Phantasma

Blackwell, or Salemaestrus Erasmus Blackwell, is Ophelia’s romantic interest in Phantasma. He is tall, with white hair and bright green eyes. He has a sarcastic and biting personality, but he shows immense care and kindness toward Ophelia throughout the contest known as Phantasma. During the contest, Blackwell impersonates a Phantom, a type of powerful ghost that has magical abilities, but he is actually the Prince of Devils. Five hundred years ago, he fell in love with a mortal woman he called Angel, which upset his father, the King of Devils and ruler of the Nine Circles of Hell. His father murdered Angel in front of Blackwell and then punished Blackwell further by trapping him inside Phantasma. He was able to control Blackwell because he had discovered Blackwell’s real name, which Blackwell told to Angel. Blackwell is trapped in Phantasma without access to his past memories until a woman falls in love with him and gives him the key trapped inside the Grimm family locket, which the King of Devils gave to Ophelia’s ancestor. The King waited 500 years to release Angel’s soul into another body, a body hinted to be Ophelia’s.

Blackwell makes blood bargains with different contestants in Phantasma, in which he helps them survive the competition in exchange for their help in freeing him from Phantasma. Blackwell made a deal with Gabriel, Ophelia’s father, and absorbed his essence, which drew him to Ophelia initially. Blackwell falls in love with Ophelia throughout Phantasma, feelings that Ophelia reciprocates. Their relationship allows both to grow individually. Ophelia becomes more independent and confident, and Blackwell regains his memories and freedom. Ophelia agrees to serve as Blackwell’s tether, letting him remain with Ophelia instead of being dragged back to the Other Side. Together, they forge a hopeful future together to help other paranormal beings.

Genevieve Grimm is Ophelia’s sister. Genevieve is a Specter—a being capable of turning invisible or incorporeal at will—an identity she inherited from her father Gabriel. Genevieve enters Phantasma to help save Grimm Manor from ruin after her mother Tessie defaulted on a debt for which the house was collateral. Genevieve does not tell Ophelia about the debt because she feels guilty about the pressure Ophelia feels about the Grimm legacy and does not want to add to her stress. Genevieve feels guilty about the freedom of her life and her ability to make friends and have romantic relationships, which Ophelia never had because of the intensity of her magical training with their mother. Because of Genevieve’s freedom and carefree nature, Ophelia believes that Genevieve is irresponsible and incapable of succeeding in Phantasma, which prompts Ophelia to follow her into the competition to save her.

Genevieve survives in Phantasma because of her Specter abilities, turning incorporeal and invisible to avoid potential threats. When Genevieve reunites with Ophelia after the seventh level, she’s shocked to see how much Ophelia has changed, becoming more confident in herself and forging a romantic connection with Blackwell. Genevieve is happy for Ophelia, though she herself has found no romance in Phantasma. However, the second book in the series, Enchantra, focuses on Genevieve and her journey to Italy to research the Grimm family history. While on her trip, Genevieve will meet Rowin Silver, an enigmatic heir to a wealthy family. Genevieve will become the protagonist of her own story with the opportunity for the personal growth and romance that Ophelia encountered during Phantasma.

Cade is the antagonist of Phantasma. He enters the competition to save his family from financial ruin. He is a static character, as he is mean and selfish throughout the narrative and never experiences significant personality change or growth. From the moment Ophelia meets him during the first challenge level, Cade is antagonistic and mean to everyone around him. He wakes the Hellhound with no concern for the other contestants’ safety, and when Ophelia confronts him about his behavior, he attacks her with a knife and calls her derogatory names. He cares only about winning the game at any cost.

Cade continues to be a thorn in Ophelia’s side, slapping her before the Lust level and attempting to kill her throughout numerous other challenges, until Ophelia finally kills him in self-defense during the seventh level. Cade and Ophelia are foils, as Cade is emblematic of everything Ophelia is not. He is violent, cruel, and selfish, and he has no regard for his own legacy. He enters the game for the financial rewards, not to save a beloved family member. He has contempt for the Devils and other paranormal beings, as well as those who are manipulated into predatory deals with them. He is flat and one-dimensional, as his only motivation is his desire to win the game and earn the Devil’s Grant.

Sinclair is a secondary antagonist in Phantasma. He has a fair complexion, dark hair, and red, feline-like eyes. He is a Devil who, like Blackwell, is trapped inside Phantasma. He helped Blackwell hide his human lover from the King of Devils, but he sold Blackwell out to save himself from further punishment. Unlike Blackwell, he has all his memories, but he cannot tell contestants in Phantasma about Blackwell and how to free him. Sinclair resents Blackwell for getting him trapped in Phantasma, so he actively works against him and his bargainers to prevent Blackwell from finding his freedom.

He also tries to hurt Blackwell personally, having romantic relations with Ophelia during her and Blackwell’s temporary separation. His disdain for Blackwell stems from his anger at Blackwell for getting him imprisoned in Phantasma. However, after Blackwell is freed by Ophelia, Phantasma crumbles, and Sinclair’s fate is unknown. He likely returns to the Other Side with the other Devils, though the novel never explicitly confirms this.