the Library despite hating books?

Collins originally loved books and worked for a magical collective in Boston. Richard blackmailed him into Library service by threatening his sister and friends. He submitted to the NDA to keep them safe, but his hatred for the Library’s methods grew over time.

2. What is Collins's real name and why was it hidden?

His real name is Nicholas Collins, but he goes by Nick. The Library’s NDA suppressed his name, and Richard blackmailed him into silence. Esther’s spell breaks the NDA, allowing him to speak his own name again.

3. How did Collins and Joanna's relationship develop?

Their relationship begins with mutual wariness but grows through shared vulnerability. Joanna admits she loves romance novels; Collins kisses her slowly and searchingly. After his betrayal, Joanna struggles with trust, but she eventually adds him to the wards and works alongside him in the final spell.

4. Why did Collins steal the ward codex?

Maram ordered him to steal it as part of her plan to eventually bring down the Library. Collins obeyed because Maram had promised to protect his sister and because he believed destroying the Library was the only way to free himself and others from Richard’s control.

5. What role did Collins play in the final battle against Richard?

Collins helped Nicholas destroy the book containing Richard’s life by shooting the bone frame of a portrait (as Maram instructed), breaking the protective spell. He then protected the others during the aftermath and assisted in the curse‑breaking ritual two months later.

For a complete analysis of the novel’s ending, see the ending explained. For more character discussions, visit the questions and answers page.