Eddie was born into the carnival lifestyle. At the time of the story, he is around twenty years old, and is described as an attractive young man. He is emotionally stunted due to abuse from his father, Papa Marivicos.
Eddie ran away from home, and was gone for two years (this is when he acquired the “second sight”). Eddie is shy, awkward, and usually glum. Eddie is seen as a cash cow by his father due to his ability to read minds for carnival performances.
Eddie doesn’t like being around people since he can hear their thoughts. His best friend is another performer from the carnival named Abakoum.
Papa only cares about his carnival (he is the de facto ringleader), and power.
He is about fifty / sixty years old, and the father of Eddie Marivicos. Papa is abusive, ill-tempered, and cruel. He could also be described as quick-witted, animated, ostentatious, and boisterous.
The only people he shows any respect to are his two dwarven assistants, Marv and Andy. Papa Marivicos’s ancestry consists of individuals who have been “touched” by cosmic beings/entities. He has a large supernatural tome; from this book he derives his use of dark powers and magics.
A psychologist/general practitioner in his sixties. He is retired at the time of the story.
Dr. Chain has a wife named Stacy Thornberg; their relationship has its ups and downs. Chain is educated (to the point of being a bit full of himself), a smartass, and shows compassion throughout the story (despite his insistence that he is a “bitter old man”).
Dr. Chain meets Eddie after one of his carnival performances when Eddie pushed himself too hard and was in bad shape. Dr. Chain begins to look after Eddie at Papa Marivicos’s request.
Lexi works at a brothel; she meets Eddie when he and Abakoum pay the brothel a visit during a drunken “boy’s night out”.
Lexi is around the same age as Eddie, and is described as an attractive young woman. She is outgoing and fun-loving; she has a kind and compassionate side to her as well.
Eddie becomes infatuated with her, as he cannot read her mind; she is unique to Eddie in this way.
