Mangus is one of the novel’s primary characters, and he acts as Fabrizio’s archetypal guide throughout the majority of the narrative. Mangus is a magician who has recently given up on the art of illusion to save himself. Ten months prior to the novel’s start, Mangus was “arrested and brought to trial in [the] castello,” where he ultimately “confessed and repented of being a magician” to avoid torture (4). At the novel’s start, he is still “under house arrest” (4); for fear of betraying the king’s grace, Mangus does not open the door to anyone who knocks and swears to all that he has denounced magic for good. Mangus is desperate to prove himself a changed man because he wants to save his life. Even when the king summons him to the castello and asks him to use his magic to rid Teresina of the ghost, Mangus asserts that he does not believe in ghosts, that his former “magical” capacities were only a “means of earning bread” for his family (28), and that he is a philosopher, not an illusionist.

Mangus is a kindly man who takes Fabrizio under his wing. Because Mangus treats Fabrizio like a son, he has Fabrizio’s undivided loyalty. Mangus, at times, gets frustrated with Fabrizio for being superstitious and believing too strongly in magic, but he ultimately cares for the boy and works to impress upon him the importance of reason and critical thinking skills. He also tries to offset the pressures Fabrizio feels from the royal family. When Fabrizio gets caught up with the princess and the queen, Mangus consistently warns him about getting too close to them. He knows Fabrizio’s trusting nature and understands that the royals seek to use him and take advantage of his fear and vulnerability. Later, when Teresina accuses Fabrizio of treason and has him locked in the dungeons, Mangus defends him, endangering himself despite his desire to escape the royal family unscathed. In Chapter 24, he asks the king that “the boy’s life be spared” if he is able to get rid of the ghost (206). He tells the king that although Fabrizio “is, in his own way, a rascal” (206), he is not a traitor. Mangus’s defense of Fabrizio conveys his good nature and sympathy for his servant. He and Fabrizio do not always agree, but Mangus knows that Fabrizio is innocent at heart. He understands Fabrizio’s boyish, earnest nature and his heartfelt desire to help others, and his guidance of the boy makes him not only a guide but also a father figure.

Mangus’s character is emblematic of reason, logic, and science. He adheres to these principles to protect himself and promote the truth. Throughout the novel, he consistently asserts his devotion to the truth, swearing that he cannot and will not lie, no matter the circumstances. Instead of manipulating others or concocting his own deceptions, Mangus quietly tries to unearth the facts of the novel’s central mystery and to expose the truth of what happened at the castello. In doing so, he leads Count Scarazoni to justice, helps Teresina and Jovanna avenge Lorenzo, and preserves his and Fabrizio’s lives.

Princess Teresina is another of the novel’s primary characters. Her parents are King Claudio and Queen Jovanna, and her brother is Prince Lorenzo. She is 10 years old and lives at the castello. She is “nearly as tall as her mother, [but] she closely resembled the queen. They were even dressed the same. But the stillness of the princess’s features, her rigid stance, and her unwavering gaze made Fabrizio think of a statue: no flesh, blood, or—for that matter—heart” (26). Fabrizio’s initial impressions of Teresina foreshadow her changeable character and behavior. Teresina is young, but she is also clever and powerful due to her royal status. When she initially starts meeting with Fabrizio in the castello corridors, she convinces him that the ghost is real and that she needs his help. At times, she acts sad, confused, and alone, while at other times she delights in her own games and the schemes she’s concocted, using whatever means she has to manipulate Fabrizio. Her ever-changing demeanor makes her an unreliable character who creates conflict throughout the novel because Fabrizio is never sure what to expect from her. The other characters also have changing opinions of Teresina: She is regarded, in turn, as a silly young girl, unstable and thus untrustworthy, and manipulative and conniving. Fabrizio himself notices how unpredictable Teresina can be and is never sure how she will treat him.

Teresina ultimately wields her power for her own gain. She is young, but she exhibits an understanding of power dynamics that speaks to her royal upbringing; she knows that she can use her authority to get the result she wants. When she learns that her father plans to marry her to Count Scarazoni and that the count tried to murder her brother, she works with her mother to stop the count once and for all. Teresina is clever, evidenced by her idea of the ghost plot, and she tells Fabrizio that she loves a good conspiracy and delights in inventing such games. Although Teresina’s desire to bring Count Scarazoni to justice and avenge her brother is noble, the princess fails to take into account the people she is hurting along the way. She even tells Fabrizio at one point that it’s okay if he dies doing her bidding, because he will be remembered well. As the royal that Fabrizio interacts with the most, her role in the novel is to illustrate the class differences that underpin the novel’s themes.

Count Scarazoni is King Claudio’s adviser and holds a position of significant power in the Pergamontio castello. He is described as “[a] slim man of middle age, [with] a lean face [and] dark eyebrows that swept over his eyes like an iron bar. His chin was shaped by a short, pointed beard” and from “his hip hung a dagger of Toledo steel” (16). The count’s severe appearance reflects his severe, intolerant manner. More than even the princess and queen, Count Scarazoni only cares about power, and he is willing to go to any lengths to gain it. Desperate to seize the throne, Count Scarazoni concocts a scheme in which he involves Teresina’s tutor, Addetto. For years, he and Prince Lorenzo have been at odds. Lorenzo does not like how much power Scarazoni has over King Claudio and fears the count is manipulating his father. To do away with his opposition, Scarazoni tries to have the prince killed when he is on his way to Rome. He then tells Claudio his son is dead and suggests that he himself marry Teresina, who is next in line to the throne.

Scarazoni is the novel’s antagonist. He is selfish and untrustworthy, interested only in assuming the power of the throne. He has violent tendencies and is unabashed about manipulating or striking out against anyone he perceives as a threat. Although the king trusts Scarazoni, all the other characters are wary of him. Ultimately, they work together to expose his treachery and bring him to justice. Mangus, Fabrizio, Jovanna, Teresina, and Lorenzo’s ghost plan helps the king to see who Scarazoni really is. Scarazoni also contributes to the novel’s examination of power, illustrating what happens when a person seeks unchecked power simply for its own sake.