[It wasn't something she talked about much, and not to just anybody. She smiled wistfully.]

When I was growing up, I went from home to home. I didn't have a lot of friends, outside Mithra and Lakki.

[Children her age were unsettled by her power of prophecy, and her very matter-of-fact acceptance of her parents' deaths. After a while, she simply stopped trying to make friends--there was no point, it always ended the same way.

Her smile brightened a little. It wasn't quite as sad, but, rather, reflective.]

But I have a lot of friends now, so I'm happy.