T.J. Laverne

Daughter to the Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex, she is 11 years old at the beginning of the story, and 16 as the story continues. Always striving in vain to make her parents happy with her, she is one of five children in an abusive household. Her brown hair falls long and straight to her waist, her plain brown eyes are large and doe-like, and her nose turns slightly upward. She has a high sense of morals and faith, and battles endlessly against cruelty and injustice in her town. She does not see Ephraim’s disfigurement, and loves him as an equal.

Escapes from the cruelty of his home at 11 years old after being locked in a dark room, not knowing his last name. Members of the town are cruel to him because he is physically disfigured, and claim that he is possessed by a demon. All his joints seem to have grown the wrong way, and his face and facial features are severely crooked and misshapen. Though one eye is lazy, the other is the clearest, brightest shade of blue. He is a prodigy artist and is quite brilliant and perceptive. He is always forgiving of the treatment he has received, though he resolves to keep Hattie at arms’ length, as he wants Hattie to experience a normal life amongst civilization.

A novice friar for the Black Friars of Arundel under the tutelage of Father Ansel, and near twenty years old. He has taken his first set of vows, which are renewed yearly, but has not yet taken his final vows to make him a full friar. He becomes infatuated with Hattie and actively pursues her, seemingly very friendly and charming. Others besides Hattie would consider him handsome, and his eyes are an unsettling shade of blue. His looks, however, are somewhat marred by the hint of dark shadows under his eyes, and sandy brown hair that is often unkempt, ever so slightly ruffling his otherwise very serious persona.

Angel in the heavens, and the Morning Star in the eastern sky, who is prophesied to one day fall to earth. As guardian over the earth, he watches with interest the proceedings of men for 12,347 years, becoming quite lonely. He becomes Hattie's guardian angel, and yearns to join earth with her. Beams of silver light radiate from his toes to the tips of his hair. His eyes are as bright and silver as starlight, and his silvery-brown hair comes down to his shoulders in angelic curls. He is younger and more naïve than most angels.

Head of the Black Friars of Arundel. Due to a significant lack of authority from both the mayor of Arundel and the sheriff, he fills the void and stands as the unofficial leader of the town. Many of the townspeople believe he is a favorite of the Holy One, though Hattie does not trust him. He doesn’t look much like a friar, but more like a handsome knight atop a powerful steed, with strangely intense, violet eyes. He is in his 30s, and his hair is streaked with silver. He has no shortage of charm, and has a dangerous ability to command authority.