Ismina

Ismina is first named in the text. Taren, her custodian, reports that she is clever and that he spends hours with her daily. Minalan formally acknowledges both Ismina and Istman as his wards, under Taren's protection.

Ismina has her father's eyes and an imaginative cast of mind reminiscent of Isily's scheming. She has formed a strong bond with Taren and keeps a careful distance from Alya. Both half-siblings are moved to Greenflower Hall at Spellgarden. At the final family reunion she joins the circle hugging Minalan alongside Minalyan and Almina.

Ismina contends with Faresa (Lady Estret's daughter) for leadership of the castle's children. She is presented as confident and socially dominant — unmistakably her mother's child in politics, at least.

Ismina is mentioned alongside Almina as "young" and compared affectionately to a small dragon Minalan met.

Ismina still lives with Taren at Greenflower. Taren reports that he remains fond of her and Istman and now considers fatherhood himself.

After Minalan's disturbing journey to Greenflower and his encounter with Isily's "ghost," he hugs Ismina and Istman more tenderly, troubled by the thought of eventually telling them he killed their mother.

Ismina is developing a dramatic streak — squeals at the mention of monsters. In a notable scene she questions Minalan sharply about his mission to Alshar, showing a suspicion inherited from her mother: she patiently points out that other wizards could do the job, and is reassured only when she learns Pentandra is involved. Her face "greatly favors her mother," and her faintly bluish lower lip is a mark of her unusual snowstone-adjacent birth.