If you thought that the Wolfe twins were the only identical sisters of the Zulwini Tribe, then you’d be wrong. Meet Heather and Holly Burns, twin sisters and elemental sorcerers who follow Chief Sabryna:
Basic Info:
Age in Aquarius: 23
Height: 5’5 | Weight: Heth-135 lbs.; Hol-120 lbs.
Hair: thin straight brunette; Heth-pixie cut / Hol-mid-back length
Eyes: Heth-fiery amber; Hol-light cider
Human Race: Half-Maliseet, Half-Scottish-American
Species: Demon
Hailing Planet: Zulwini (Uranus)
Abilities: elemental sorcery; Heth-pyromancy / Hol-aeromancy
Rank: none
Specialties: Okichitaw; Heth-personable, helpful, dreamer, youthful spirit, creative / Hol-realistic, adaptable, responsible, old soul, strong-willed
Best friends: each other; Heth-Summer Wolfe, Emily Todd & Amira Cruz / Hol-Winter Wolfe & Gwendolyn Reed
Soul mates: Heth-revealed in a future book; Hol-James Hansen
Three facts about the Burns twins:
- The twins are from the Houlton Colony, which straddles the American/Canadian border. Their population is made up of mostly descendants of the Maliseet.
- Heather enjoys collecting fashion magazines and fabric; Holly likes making jewelry using beads, shells, and feathers. She has also used deer skin and crystals in her crafts.
- The two have grown a little distant since Holly’s bond with James. Heather tends to mope when she feels left out or behind.
My thoughts on Heather & Holly:
These two were meant to just settle in the background, but over time I became too attached to leave them behind. Besides, their powers are far too important to belong to two-dimensional characters. Their abilities, along with those of the other elemental sorcerers in the tribe, will have their chance to shine in Taurus, as that’s where the real action and fighting begins. Aquarius was all about getting things started and asking questions; I needed to set a foundation for this world and the overarching mystery. Book two is where things really get going.
Holly is the elder of the two by a few minutes, and it shows in her actions. She tries to be mature and take responsibility, but needs to be constantly reminded by Heather to slow down. Heather might have the ability to conjure and control flames, but she’s a cool cat despite her hyperactive front. She enjoys the big picture, celebrates every victory, and couldn’t hold a grudge if she tried. Holly, on the other hand, gets hung up on the minute details and can’t let go of small slights. This is why Holly was at odds with the Wolfe twins, specifically Summer, at the start of Aquarius. Heather had already forgiven her new friend, and Winter and Holly got along okay at that time, so the only barrier between Summer and Holly was the Burns girl herself. Partway through the book we see Holly giving Summer a chance, and by the end of the book there’s no discernible ill will between the two.
Heather was definitely the sister who was met with more trouble, whether she realized it at the time or not. She was very naïve as a child, following older kids in hopes of fitting in. Holly had to come to her rescue far too often, forcing her to cross paths with kids twice her size. She won most scrapes, armed with only her great temper and the Okichitaw training the two had had since they could walk.
This story is all about breaking stereotypes: I’m tired of the “fire user big mad” trope. Air might seem carefree, but we anchor ourselves in the company we keep. Plus, air fuels fire, just like Holly keeps Heather motivated. I love that Heather, the fire user, is the one who is usually sweet and fun-loving, while Holly is more serious and has a short fuse. The younger twin also tends to let herself get distracted, which is a quality you don’t want in a fire user, so Heather really has to focus when she conjures. It’s almost like some of these characters don’t get the abilities they want, but instead the ones they need, huh?
If you think the Wolfe and Burns twins are the only “multiples” in this entire story, you’d be wrong. There are at least three others, and that isn’t including Mona and Monty Alagona from Monty’s Memories. (Actually, there’s another set of twins that will eventually show up in one of the mini-series, but they aren’t spirits and you won’t see them in this main story, at least not in the foreseeable future.) And, as you know, if you’re a twin… You’re more likely to have twins. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
These two rely on one another more than either is willing to admit, and in Taurus they’ll be forced to grow individually.
For those of you who don’t know, the Burns twins are supporting characters in my trilogy Saturn Rising, which is the first installment of The Chronicles of Life & Death. The first book, Aquarius, is available now on Amazon as an e-book and paperback. You can even read it all for free with Kindle Unlimited! Learn more here.
Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash
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