The novel’s second protagonist, Gideon Sharpe is the former lover of Cressida Roseblood and, later, Rune Winters, and the older brother of Alex Sharpe, whom Cressida killed at the conclusion of the first novel in the series. Gideon is an infamous witch-hunter who captains the Blood Guard and heads the purging of witches. However, his latest scandal with Rune—namely, falling in love with the witch who escaped execution—led the Commander and his fellow soldiers to doubt Gideon’s loyalty to the cause. In Rebel Witch, Gideon is caught between his lingering feelings for Rune and his desperation to prove he’s still a trustworthy servant of the Republic in its mission to eradicate witches.

Throughout the novel, Gideon experiences a character arc that thematically centers on The Lack of Victors in Cycles of Hatred. As he becomes closer to Rune without the lies and false pretenses between them, Gideon sees more clearly than ever how similar witches can be to non-witches. Not all witches are like Cressida, whose abrasive magic causes pain; in comparison, Rune’s is like a gentle caress. The depth of Gideon’s growth throughout the series is profound, as his interactions with Laila and Harrow demonstrate. While these two women were his closest allies in the fight against witches throughout Heartless Hunter, Rebel Witch highlights moments where Gideon criticizes them for taking things too far and prompts them to analyze how their hate has poisoned their outlook.

The series’ primary antagonist, Cressida Roseblood is “beautiful—in a cold, terrifying way. Like being lost in a blizzard, knowing it was going to kill you” (30). Her “birch-white hair and eyes as cold as a frozen sea” (26) add to her detached, cruel characterization. Cressida is the daughter of Winoa Roseblood, the queen who brought about the Reign of Witches—a period of immense bloodshed when witches committed many atrocities against non-witches. Though Cressida is capable of horrific things, many consider her tamer than her sisters Elowen and Analise, making their possible resurrections highly worrisome.

Cressida’s pride, which was at fault for Gideon’s insecurities about his status and self-worth in the first installment of the series, is her downfall in Rebel Witch. Her possessiveness of Gideon and her desire to keep him to herself, far from Rune, only solidifies Rune’s rebelliousness against her. Cressida’s threats toward Gideon earn her the full force of Rune’s wrath and intelligence, since Cressida’s protection spell around Gideon ensures her defeat in the novel’s climax.