*rapidly shuffles through all of the most likely possibilities*
The Hotakainens: Did someone say "Saimaa"? I think someone did. Why did they relocate? What happened to their parents? Why do Tuuri, Lalli, and Onni all show signs of past trauma? What, exactly, is "It"? Will "It" show up again? (I think that "It" will.) Oh yes, not to mention that Tuuri just had to go and jinx things a few pages ago with all of her death flagging...
Emil: Ah, such an ill-adjusted ball of teenage boy insecurities. We know that Emil has had a lot of trouble relating to other people in the past, and yes, a good deal of this is his own fault. It's also hard not to pity him, though, since it's clear that his parents done goofed on a number of different points, and Emil has so much kindness and empathy buried under his "rich idiot" training, and he's been trying so hard to prove himself. Somehow I can't help but wonder whether the latter half of the story is where we'll really see Emil come into his own in the field - possibly because he's forced into it? (Hm, now wondering whether Emil's behavior when he's in danger contrasted with his behavior when Lalli's in danger might be some sort of foreshadowing?)
Sigrun: Why is she so dead set against backtracking? Something happened in her past, that much is clear, to convince her that it's never an acceptable course of action, that people will die if she does. And call it a hunch, but I can't shake the feeling that Sigrun is the one most likely to get seriously hurt at some point. (I'm keeping my blanket fort all nice and set up for self-burial.)
Mikkel: One word: Kastrup. I found his reaction when Sigrun was in mortal danger to be incredibly telling: up to that point he'd been keeping his distance from everyone, almost as if he didn't want to let himself get close to people, but went straight to being flat-out terrified for her sake. We know he's lost friends to Kastrup. There's also been a lot of speculation that he's here on his own mission, unbeknownst to any of the others. What I see here is Mikkel deliberately trying not to get too close to any of these people, possibly for multiple reasons, but he's slowly getting attached to them anyway, and at some point that's all going to come crashing down on his head, especially if he really does have more than one reason for joining the group that's eventually revealed to the others.
Reynir: Personally I think that Reynir might be heading for a massive existential crisis. His parents lied to him. Onni might be overprotective but at least he didn't try to force the issue; when Tuuri decided to leave on her own initiative, he let her. Reynir had to sneak away, and landed himself in a heap of trouble as a result. It strikes me that he hasn't yet expressed any anger over his parents' manipulation, but I wonder whether that might not be about to change after he meets them again, after having developed his confidence, discovered his magic, and picked up a greater degree of self-reliance?
*looks at time*
No! Bad me! Very bad me! IhaveathesistoturninonMondayIneedtostopdoingthisnowAAAARGH!
