Heir

Zacharias Marcus Livius Aquillus Farrar, better known as Quil, is one of Heir’s protagonists and main point-of-view characters. He is the son of the deceased Emperor Marcus Farrar and Livia Aquilla, and the heir to the Martial Empire. His life is dictated by his title, heritage, and the unrelenting burden of loyalty to the empire. His father was a widely despised tyrant, and Quil is eager to prove that he will not repeat his father’s mistakes. Underneath his polished exterior, he is filled with self-doubt, longing for freedom, and constantly wrestling with the cost of power—not just the legacy of his father but his own hidden magic. He can mind-smith, allowing him to access the thoughts and memories of others. Quil views his magic with a mixture of fear and shame. He knows how easily it could be exploited or turned against him, and he is terrified of losing control. The Kegari attack on Navium forces him to confront the reality of the situation and pushes him into the role of a leader he was so desperate to avoid.

Quil is the connection point between most of the other disparate characters, and he has two different romantic arcs in the story: one shared with Aiz as “Ilar” in the past and one with Sirsha in the present. In the early chapters, he grieves over Ilar, whom he believes he loved. She represents the life he could have had if he weren’t bound by duty. Confronting Aiz in the climax is both a strategic and an emotional battle for Quil, as her role in the Kegari invasion and the death of Ruh make her a symbol of everything he has lost. His bond with Sirsha, meanwhile, is one of the emotional anchors of the novel. It is forged through shared experiences of loss and a growing understanding of each other’s pain. When she sacrifices herself for him, he is forced to confront his feelings for her. Even as Quil is forced to leave Ankana without Sirsha, his hope of reuniting with her motivates him to push forward in his mission to liberate the Empire from the Kegari.

Sirsha is the other protagonist of Heir and one of its main point-of-view characters. She is a Jaduna, daughter of one of the six rulers of her people. As a member of the Inashi lineage, she can magically track individuals using the powers of the elements. As a child, she showed great potential, but an incident led her to be banished. Exile, both literal and metaphorical, defines Sirsha’s existence. Her isolation from her Kin and her constant movement through the Empire mirror her internal struggle to find a place where she belongs. Her name itself is a derivation of her real Jaduna name, “S’rsha,” which shows how much her people’s rejection of her has altered her identity over the years. She hides her emotions through sarcasm and wit, which masks a deep-seated fear of attachment and loss. Her isolation is mirrored in her relationship with the natural elements. While Sirsha’s magic allows her to commune with the wind and earth, their guidance often feels cryptic and distant, leaving her to navigate the world alone.

At her heart, Sirsha fulfills the role of a reluctant anti-hero. She is pulled into the story through Elias, who hires her to track Ruh’s killer, and she only agrees to do so for the significant sum of money he offers for the job. At first, she tries to act alone, but this changes after she is forced to work with Quil. Even when Sirsha doubts her abilities, his steady support helps her recognize that her failures do not define her and provides her with a sense of belonging that she has long craved. When she finally allows herself to embrace her feelings for Quil, it marks a turning point in her character arc. Her love for him becomes a driving force in her battle against Div.

While Sirsha survives the battle, it is not the miracle she expects it to be. She is now connected to Div, who has become her literal mirror. The hunger Sirsha feels is no longer just Div’s, but hers as well.

The creature that goes by the moniker of Mother Div is the novel’s primary antagonist. While she appears to take on the form of the holy figure of Kegari history, this is a ruse meant to convince Aiz to trust her. Instead, Div is a creature of pure hunger and suffering, feeding on the pain of others to grow stronger. She originates from the place known as the Sea of Suffering, a realm of anguish where pain and suffering from countless souls have accumulated over centuries. The Jaduna call it a place of endless torment, where Mauth—Death itself—acts as a bulwark to prevent its horrors from spilling into the mortal world. After Laia releases the original tale and Aiz’s seeks her out, Div succeeds in crossing into the human world.

At her core, Div is a manifestation of The Corrupting Influence of Power. Her rise to power is slow but methodical, as she finds those vulnerable enough to fall prey to her promises of salvation, protection, and empowerment. Her main target is Aiz, whom she lures in with a nurturing, motherly demeanor and promises of salvation for the Kegari people. She offers comfort and power when Aiz feels powerless. However, this power comes at a cost. Div demands human sacrifice Children from Kegar are ritually killed to fuel Aiz’s power, each death feeding Div’s insatiable hunger. When Aiz questions the morality of their actions, Div convinces her that these sacrifices are noble and necessary. This is her modus operandi: She preys on deep emotional wounds, exploiting them to foster dependency. While initially focusing on Aiz, she later takes an interest in Sirsha. Sirsha, in turn, is the first to understand what Div truly is. In the climactic confrontation, Sirsha binds Div using her magic and her willingness to sacrifice herself for those she loves. However, in a cruel twist, Div is not banished, but is bound to Sirsha instead.

Sufiyan is a supporting character and provides one of Heir’s points of view. He is the eldest child of Laia and Elias, and he is Quil’s best friend. While Sufiyan is outwardly charming and well-adjusted, often cracking jokes and maintaining a calm demeanor, this façade masks a deep insecurity. He carries the weight of guilt over his younger brother Ruh’s death, as he blames himself for not checking on him properly or recognizing the danger earlier. Sufiyan’s grief affects his relationships, decision-making, and overall sense of self. His reluctance to talk about Ruh’s death highlights his difficulty in processing trauma. Instead of confronting his emotions, he buries them, creating a barrier between himself and those who care about him, such as Quil and Arelia. When Quil tries to comfort him after Sufiyan kills a Kegari soldier for the first time, Sufiyan lashes out, unwilling to acknowledge the emotional weight of taking a life. His reaction demonstrates how deeply his unresolved grief has affected him, making it difficult for him to find solace or closure. During the final confrontation with Aiz, he stabs her multiple times, repeating, “For Ruh” (472). Each strike is fueled by years of pain, but it is not a clean or cathartic victory. He admits that revenge has not eased his guilt, and he must find another way to heal.

Ruhyan, otherwise known as Ruh, is a supporting character in Heir. He is Sufiyan’s younger brother, the youngest child of Laia and Elias. Unlike his siblings, he has inherited some magic from his mother’s side and is being trained to become a Kehanni. Ruh’s innocence and his insatiable curiosity define him. His eagerness to learn, explore, and tell stories reflects his natural sense of wonder and desire to make sense of the world around him. These traits also put him at risk. Aiz uses him to gain Laia’s trust and that of the rest of Tribe Saif. However, Ruh idolizes Aiz, viewing her as a brave and mysterious figure who holds the key to ancient stories and forgotten secrets. He is the one who finds the location of the prison, and despite Aiz’s protests, he goes with her to free Mother Div. His innocence and his belief in her ultimately lead to his death. Once Div is free, he becomes one of her first victims as she kills him to feed her strength.

Ruh’s death is a pivotal moment in Heir, as the other characters are motivated to act because of it. Quil and Sufiyan seek vengeance for him, and Elias hires Sirsha to hunt down his killer. For Aiz, he represents the true cost of the power she has sought.