Lisavet is an 11-year-old Jewish girl from Germany who is forced into a magical dimension called the time space to escape persecution. Trapped in this physical archive of human memories, she spends her formative years completely alone, learning how to view past events. She takes it upon herself to rescue the physical pages of history that invading timekeepers attempt to burn.

Moira is a CIA agent running the Temporal Reconnaissance Program (TRP) in 1965. She is tasked with recruiting Amelia to help uncover the circumstances surrounding Ernest's death. Pragmatic and secretive, she operates in a highly militarized bureaucracy and pushes Amelia to enter the time space on behalf of the government.

Ernest is an American timekeeper who inherits his government role from his father. In the World War II era, his job requires him to locate and destroy dangerous memories. In the 1965 timeline, he is remembered as a disgraced agent who allegedly sold secrets to the Russians before his death, leaving his niece Amelia with his magical pocket watch.

Amelia is a 15-year-old boarding school student struggling with the sudden loss of her uncle and guardian. Having previously lost her mother to suicide, Amelia is defensive and isolated. She inherits Ernest's pocket watch and is reluctantly pulled into the Cold War espionage surrounding the time space.

Jack is the ruthless director of the CIA who oversees the Temporal Reconnaissance Program. He views the time space purely as a strategic weapon for the United States during the Cold War. He demands absolute loyalty and is willing to use intimidation to maintain control over his agents.

Azrael is the consciousness of the world's first timekeeper, existing as a free-floating memory. His original people were conquered by the Romans, who stole his temporal knowledge. He acts as a guide to new arrivals in the time space, explaining how memories function as physical books.

Anton is a 17-year-old Russian timekeeper working for the KGB. He operates in the time space during the Cold War and becomes the CIA's primary suspect in the death of Ernest Duquesne. He carries a personal grievance regarding the loss of his father.

James is an independent timekeeper who refuses to join the CIA. He focuses his efforts on preserving Black history, which the government deems unimportant. He operates outside official channels and holds deep suspicions about the CIA's true motives.

Ezekiel is a Jewish clockmaker in Germany who possesses generational knowledge of timekeeping. He creates magical pocket watches that allow access to the time space. When his shop is attacked, he makes a split-second decision to protect his daughter.

Vasily is a Russian timekeeper whose death forces his teenage son into service for the KGB. His actions in the time space leave a lasting impact on the ongoing Cold War espionage.

Elaina is Ernest's younger sister who was disowned by her family after becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Her tragic history resonates within the memory archives.

Klaus is Lisavet's brother and the son of Ezekiel. He is separated from his family when the shop is attacked.