Umi didn’t know any of her brothers well. She knew they carried the name of Khurshid Azar, which Umi was not allowed to—Siskin girl, you’re a Siskin, they’re Azars, they’ll be Azar men one day. She knew, to some degree, they were named for a king and she was named for a concubine, but it didn’t bother her yet. All Umi did know was that, when it came to her full-blooded brother, she wanted to be him.

Shiori Azar, a boy two years older who fumed when Priestess Calluna told him what to do, had the same mother as Umi. Shika held his hand a little longer when she guided him on the riverbed just like she did for Umi, and called him by more names—little bird, little stitch. She wasn’t supposed to, but she did.

Biting thistle was what she called Umi. Mind your step. Don’t splash. Keep up.

-The Stars Went Out

Boy, we’re almost ranging back into spoiler territory again. I really did solve my magic system this time, for real. No, for real. No do-overs. Unfortunately, readers don’t get to know the whole thing until later in the story. Oh, well–have some more characters as kids. Nano is tiring me out.