Tierney is a 16-year-old girl in Garner County facing her mandatory grace year, a period where young women are banished to the woods to expend their supposed magic. Independent and pragmatic, she prefers working in the fields and climbing trees over securing a husband. Her logical mindset and practical survival skills set her apart from her peers, causing friction with the county's strict expectations for young women.

Kiersten is a beautiful and highly manipulative 16-year-old girl entering her grace year. Fully embracing the county's teachings about women's magic, she establishes herself as a ruthless leader among the banished girls. She harbors a deep jealousy toward Tierney and uses fear, superstition, and blind obedience to control the encampment.

Michael is Tierney's childhood best friend and the son of the head of the council in Garner County. Despite the heavy expectations placed upon him to follow in his powerful father's footsteps, he values Tierney's free spirit. He shocks Tierney by choosing her as his bride during the Veiling ceremony, believing it is the only way to keep her safe.

Ryker is a young poacher from the outskirts who makes a living hunting the woods near the grace year encampment. Raised in harsh poverty, he dreams of earning enough to move his mother and six sisters out of the outskirts. Despite his brutal profession, he possesses a surprising capacity for compassion and slowly begins questioning the beliefs he was raised with.

Hans is a town guard in Garner County who has known Tierney since she was a small child. He is tasked with maintaining the perimeter of the encampment during the grace year, ensuring the girls remain confined behind the barrier fence.

Anders is a poacher from the outskirts and Ryker's closest friend. He holds a deep, personal grudge against the grace year girls following a family tragedy, making him highly dangerous to any girl who wanders beyond the safety of the encampment fence.

Gertrude, cruelly nicknamed "Dirty Gertie" by the other girls, is an outcast due to a past accusation of depravity. Despite her ruined social standing, she receives a veil for marriage, much to the town's surprise. During the grace year, she finds unexpected friendship and solidarity with Tierney.

Tierney's mother appears to be a traditional Garner County woman who adheres strictly to societal expectations. She initially scolds Tierney for her lack of feminine grace, but subtly warns her daughter to trust no one during the grace year, hinting at a quiet understanding of the county's true nature.

Tierney's father is a respected local doctor in Garner County. While he presents the expected facade of a compliant citizen, he secretly ventures to the outskirts to provide medical care to impoverished women and children.

June is Tierney's older sister who has already survived her own grace year. She quietly supports her younger sister by providing a handmade traveling cloak equipped with hidden resources for the harsh wilderness.

Tommy is one of the eligible boys in the county, known for his reputation of enjoying breaking wild animals. He claims Kiersten as his bride during the Veiling ceremony.

An older man in Garner County who desires a new, fertile wife to bear him a son. He represents the ruthless nature of the county's power structure, securing a much younger bride immediately following his previous wife's execution.

The older wife of Mr. Fallow who is executed after being accused by her husband of speaking in the devil's tongue and harboring magic. Her fate demonstrates the severe danger women face when they are no longer considered useful by the men in the county.

A former grace year girl who wandered into the woods during her encampment and never returned. Her disappearance casts a long shadow over the current group, and she is frequently mentioned in the ghost stories shared among the girls.

A fearful grace year girl whose nerves quickly break under Kiersten's taunting on the first night of their journey. Her panic drives her to run away from the group's safety.

A grace year girl who is deeply influenced by the paranoia surrounding the magic. She keeps a pet dove with a broken wing and gradually falls under the complete sway of Kiersten's manipulative belief system.

A despairing grace year girl who succumbs to the psychological horror of her banishment before even reaching the camp. She fills her pockets with heavy stones during the canoe crossing.

A grace year girl who becomes entirely consumed by the camp's superstitions. She participates in bizarre rituals, earning praise from Kiersten and fueling the camp's collective descent into wild behavior.

A grace year girl who gives in completely to the chaotic, feral energy of the encampment. Her erratic behavior during a severe storm leads to a tragic accident that shocks the rest of the camp.