The Witch Collector

The 24-year-old protagonist of The Witch Collector, Raina is a nonspeaking Witch Walker whose identity and power evolve dramatically throughout the novel. Raina initially conceals her true strength, believing she’s a simple Healer and Seer with no visible witch marks. Her mother, Ophelia, cloaked those marks to protect her from being claimed or exploited. After Ophelia’s death, Raina’s marks emerge, revealing the full extent of her abilities: “Gold for life magick, red for healing magick, silver for common magick […] The violet must be for Sight” (74). Raina isn’t merely a Healer but a Resurrectionist, capable of reversing death itself. Those she saves leave a permanent imprint on her: “[T]he stolen death coils inside me like a shadow” (7). This hints at her gift’s emotional and metaphysical cost.

Raina communicates through sign language, a mode of expression that also channels her spells. This connection between language and magick reinforces her agency and redefines traditional limitations that her muteness imposes. Her use of signs isn’t a barrier but a form of empowerment. Described by Alexus as “a woman of both beauty and fury. A soul delicate yet wild” (60), Raina is both physically powerful and emotionally complex. She’s beautiful, with dark hark and blue eyes, yet is strong from years of clandestine sword training with her friend Helena.