Jasmine:

Even a bandaged ankle couldn't stop Imogen from spending a day at the beach.

So the following day that was where she, Devon and I headed. Rowan had given us the day off, presumably because he couldn't cope with watching me fail any longer. Brae was tied up in diplomatic meetings all morning and Cam, as the most senior Protector, was playing bodyguard.

Imogen had laid herself out on the sand in a bikini, her Protector's blood oblivious to the chill in the wind. Devon sat next to her, looking out across the water in the direction of home, while I sat right down at the water's edge, letting the waves lap over my feet.

With such an abundance of water, I was practising the manipulation side of my powers.

Hovering my hand a few centimetres above the sea, I concentrated on feeling for the flowing sensation which came with producing water. I then reversed it, so that instead of flowing towards my fingertips, the sensation travelled away from them. The water trickled upwards from the sea and wound itself around my fingers. It felt far nicer than the fire. It was cool, serene and graceful as it wove in between my fingers and up round my wrist in a refreshing stream.

Next, I worked on sending the water upwards into the air. This was trickier, since I had to bring the water up towards me, then send it away as it came in line with my fingers. Droplets were flung up into the air, where they caught the light and shimmered before falling back down.

"That's so pretty," Devon said, watching me.

"I'm just relieved that there's something I can do!" I smiled and sent the water over my head in an arc. Manipulating existing water was far, far easier than producing and controlling it all at once. It was nice to have something to work from.

"How well do you think your powers are intertwined?" Imogen asked, breaking off from her sunbathing to lean forwards, intrigued. "I mean, could you heat that water up, like the spray you produced during training?"

I shrugged. "I can give it a go."

I felt for the flow again and drew a stream of water up from the sea. As it grew closer to my fingers I started to search for the tingling as well.

It was an odd feeling, pulling with the flow and pushing with the tingle; yet somehow it also felt right, as though my powers were working in perfect harmony.

As the water reached my fingers, it turned into steam.

"Cool," Imogen breathed, watching intently.

"Very," Devon agreed, extending her own hands. The steam in my hands was caught up in a sudden breeze and spiralled around my head slowly before snaking its way over to Devon. She grinned at me before lowering her hands, ceasing the wind.

"You've grown so much better recently, Dev," Imogen said, leaning up on her arms to watch the two of us.

"You're a lot more controlled," I agreed.

Devon shrugged in response. "Going to the Helian Realm really helped. Having to use my powers practically has made them a lot stronger."

"Perhaps we need to sneak attack you, Jazz!" Imogen grinned at me.

"No thanks! I think Rowan provides plenty enough pressure! If they don't work in front of him, I've got no chance in an actual fight."

"I don't know—you were pretty impressive in the Helian Realm. Especially with that lightning of yours!"

"That one I definitely don't have any control over! Until yesterday, I was pretty sure that it was triggered by stress."

It was Imogen's turn to shrug. "You'll get control over it eventually. And it's still incredibly awesome."

Devon had grown quiet. I looked over at her, but her gaze was far away, out at sea. Imogen noticed my line of sight.

"Brody is fine, Dev. He would let you know if he wasn't."

"No he wouldn't," she snapped back—something completely uncharacteristic for Devon.

We sat in stunned silence for a minute, neither me nor Imogen daring to speak.

"He wouldn't want to worry me," Devon continued quietly, at last.

"Brody was healing up pretty well when we left, Dev," I told her softly.

"He was in more pain than he was willing to show. The doctors aren't sure that he will ever heal completely."

We lapsed into silence again; there wasn't much Imogen or I could say to that.

"What..." Imogen trailed off, unwilling to finish her question, then shook her head, as though forcing herself to continue. "What's going on between you two, anyway?"

For a moment, I wasn't sure that Devon was going to answer.

"I don't really know," she confessed after a pause. "I mean—I'm pretty certain he likes me."

"It doesn't take a genius to spot that one!" Im laughed.

"He won't say anything! Until we went to the Helian Realm he could barely form two sentences around me. Now, he'll talk to me, but only about mundane, inconsequential stuff. Never anything important. It's just... frustrating. He's frustrating."

"Maybe give him a bit more time?" I asked, swirling water up from the sea with my left hand.

"It has taken him this long just to speak to me, Jazz! I'd like for him to ask me out before I'm sixty!"

"You could always ask him," Imogen replied, shrugging when Devon glared at her. "Oh come on! Don't tell me the vivacious Devon Panemos is too scared to ask a boy out? A boy who's already hopelessly head over heels for her?"

"No. I'm not scared. I just—Oh I don't know. It just all seems so complicated. Besides, it's not like you're any better," she shot back, sounding angry.

"What? Me? I have no love life right now, thank you very much."

"That's because you're too busy pining over a Brizan!" Devon spat the last word out with more than a little distaste.

My breath caught in my throat. Imogen looked at her as though she had been slapped.

"I'm... I'm not... I don't like..." She shook her head and got to her feet, unsteady because of her ankle. "I don't need to stay here and listen to this."

"No," Devon shouted back. "Why don't you go and see your precious Kit."

Imogen shot Devon a look of pure venom. "At least Kit isn't afraid to speak to me!" she hissed, before picking up her bag. "I never realised that you were such a bigot, Devon," was her parting shot before she stormed off the beach with as much confidence as her ankle would allow.

Devon's face fell, as though she had only just realised what she said. "No. I didn't mean it like that. I don't have a problem with—Oh, Jasmine. I'm sorry." There were tears in her eyes as she looked at me.

I exhaled slowly, trying to abate the twisting sensation in my stomach. I knew that Devon had only spoken with such vehemence because she was mad at Imogen.

But that didn't mean that it wasn't how she really felt, at least a little, deep down inside. She found the idea of being in love with a Brizan abhorrent. So where exactly did that leave me?

I didn't want to argue with her though. Not right now. Instead, I got to my feet. "I'm going for a walk. Why don't you head back to the castle for the afternoon."

"Jazz! Please!" Her tear stained eyes looked at me pleadingly, but I shook my head and walked away.

As I walked down the beach, I didn't dare look back. I followed the natural curve of the sand until I found myself on rockier territory. The tide was beginning to come in, so I was going to have to head back soon, but for now I wanted to keep walking. I lifted up the bottom of the pretty, blue, Brizan dress Lorelie had bought for me—I think in apology for what happened on the tour—so that I could walk through the water to avoid the rocks.

I had only gone a little way when I heard a strange rumbling sound to my right.

I looked across as the pile of rocks hit me.

It was like being smashed into by a bubble cart. The force threw me down onto the seabed and before I had time to think, let alone move, I was trapped.

Rocks were piled up over my legs, up to my waist, pinning me where I lay. I glanced desperately to the right and was certain I saw a flash of blue vanish out of sight.

"Hey! Come back! Please! I can't move! I need help!" My cries were useless. Whoever it was—if there had even been anyone there at all—was gone.

I tried to push the rocks from my legs, but it was hopeless; they were too heavy and I was trapped at completely the wrong angle.

I could feel the water lapping at my hair, floating round my ears.

The tide was already coming in. If I couldn't sit up, how long would it take the sea to submerge my face entirely?

I cursed. Why the air couldn't Brizan Protectors breathe under water? It was a serious power flaw!

I pushed onto the seabed with my hands, hoping that I might be able to force some of the rocks off as I tried to sit up, but I was pinned too well.

The landslide was a death trap.

A wave broke over my face, submerging me temporarily. It had caught me by surprise and when I finally had air again, all I could do was cough and splutter.

My ears were still below the water line, so when Devon's face appeared, hovering above me, I was shocked. She said something, but I couldn't make out the words she was mouthing.

Her face vanished as quickly as it appeared. I couldn't lift my head to see where she had gone.

Another wave broke over my face. I coughed, trying to clear my airways, but it was useless; there was too much water.

I couldn't shake the feeling that Devon had left me in the sea to drown. Did she really hate Brizans that much?

Suddenly, I felt a weight lift off of my waist, then another and another, until I could just about sit up.

My head out of the water, I could see Devon a little off to my right. Her eyes were focused intently on the rocks on top of me, her hands stretched out in front of her.

I followed her gaze and watched as one of the rocks was lifted up into the air, then flung off somewhere behind me.

I stared stupidly for a second before the water cleared from my head enough for me to realise what was going on: Devon was using her powers to lift the rocks away.

She flung the last one down the beach then rushed to my side, falling into the sand and waves and pulling me into a fierce hug. "Jasmine! I am so, so sorry. You are one of my best friends and I love you no matter where you come from, or who your parents are. You have to know that."

"Of course I do," I spluttered, holding onto her to keep myself upright.

Covered in sand, spray and tears, we stood up and climbed off the beach, leaning on each other until we made it back to the castle.

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