Kestra is a 16-year-old girl with dark hair and green eyes. Raised as the privileged only child of the powerful Dallisor family, she possesses a stubborn and headstrong nature. Her comfortable, sheltered worldview fractures when rebels kidnap her on the road home, forcing her to confront the ugly realities of the Dominion she previously supported. Though initially arrogant and focused on her own comfort, she begins to evaluate the suffering of others as she searches for a mythical weapon to save her servants' lives.

Simon is a 17-year-old rebel with dark brown hair and a strong square jawline. Once a servant at the Dallisor estate, he endured severe punishment and imprisonment after Kestra falsely accused him of stealing a ring. He escaped the dungeons through a sewage pit, eventually finding a mentor in the resistance. Though dedicated to removing Lord Endrick from power, Simon hates causing unnecessary harm and finds his loyalties tested when he is assigned to escort the girl who ruined his childhood.

Henry Dallisor is the powerful and cruel chief advisor to Lord Endrick. He cares strictly for political advantage and maintaining the prestige of the Dallisor family name. He treats Kestra more like a political asset than a daughter, showing no hesitation in using brutal force to maintain order in his household and the larger kingdom.

Lord Endrick is the terrifying and seemingly immortal ruler of the Dominion of Antora. An Endrean magic-wielder, he seized the Scarlet Throne by force during the War of Devastation. He maintains his absolute grip on power by hunting down his own people to absorb their magic and deploying his ruthless Ironheart soldiers across the country to enforce his oppressive laws.

Trina is a fierce and volatile young rebel in the Corack uprising. After her father died working in the Dallisor dungeons, she found a sense of belonging with the resistance. Assigned to infiltrate Woodcourt by posing as Kestra's handmaiden, Trina uses intimidation and threats to ensure Kestra cooperates with their mission to locate the Olden Blade.

Captain Grey Tenger is the pragmatic and hardened leader of the Corack rebellion. Bearing a mechanical leg and numerous facial scars from his battles against the Dominion, he believes that extreme measures are necessary to overthrow Lord Endrick. He orchestrates Kestra's kidnapping and uses the lives of her servants as leverage to force her cooperation.

Darrow is Kestra's rugged and dedicated guard. Three years prior, he rescued her from kidnappers and went into exile with her in the remote Lava Fields. During their isolation, he took on the role of a mentor, teaching Kestra how to wield weapons and defend herself. He is severely injured during the initial Corack ambush.

Celia is Kestra's handmaiden who accompanied her into the Lava Fields. She focuses heavily on etiquette and proper behavior, frequently clashing with Kestra's tomboyish habits. She is captured by the Coracks during the ambush and held hostage.

Lily Dallisor was Kestra's mother who died of illness before Kestra was kidnapped. She was a gentle, protective presence in Kestra's early life, known to hide her daughter whenever Lord Endrick visited their estate. She left behind a pink silk-covered diary that holds dangerous secrets about the past.

Risha Halderian is a historical figure who attempted to use the Olden Blade to assassinate Lord Endrick seventeen years ago. Her failure resulted in her imprisonment and execution in the Dallisor dungeons, kicking off decades of rumors about the missing weapon.

Anaya was an Endrean woman who served as Risha Halderian's handmaiden. After Risha's failed assassination attempt, Anaya was thrown into the lowest cells of the Dallisor dungeons, where she carved a cryptic prophecy into the stone walls before her execution.

Garr was a kind and capable man who took Simon in after the boy fled the Dallisor dungeons. He taught Simon swordsmanship and shaped his understanding of honorable masculinity before being killed in a retaliatory purge conducted by Henry Dallisor.

John was a young servant boy who worked alongside Simon at Woodcourt. When Kestra falsely accused the two boys of stealing her mother's ring, John was violently beaten and thrown into the dungeons. Simon was forced to leave him behind when he made his escape.

Thorne is a leader among the exiled Halderians, also known as the Banished. He originally kidnapped Kestra three years ago and prevented his men from killing her. He intercepts her group at an inn to deliver a mysterious sack necessary for her forced quest.

Sir Basil is the polite, blonde prince of the neighboring country of Reddengrad. Lord Endrick pressures him into an arranged marriage with Kestra as part of a larger, sinister political maneuver to conquer Reddengrad. Despite the arrangement, Basil proves to have a quiet conscience.

Gerald is the steward of the Dallisor household. Having previously worked in the estate's sprawling dungeons, he has unique knowledge of the property. He possesses gray-blue skin and offers cryptic warnings and secret assistance to Kestra as she navigates her father's home.

Rosalie is a young girl working at a market stall who faces severe punishment when a starving child steals a loaf of bread from her. Kestra's attempt to intervene on Rosalie's behalf marks a turning point in her understanding of the Dominion's oppressive laws.

Gabe is a member of the Corack resistance stationed in the town of Silven. He is a familiar face to Simon within the rebellion's ranks and assists in managing the rebel stronghold.

Loelle is a physician associated with the Corack rebels. She is brought in by the resistance leaders to provide medical care to Darrow in exchange for Kestra's cooperation.