Leena is a young Algaraan refugee living in the impoverished industrial city of Golborne. After her mother passes away and the state imprisons her father, she bears the sole responsibility of providing for her younger brother. She holds a closely guarded secret—the ability to see the spirits of the dead—which she uses as currency to secure life-saving medicine. This desperate transaction forces her into a dangerous contract of indenture, testing her resilience against both human and supernatural threats.

Bram is an infamous inquisitor known throughout Golborne as the Saint of Silence. Operating from a secluded shop, he purchases secrets from desperate citizens and documents them in cursed black ledgers that inflict immediate agony upon the confessors. He projects absolute authority, utilizing intimidation and violence to maintain his business. Beneath this menacing exterior, he occasionally demonstrates a rigid, quiet mercy toward abused children and vulnerable servants.

Rami is Leena's younger brother and a fellow Algaraan refugee. Having recently lost a limb, his limited prospects push him to fight in rigged duels for a local street gang. He is intensely proud and impulsive. He actively resents his sister's attempts to protect him, preferring to assert his own independence even when it angers dangerous criminals.

Lord Hargreaves is a wealthy Morish aristocrat of mixed Algaraan heritage. He co-founded a shadowy organization known as the Wake, which profits heavily from trafficking political prisoners. Driven by a desire for societal stability, he views the marginalized immigrant population as a resource to be exploited. He operates with cold calculation, pulling political strings to maintain his grip on Golborne's elite circles.

Lord Kilworth is a heavily indebted Morish nobleman. Operating as the primary enforcer for the Wake, he utilizes physical cruelty and direct intimidation rather than subtle politics. He harbors deep prejudices against immigrants and the lower classes. He frequently acts on his violent impulses, making him an unpredictable threat to anyone who crosses the aristocracy.

Mrs. Van is the stern housekeeper for Bram St. Silas. She maintains strict order within his residence and actively wards off unwanted intruders. Beneath her severe mannerisms, she harbors a deep protectiveness toward her employer and his household. She holds hidden knowledge regarding the aristocratic estates on the northern moors.

Percival Avon was the sixteenth Marquess of Avon and the former master of the Weavingshaw estate. Official records state he died young from an undisclosed illness, but local rumors suggest a much darker history. He was a charismatic aristocrat whose financial ruin drove him to establish cruel smuggling operations.

Mr. Orley is the ruthless boss of the Black Coats, a violent street gang in Golborne. He controls a network of enforcers and immigrant youths, profiting from rigged duels and illegal narcotics. He exhibits no hesitation in punishing those who defy his orders or disrupt his financial arrangements.

Mr. Martin is a wealthy tradesman who recently acquired the sprawling Weavingshaw property. Eager to elevate his social standing, he attempts to ingratiate himself with the Morish nobility. He neglects the workers in his mining town and hires street gangs to punish anyone who interferes with his investments.

Ali is the father of Leena and Rami. A former political organizer, he is currently serving a life sentence in Newtorn Prison for attempting to establish a workers' union among the Algaraan immigrants. His absence leaves his children entirely vulnerable on the streets of Golborne.

Theodore is the ghost of a young servant boy. He actively follows Leena, serving as a spectral shield that wards off other malicious spirits while she sleeps. He possesses crucial memories regarding the history of the Avon family.

Born Gemma, Lady Hargreaves is the deceased wife of Lord Hargreaves. While official reports claim she died of a sudden wasting disease, her ghost wanders the wilderness near Weavingshaw. She attempts to communicate the dark truths surrounding her husband's conspiratorial activities.

Mrs. Graham is the elderly former housekeeper for the late Percival Avon. She suffers from severe memory loss and lives in isolation. Despite her failing mind, she guards fragments of the Avon family's hidden past and clings to deeply prejudiced views.

Margery is a Morish resident living in the otherwise Algaraan refugee neighborhood of the Northern Quarters. She serves as a friendly neighbor to Leena, offering advice and sharing local rumors regarding the dangerous inquisitor.