Ash is Sera’s heartmate and husband, and he rules alongside her as the King of the Gods and the Primal of Death. He is a static, secondary character who acts as a foil and sounding board for Sera’s development throughout the novel. Although he rules alongside Sera, he largely performs the duties of Death out of obligation, knowing that Kolis will neglect his true responsibilities in exchange for seeking to rule as King. Although Ash was never supposed to fall in love, as that part of his soul was removed, he defies the Fates by falling in love with Sera.

Ash’s primary characteristic is his dedication to Sera. Instead of seeking power for himself, he repeatedly defaults to Sera, allowing her to make decisions and trust her instincts with his support. For example, Ash willingly allows Sera to try to negotiate with Kolis despite his misgivings, then supports her when Kolis attacks them and even destroys the mortal kingdom of Lasania. In this way, Ash is key to Sera’s development in the text. He gives her the unconditional love and support she has lacked since birth, allowing her to develop openness and heal from her trauma.

Kolis is the primary antagonist in the novel and throughout the series. Although he was once the rightful Primal of Death, he killed his brother, Eythos, and stole the embers of life, attempting to rule as the Primal of Life and Death. Despite Sera’s Ascension, he continues to claim to be the King of the Gods, seeking to kill all those who stand against him.

Kolis rules through fear and violence, standing in stark contrast to the benevolence that Ash and Sera represent. Instead of Ascending Chosen mortals to godhood, he experiments on them, creating creatures that he demands do his bidding. When he holds Sera captive, she learns of the “favorites” that he keeps in his court, women whom he emotionally and physically abuses. After years of seeing Kolis’s violence and his ruthlessness, the other Primals have become unwilling to stand against him. While other characters, like Veses or even Kyn, evoke sympathy for being under Kolis’s control, Kolis is a completely unsympathetic character. He is motivated by his obsession with Sotoria and his need for power, stopping at nothing to ensure that he maintains control.

Attes is a secondary character and an ally of Sera and Ash. In the previous novel, his allegiance was unclear, as he helped Kolis capture Sera. However, he did so only to prevent war, then helps Sera free herself and Ash just before the start of Born of Blood and Ash. Attes is the Primal of Accord and War, serving as a balance to his twin brother, Kyn, who is the Primal of Peace and Vengeance and whom he eventually kills.

Although he knows that Kyn deserved to die, he also remembers the kind person that Kyn used to be before he was corrupted by Kolis. In this way, Attes’s character develops the theme of The Value of Love and Personal Connection. Although he struggles with killing Kolis, he also finds comfort from Sera, who insists that he did what he needed to do to protect the realm. While Attes loses his brother, he gains support and love from Ash, Sera, and the others, allowing him to fully turn his back on Kolis and align himself with the forces of good in the novel.