69 pages • 2-hour read
Jennifer L. ArmentroutA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.
Casteel is an Elemental Atlantian and the King of Atlantia. In the flashback timeline, he operates undercover in Solis as a guard named Hawke Flynn. He possesses the magical ability of compulsion and harbors deep trauma from his previous captivity under the Blood Crown. He aggressively protects those close to him and relies on dark humor to mask his vulnerabilities.
Wife of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Best Friend of Kieran Contou
Brother of Malik
Son of King Valyn
Son of Queen Eloana
Ally of Griffith Jansen
Advisee of Alastir Davenwell
Associate of Nektas
Penellaphe, known affectionately as Poppy, is the Queen of Atlantia and the newly discovered Primal God of Life and Death. While she rests in a deep sleep to complete her magical Culling, her past as the repressed Maiden of Solis is explored. She possesses strong empathetic abilities, natural combat skills, and a persistent curiosity about the world outside her restrictions.
Wife of Casteel Da'Neer
Friend of Kieran Contou
Sister of Millicent
Daughter of Ires
Daughter of Isbeth
Best Friend of Tawny Lyon
Ward of Vikter Wardwell
Victim of Duke Teerman
Kieran is a wolven shapeshifter and Casteel's bonded best friend. He maintains a calm, observant demeanor that balances Casteel's impulsive nature. He operates as a city guard in the flashback timeline, assisting Casteel with his undercover operations while offering insightful advice.
Best Friend of Casteel Da'Neer
Friend of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Associate of Emil
Associate of Jericho
Duke Teerman is a cruel Ascended leader who rules Masadonia. He takes sadistic pleasure in asserting his authority through physical and emotional abuse. He views Penellaphe strictly as a pawn for the Ascended's religious propaganda and punishes her for any perceived infractions.
Husband of Duchess Teerman
Abuser of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Employer of Casteel Da'Neer
Employer of Vikter Wardwell
Duchess Teerman operates alongside her husband to control Masadonia and enforce the Ascended's oppressive rules. She uses a facade of gentle kindness to pacify those around her, effectively masking her complicity in the kingdom's atrocities. She closely monitors Penellaphe's behavior to ensure compliance.
Wife of Duke Teerman
Guardian of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Employer of Casteel Da'Neer
Isbeth, also known as Queen Ileana, is the first Ascended mortal and the tyrannical former ruler of Solis. She created the Ascended army to maintain control over the mortal population. She holds a dark legacy of manipulating those around her to enact a grand design for the world.
Mother of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Mother of Millicent
Former Partner of Ires
Former Captor of Casteel Da'Neer
Griffith Jansen is an Atlantian operative working undercover as the Commander of the Royal Guard in Solis. He despises the Ascended, who are responsible for the deaths of his children. He coordinates with Casteel to arrange security positions and plan covert operations.
Co-conspirator of Casteel Da'Neer
Colleague of Vikter Wardwell
Alastir Davenwell is a trusted advisor to King Valyn and Queen Eloana of Atlantia. He serves as a mentor figure to Casteel, holding significant political influence. He believes a direct war with Solis is the necessary course of action.
Mentor to Casteel Da'Neer
Advisor to King Valyn
Vikter is the head of security at Castle Teerman and Penellaphe's primary personal guard. He acts as a surrogate father to Penellaphe following the death of his own family. He is highly protective of her and expresses strong suspicion regarding Casteel's intentions.
Protector of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Colleague of Casteel Da'Neer
Subordinate to Duke Teerman
Colleague of Rylan
Tawny is a Lady in Wait and Penellaphe's closest confidant. She possesses a mischievous sense of humor and frequently encourages Penellaphe to bend the strict rules governing her life. She provides emotional support and moments of levity in the oppressive castle environment.
Best Friend of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Acquaintance of Casteel Da'Neer
Malik is the older prince of Atlantia and Casteel's brother. His status in Solis serves as the primary motivation for Casteel's undercover mission. He carries a complex history with his family and the Blood Crown.
Brother of Casteel Da'Neer
Heartmate of Millicent
Son of King Valyn
Son of Queen Eloana
Millicent is Penellaphe's older sister and a Revenant. She previously served as the Maiden before Penellaphe. She holds a soulmate bond with Malik and survives a complicated existence between opposing factions.
Sister of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Heartmate of Malik
Daughter of Isbeth
Ires is a god and Penellaphe's biological father. He spent decades held captive in his animal form by Isbeth. He requires significant magical and physical rehabilitation following his rescue.
Father of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Former Partner of Isbeth
Ward of Nektas
Nektas is the leader of the draken, beings who can shapeshift between human and dragon forms. He serves as a guardian of the gods and provides cryptic but vital guidance regarding the divine domain and Penellaphe's transition.
Caretaker of Ires
Associate of Casteel Da'Neer
Emil is an Atlantian operative assisting Casteel's faction. He helps supply Casteel with blood to prevent his senses from dulling. He monitors political developments in Atlantia and relays information to the undercover team.
Subordinate to Casteel Da'Neer
Associate of Kieran Contou
Jericho is a wolven descended from an old bloodline. He assists with the undercover operations in Solis but struggles to follow orders, leading to severe tension within the operative group.
Subordinate to Casteel Da'Neer
Co-conspirator of Griffith Jansen
Rylan is a reputable royal guard assigned to protect Penellaphe. He is recognized as an honorable man, making his targeted removal a difficult but strategic necessity for the undercover operatives.
Guard of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Colleague of Vikter Wardwell
Pence is a young, mortal guard stationed on Masadonia's security border. He firmly believes the Ascended's propaganda regarding the Maiden and the gods, representing the misguided loyalty of Solis's human citizens.
Colleague of Casteel Da'Neer
Subordinate to Lieutenant Smyth
Lieutenant Smyth is an officer in the Solis guard. He harbors suspicions about Casteel's rapid promotion and threatens to investigate his background, viewing him as a disruptive presence in the ranks.
Superior to Casteel Da'Neer
Superior to Pence
King Valyn is the monarch of Atlantia and Casteel's father. He is a grieving parent who desires to strike back against Solis, remaining unaware of the full extent of his son's covert operations.
Husband of Queen Eloana
Father of Casteel Da'Neer
Father of Malik
Queen Eloana rules Atlantia alongside King Valyn. She awaits her sons' safe return and relies on advisors to navigate the kingdom's tense political standoff with Solis.
Wife of King Valyn
Mother of Casteel Da'Neer
Mother of Malik
Lord Mazeen is an Ascended noble residing in Masadonia. He preys on vulnerable mortal women and makes inappropriate advances, representing the unchecked predatory nature of the Ascended elite.
Associate of Duke Teerman
Harasser of Penellaphe Balfour Da'Neer
Delano is a loyal Atlantian operative stationed in the border town of New Haven. He works to maintain control of the reclaimed territory while assisting Casteel with his strategic maneuvers.
Subordinate to Casteel Da'Neer
Colleague of Elijah Payne
Elijah is an Atlantian stationed in New Haven. He manages the local operative forces and warns Casteel about shifting loyalties and unrest among the troops regarding the current mission.
Subordinate to Casteel Da'Neer
Colleague of Delano Amicu
Naill is one of Casteel's closest Atlantian friends. He helps secure the border town of New Haven and acts as a dependable enforcer for the undercover operation.
Friend of Casteel Da'Neer
Colleague of Delano Amicu