Vow of Thieves

Jase, a 19-year-old boy, is the second protagonist of Vow of Thieves, and he is married to Kazi. Jase is handsome, with blond hair and brown eyes. His character is shaped by loss and duty. Thrust into the role of Patrei after his father’s death, Jase inherits not just a large family of 12 siblings but also the Ballengers’ legacy of seeking independence from Eislandia. This legacy is a double-edged sword: a source of pride that fuels his determination, yet a heavy burden that isolates him.

Jase is assertive, strategic, and fiercely loyal. However, his unwavering dedication to the Ballengers’ welfare creates internal conflict. Jase constantly struggles to balance his duty to the clan with his newfound responsibilities as Kazi’s husband. This tension is particularly evident when these loyalties clash, forcing Jase to make difficult choices that sometimes alienate his family.

As a leader, Jase’s desire to protect those he loves always drives him, even though some of his decisions are unpopular with his family members. For instance, he is willing to destroy their ancestral home, which is a symbol of the Ballenger legacy, to thwart Montegue.

Over the course of the series, Jase transforms from a fiercely independent figure burdened by leadership to someone who embraces his family as a source of strength. His relationship with Kazi acts as a catalyst for this growth. Through their shared struggles, Jase learns to trust and rely on his family, seeking their support and ideas. Jase’s newfound empathy and willingness to move forward are apparent in his decisions to forgive Gunner, who betrayed Kazi, and reintegrate Paxton into the family despite his previous betrayals. He also grows to trust people beyond his immediate family. This trust begins with Kazi but gradually encompasses Wren, Synové, and Paxton. This widening network of trust highlights Jase’s growth from a leader who shoulders burdens alone to one who values collaboration and collective strength.

Strength, loyalty, and significant personal growth mark Jase’s character in Vow of Thieves. His journey from an isolated leader to someone who understands the importance of trust and family showcases his evolution and adds depth to the narrative.

King Montegue of Eislandia is the dark-eyed, dark-haired 23-year-old antagonist in Vow of Thieves. He becomes the king after a war horse crushes his father, and later, this accident is revealed to be one that Montegue himself engineered. This action shows that he is driven by an insatiable hunger for power. His ambition, manipulation, and cruelty create the conflict that propels the narrative forward.

Montegue’s desire for control is his primary motivator. He is a master strategist, who is usually several calculated moves ahead of his adversaries. A defining feature of Montegue is his manipulative brilliance. He is adept at exploiting the vulnerabilities and desires of others. Beaufort Illarion and Phineas, the antagonists of Dance of Thieves, the previous book in the duology, were unwitting pawns to Montegue’s machinations, and their skills and knowledge brought him closer to his goals. His ability to orchestrate complex schemes and leverage individuals makes him a formidable foe.

Initially, Montegue seems like a bumbling, foolish king. However, this is a carefully crafted act that causes people to underestimate him, which allows him to manipulate others further. Although Montegue seems brilliant and cruel, his desire for power stems from a crucial vulnerability. He says he wants to be “a proper king…the greatest ruler the world has ever known…I will get the respect the Montegues always deserved—from all the kingdoms” (238). His father, the old king, was treated with disdain by the Ballengers and other nobles, and this is a raw wound for Montegue, inspiring his quest for power and respect.

The clash between Montegue and the protagonists, Kazi and Jase, forms the primary conflict of Vow of Thieves. His actions create escalating challenges for the protagonists, testing their resolve, intelligence, and strength. Montegue’s encounters with Kazi and Jase showcase his cunning and resourcefulness. He is not just a physical threat but a psychological one, constantly twisting their perceptions and forcing them to adapt their strategies. Montegue’s ambition, manipulative prowess, and moral ambiguity make him a formidable antagonist.

Devereux Banques is Montegue’s general, and he is a foil to Montegue. While Montegue operates from the shadows, wielding manipulation as his weapon, Banques embodies brute force. Their contrasting styles—the mastermind and the enforcer—showcase the multifaceted nature of power itself. Banques’s unwavering loyalty to Montegue, fueled by his desire to lead the world’s greatest army, reinforces Montegue’s vision of a restructured power dynamic. However, Banques’s ruthlessness, which is evident in his use of child hostages and torture, stands in stark contrast to Montegue’s carefully cultivated image of a benevolent ruler. This disparity exposes an essential tension within Montegue’s ambition: the potential for a utopian vision to be corrupted by brutal methods.

Paxton is Jase’s cousin and part of the family that initially presided over the Ballenger clans. Initially presented as aloof and entitled, his carefully constructed facade cracks when his family is in danger. He reveals a hidden well of seriousness and reflection, hinting at a past he keeps buried. His relationship with Jase, which is strained in Dance of Thieves, takes a turn in Vow of Thieves, and they begin to trust each other. Paxton sheds his arrogance and risks everything to protect Kazi, Lydia, and Nash when they are in danger. This act of selflessness exposes a deep-seated loyalty that transcends personal differences and highlights the true nature of family.