Kay Brightmore is a blind Usaran-Caloxan warrior who ends up under the care of the Duke of Murtagh after his margrave, Gerrard, is slaughtered in Corambis. He is a point-of-view character in the fourth novel. and his POV is the first we read in the novel and is a useful introduction to Caloxa and Corambis.
Appearance[]
Kay has tawny skin, along with a square face and a snub nose and has been described as 'not at all handsome.' He has a generous mouth, crow's feet around pale amber eyes striated with gray. He is notably short.
Pre-canon History[]
Kay was named after the Usaran word for cougar (and the Murrey word for heavy-shouldered, bear-baiting dogs). He campaigned against the Usaran since he was 14 years old, despite being half-Usaran himself. At 15 he became the commander of the campaigns against the Usara, after burying his father. He never had a formal education. Later, he swore his loyalty to the margrave Gerrard - who he had a hidden, deep romantic love for - who was slaughtered while trying to reactivate an Automaton.
In the books[]
Corambis[]
That's his book.
Personality[]
Upon being blinded, he is generally pessimistic, reserved, taciturn, stoic, as self-sufficient as possible while often easily scared by new circumstances, though he hides it well. He is a cunning tactician when involved in the matters of strategy, though he often turns to brutal solutions for problems, including advocating for the death of a baby. As he develops throughout Corambis, he becomes something of a teacher to both Felix and Mildmay, who - in his bald acceptance of his own monstrousness - makes it clear that being a monster is something many people have to live with, and life goes on regardless.
He compares himself unceasingly to the Automaton of Corybant, and is often accused of being one through the line 'your heart is made of gears.' This references a tale of a magician who made himself a clockwork heart and destroyed the city of Corybant that he once loved, because he no longer knew how to love. Despite these references, it is clear that Kay does have a heart, though his love is sometimes misplaced - as with Gerrard - or repressed. This is compounded by his being a 'violet boy' (homosexual), which is frowned upon in Caloxa and Corambis.
Relationships[]
Felix Harrowgate[]
Felix first meets Kay when Kay is chained to Gerrard in the Hall of Seven Virtues, in the Clock Palace of Bernatha and being paraded around and treated poorly. Their first meeting is quite neutral, Felix offers to help Kay, feeling sorry for him, and Kay closes off.
Later, when they meet again, Felix and Kay develop an acquaintanceship and then friendship. Felix is the one who suggests that Mildmay read to Kay, for both of their benefits.
Mildmay[]
Mildmay meets Kay quite late in Corambis. They become friends, as Kay is very patient with Mildmay's distorted speaking and difficult accent. At Felix's suggestion, Mildmay begins reading to Kay, which improves his diction and allows Kay to still learn from books and newspapers.
Vanessa Pallister[]
Kay is coerced into an arranged marriage with Vanessa Pallister, widow of the Warden of Grimglass. It is a marriage of convenience for the both of them, but they end up coming to an accord over the course of Corambis. After the marriage, Kay becomes stepfather to Vanessa's son, Richard Pallister. She knows that Kay is gay (violet).
The Duke of Murtagh/Ferrand Carey[]
Kay becomes dependent on the Duke of Murtagh, who is Kay's brother-in-law through his marriage to Kay's sister, Isobel. Murtagh rescues Kay from the clutches of Glimmering, who is being paraded around chained to the dead body of Gerrard as a conquered, blind figure. Kay then lives in Carey House, feeling like an unwanted dependent. Over time, however, Kay and Murtagh develop a real friendship, though it is marked by (not always good-natured) bickering.
Murtagh is the one who arranges Kay's marriage to Vanessa, in order to safeguard Kay, but also because he trusts Kay to handle the administration of Grimglass. Murtagh entrusts Julian to help Kay, and ends up sending Julian on to Grimglass as Kay's manservant.
Julian[]
Julian - the Duke of Murtagh's nephew - is first shown reluctantly assisting Kay to Our Lady of Mirrors, but later comes to be quite useful to Kay.