Character Art – Siru

Siru from The Hourglass

First, let me thank the artist, verdant – verdant.deviantart.com – for this, their rendition of Siru.

Siru is a thief, a Master Thief. He, too, like Kai and the others in the main group of characters, is directed to the antiques shop, Ripples in the Pond, at the beginning of the story. He is resourceful and often acts as a leader-type in the story. He immediately is at odds with Noma, the agent sent from the mysterious organization HERO – but that is more for when I unveil Noma’s portraits. The least I can say is that he is more amiable, yet vexing, to Noma than she to him. He accepts the quest to destroy the Hourglass and takes initiative at every turn. Handsome, charming, skilled, and sly – he’s an asset to the team.

Have to be honest – some of the most enjoyable scenes in the book are between Siru and Noma, as they play tug of war for the upper hand, amidst their communal mission.

Please enjoy the artwork by verdant – I hope it entices you into this new world, waiting to be opened upon the release of The Hourglass on September 8, 2026!

Firstly, I have to give credit to ObscureBeauty.Art (name of artist and their website are one in the same. Here is the link proper – https://ObscureBeauty.Art )

Here is another rendition of Siru, the Master Thief!

Siru can, at some times, be a puzzle. He’s a thief, but he’s a part of the team tasked to destroy the Hourglass, which is waging psychological warfare on humankind. Without his ingenuity at many points in the story, the group would have been at a loss.

Siru is definitely assertive, and he has no problem just jumping into situations and socializing with new people – such as a group of street performers, their families, and traveling merchants they interact with along their journey in Egypt. His skills are impressive – whether it be in his thieving occupation or just in his tools he uses as a person – he usually is never at a loss. And even if he was, that wouldn’t bother him. He’d find some solution.

Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of the book, where we are first introduced to Siru. He has just stolen a vase from a museum, and the curator, the man in gray, halts him before he can leave:

At first, the man in gray looked taken aback, but he quickly gathered himself. He matched the thief’s smug smile and held out something between his fingers. “I’ll trade you.”

Siru was almost forced to laugh but did not leave. “Swap? I have absolutely no incentive to trade with you. On that note—”

“Wait.” The man wagged the item back and forth. “You may find it worth your while.”

The thief sighed. It took only a blink of an eye, but Siru and the item were suddenly gone. When his adversary looked around, he found Siru sitting on top of the pedestal that had only moments ago supported the vase. Siru shrugged as he looked at the card, and then, as if uninterested, he observed, “You really don’t know the meaning of a trade, do you, curator?”

“Clearly you’re the one who does not.”

As he sighed again, Siru stated, “Never really did.”

Hope you enjoyed the lovely portrait by ObscureBeauty.Art along with the quote! Any inquiries about Siru are welcome, and I hope your excitement is mounting for the release of The Hourglass on September 8, 2026!