Gifted

The second book in the cycle continues the story of the amarant half-people, half-beasts who openly declared to humanity that they exist. People and amarant try to make contact, but not everyone wants to live in peace with those whom they’ve spent centuries learning to fear and hate. Eloquent Starmark is the tenth child of the clan head of dogs. Such children are exceptionally gifted, but deprived of freedom of choice. Eloquent is already ready to accept that serving the clan will condemn him to eternal loneliness, but an innocent prank by his younger brother gives him a chance to change his future.
Kimiko Miyabe is the middle of the sisters in a family of hereditary watchers. She’s used to staying in the shadows, as those who have spent centuries keeping an eye on the amarant should. Unexpectedly, Kimiko ends up in the role of a courtly knight who makes an offer to a beautiful lady—more precisely, to a handsome young man from the dog clan. And this event throws plans into chaos for both the watchers and the amarant.