House of Salt and Sorrows

Cassius is Annaleigh’s love interest, a demigod who mirrors her in many ways. From the moment they meet, he is chivalrous to her. He finds her intriguing, as she does him, and flirts with her often; this early interest is likely fueled by her deceased sisters’ high regard for her. Cassius is one of the few who believes Annaleigh’s talk of murders and ghosts (as he met her sisters’ souls), and his knowledge of the supernatural helps her solve mysteries such as Kosamaras’s illusionary balls. He often comes to her aid, even risking his life to save Verity.

Cassius is the son of a human man and Versia, queen of the night; he is also the nephew of Kosamaras herself. Like Annaleigh, a noble, he wishes to be judged for who he is, not by labels or titles. He acts against his aunt to help Annaleigh, and the two are eventually reunited by Old Maude after his temporary death.

As fellow daughters of Duke Ortun and Cecilia of the Salann Islands, Annaleigh Thaumas’s seven sisters play various roles in her quest for truth. Camille, as the eldest sister and heir of the family, is Annaleigh’s confidant and foil. Unlike Annaleigh, she believes the family should cease mourning their deceased sisters (Ava, Octavia, Elizabeth, and Eulalie) and mother (Cecilia) and enjoy life, dismissing Annaleigh’s talk of murders and curses. She despises their stepmother Morella and is obsessed with finding a suitor, as she considers marriage both a source of joy and a duty. Verity, as the youngest sister, is particularly vulnerable to Kosamaras’s illusions—making her drawings and visions symbolic of the supernatural. The triplets—Lenore, Rosalie, and Ligeia—are particularly close. They do everything together, their jokes adding levity to the novel’s ominous tone. When Rosalie and Ligeia freeze to death, Lenore becomes lifeless. Annaleigh makes an effort to care for Lenore during this difficult time, and she eventually regains her voice. The remaining sisters are Mercy and Honor, who play less significant roles.