Dalila is a round and dynamic character whose arc is defined by the unraveling of a lifetime of secrets. Introduced as the hyper-competent and paranoid Mistress of Poisons of Amina’s crew, Dalila is a cynical foil to the more warm-hearted Amina, approaching every situation with suspicion and coldness. Her decision to hunt Raksh alone stems from this pragmatism, as she believes eliminating him is the most logical way to protect Amina. However, Dalila’s action backfires, leading to her capture by Sheikh Sasan. Her capture reveals her greatest vulnerability: the Banu Sasan, the only people she fears, and the past she has spent two decades hiding from.

The core of Dalila’s development in the novel lies in her complicated relationship with Queen Lab. Although Dalila initially connects with Lab to exchange her freedom and her soul for Amina, the novel suggests Dalila is also seduced by the opportunity of self-invention Khatti Ugal seems to offer to her. Having faced uncertainty and trauma all her life, Dalila can see the merit in a stable, predetermined life on the island, a place where she has a clear-cut, respected role as a healer. She can also empathize with Lab since she understands the need for vengeance.

However, once Lab enters her consciousness, Dalila is forced to confront The Cost of Vengeance. Realizing through Lab’s memories that vengeance is a self-destructive quest, Dalila confesses to Amina that she cannot allow herself to be consumed by thoughts of revenge: “I’ve lost one family… I don’t wish to lose another because I pushed them away” (478).

Queen Lab serves as the primary antagonist of the novel, a round and complex figure whose villainy is steeped in tragedy. Initially presented through folklore as a lusty, malevolent witch, the reality of Lab is far more subtle, as the interludes show. She was originally a mortal weaver whose family was slaughtered by raiders, and her grief and rage fused her with a dying goddess of fate, turning her into an immortal entity fueled by retribution. This origin story, rooted in unimaginable loss, connects Lab to The Cost of Vengeance. Her eternal imprisonment by the marid and the subsequent death of her son, Pares, are the defining traumas that lead her to create the soul-binding shrouds. In her twisted worldview, she is not enslaving her subjects but protecting them from the pain and loss of the outside world, granting them a form of eternal, controlled life. This maternal, protective instinct, born from her own suffering, makes Lab a compelling antagonist whose cruelty goes hand in hand with her grief.

As the ruler of Khatti Ugal, Lab projects an image of a benevolent, powerful monarch who has created a peaceful utopia for shipwrecked souls. However, this idyllic façade quickly cracks, revealing a manipulative and ruthless tyrant who maintains control through magical enslavement. Her kingdom is the ultimate embodiment of The Illusions of Utopia, a beautiful paradise built upon the stolen souls and rewritten lives of its inhabitants. Her ability to defeat Raksh with a simple puff of sand and transform dissenters into livestock establishes her as a formidable and terrifying magical force.

Amina’s fourth husband, Raksh is a major supporting character who embodies the trickster archetype and is a foil to both Amina and Queen Lab. Because he’s a spirit of discord who feeds on ambition, his motivations are chaotic and self-serving. His initial actions—rescuing Lab’s courtier and spreading tales of treasure—are what draw the peris’ attention and set the entire plot in motion. His relationship with Amina remains is ambiguous; he is both an antagonistic force and a source of uncanny luck for her, bound to her by a magical contract and a deep-seated desire to see her become a legend. 

In Khatti Ugal, Raksh’s character is fragmented when Lab captures him and creates a “construct,” a woven duplicate spun from his memories but lacking his core ambition and guile. This soulless version of Raksh acts as the queen’s spy, but his incomplete nature and strange passivity highlight what truly drives the real spirit of discord. When Amina finally frees and “rebuilds” him, the true Raksh returns with a newfound focus. His ultimate goal is not fate or vengeance but the creation of a grand narrative. He tells Amina, “I want someone who rips apart the story laid out for them and writes their own” (456). His decision to help defeat Lab is born of morality but of ambition; Lab’s static, controlled world is anathema to Raksh’s nature, and in helping Amina, he ensures the continuation of the epic story he wishes to be a part of.

Majed and Tinbu are essential supporting characters who represent the unwavering loyalty and heart of the Marawati’s crew. Majed, the navigator and Amina’s oldest friend, serves as the voice of reason, faith, and pessimism. His steadfastness is a grounding force for Amina, and his knowledge of maritime sciences is indispensable. His defining moment comes when he defies Queen Lab and steals the spindle, an act of bravery that nearly costs him his life and demonstrates the depth of his loyalty.

Tinbu, the first mate and shipwright, is Majed’s optimistic counterpart. His kindness, particularly toward animals, provides moments of levity, while his unparalleled skill in repairing the Marawati is important to the crew’s hope of returning home. His despair over the ship’s destruction and his grief for the lost crewmen underscore the emotional toll of their journey. Together, Majed and Tinbu embody the found family that Amina is fighting to protect, their loyalty and competence serving as a constant reminder of what is at stake.

Arno and Orinth represent the two faces of Khatti Ugal’s populace: the innocent believer and the disillusioned insider. Arno, the young guide, is initially presented as the kind and welcoming face of the queendom, genuinely believing in its peaceful, utopian ideals. His journey from enthusiastic local to a grief-stricken survivor who chooses to leave with Amina’s crew illustrates the shattering impact of the truth behind Lab’s rule.

Orinth, the Keeper of Mysteries, is a more complex figure. As a scholar and a friend to Amina, she understands the dark undercurrents of the court and the danger Lab poses. Her cautious warnings to Amina about the queen making a “favorite” out of Dalila is an act of rebellion (345). Her subsequent transformation into a goat is a brutal demonstration of Lab’s tyranny and the catalyst for Amina’s decision to openly defy the queen. Both characters – genuinely alive - provide a human connection to the otherwise enchanted and ghostly population of Khatti Ugal, making the kingdom’s collapse a personal tragedy.