Of course she had. “Yes, it’s shut,” Mina said.

Mother leaned farther out, trying to see Mina’s window. “What did you say? Speak louder!”

Bells began to ring, a cascade of notes that reverberated over the hills. The wind guardians would be here soon! “It’s almost time!” Papa called. “Where’s Gaton?”

Emerging from the cornfields, Gaton jogged toward them. “Right here, and I can see Mina’s window—​it’s definitely closed! Tornadoes take us if anything were to happen to her unborn sun beast.” But he winked at Mina so she’d know he wasn’t serious.

“It will be a rain beast!” Mother called as she disappeared from the window, closing the shutters behind her.

“Snow beast!” Rinna cried.

Looking up at her bedroom window, Mina thought, I’ll love you whatever you are! Just hatch soon!

Mother emerged outside and hurried across the yard. “It won’t be a snow beast. Mina isn’t creative enough. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, Mina. You’ve plenty of strengths. You’re responsible, mature, thoughtful.”

Not creative? “I love to draw,” Mina said softly.

“And you’re very good at it,” Papa said to her.

She beamed.

He grumped at Mother, “Mina’s plenty creative! Look at what a pretty kite she made.”

“I wanna pretty kite,” Rinna said. “Mina, make me a pretty kite! Papa, tell Mina to make me a pretty kite! Please, please, please!”

“Me too!” Beon shouted.

“I’m sure Mina will help you both make pretty kites for the next wind day, if you ask her nicely,” Papa said, and Mina saw his pleading expression. She hid a smile and looked sternly at the twins as if she thought they were incapable of asking for anything nicely.

Rinna yelped, “I said please!”

Mina opened her mouth to say yes, but Mother was already talking. “Of course she’ll help you, but you must promise to help her with her chores whenever she asks. And you mustn’t bother her when she’s with her egg. You understand why? Beast and guardian need to bond.”

Beon and Rinna chorused, “Yes, Mother.”

The bells tolled louder, chiming all together now in a mess of notes. Giggling, the twins clapped their hands over their ears. Mina held tightly to her kite. Beneath the bells, she could hear it: the wind. It had its own voice, a roar that steadily grew louder.

Before them, the cornstalks swayed, gently at first and then harder, until they were pitched at an angle. Mina felt the wind lift her hair, and she heard the twins squeal excitedly.

“Ready?” Papa shouted.

Ready, Mina thought.

“Ready!” her family shouted.

Each of them unspooled their kite string. As the wind blew, it lifted their kites into the air. Mina released her string faster and faster, and her kite rose. The ribbon tail flapped in the breeze.