"They'll sort it out: Imogen and Devon have never lasted more than a few days without speaking to each other. By the next time you see them both, they'll be laughing and chatting like usual. Devon didn't mean what she said—she was just having a bad day."

"I don't know, Cam," I replied, looking across at the Arcan Protector as we walked down a stone corridor. "I've not seen them like this before, I don't think this is something that they can just brush over. Devon hasn't left her room and Imogen is spending all of her time with the Brizan Protectors. They can't make up if they keep avoiding each other."

Cameron gave me a sympathetic smile and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "If all else fails, close confinement on the ship home should force them to work it out."

I shuddered: "and we'll all suffer the cold because of it, I'm sure!"

It was rare for Cameron not to be with Brae; usually he would have to follow him around on diplomatic missions, playing bodyguard, even if Brae was more than safe with his own powers. It was nice that he had volunteered to spend his morning off with me—although I wondered if it was more a case that Brae had asked him to keep me company, since the girls were too caught up in their argument and he didn't want me walking around without some form of backup. Particularly not after what had happened at the beach. I wasn't going to complain—every Brizan we passed shot me a look of deep suspicion and began to whisper furiously to their neighbour; I didn't want to be alone.

Everything in the castle was made from smooth, sand coloured stone, quarried from the hills around the island. The external walls to the corridor, however, were made from translucent glass in varying shades of blue, separated by tall, twisting colonnades made from the same stone as the walls. The glass cast a deep indigo glow across the whole corridor, giving the impression that we were all in an underwater chamber, while also giving a blue tone to everyone's skin. Every so often along the wall there was a small spout, through which water cascaded down into a gully below. It made the corridor smell strongly of the sea. Through the glass, I could see the ocean, bobbing with black dot boats and smudged sails.

As another pair of Brizan girls passed us, muttering, I sighed and hugged my arms to my chest. They had sustained dark bruises from the incident on the beach and were covered with scratches and grazes. My back was also battered and my legs were now more purple than skin coloured. But when Paige had come up to the castle to treat me she had said that bruising was a good sign: "Bruises we can deal with, broken backs and limbs are trickier." She had given me a sweet seaweed tea to help treat the shock and a bag of herbs to smell when the pain grew too intense, which Brae had replaced with some standard, Arcan painkillers once she left. The whole episode had been almost as stressful as the accident itself: Rowan and Euphrasia had bombarded me with questions while Paige looked increasingly uncomfortable in my presence.

Cameron's gaze followed the Brizan girls over his shoulder as they continued along the corridor. His silver braids shook as he turned back towards me and squared his shoulders so that he looked even bigger than normal. "Brizan clothing wasn't designed to withstand Arcan winds; I can humiliate them when they walk past that group of boys, if you want."

I laughed. "Thanks, Cam, but I'm not sure it will help me in the long run. I just wish I knew what they were saying; is it just based on how I look, or do they know more than they are telling? They might be spreading rumours about my parents. I want to know."

"Sorry, Jazz, super hearing isn't a power that I'm aware I possess. I don't think it's something any of the Realms have."

"No, it's not one I've heard of either." I sighed again. "I came all this way for answers, but it's getting me nowhere. I've learnt nothing."

"I'm not sure that's a fair statement, Miss Dystros. I was under the impression you had progressed quite well under my guidance. Please don't tell me that you think you have gained nothing from your stay in our Realm."

We both spun round to the new voice; Rowan was standing behind us in the corridor, smiling despite his stern tone.

"Of course I don't mean that, Rowan. It's my parents I have learnt nothing about. It's starting to get to me."

Rowan sighed. "I'm doing my best; I've been asking everyone what they can remember from the time of the Occupation, but no one seems to have any recollection of a baby. I'm not entirely convinced that everyone is telling me the truth though; some people have definitely seemed skittish when I've spoken to them."

"You're a Protector. Can't you command them to tell you?" Cam asked.

Rowan shook his head. "There's only one Protector with that sort of authority in the Brizan Realm, and it definitely isn't me."

"Emmanuel," I answered for him, with a sigh. He seemed to hate me more than anyone, so there was no way that he was going to help.

Maybe he was the one with something to hide? There was no way... he could be... No, Emmanuel was not my father; it was disgust he was struggling to hide, not any kind of affection, or guilt. And his hatred seemed directed at anything remotely Helian. Still, he had managed to survive the Occupation somehow...

"I'm sorry I can't be of more help, Jasmine. I will keep trying though, even once you have returned to the Arcan Realm. Now, if you will excuse me, Euphrasia is expecting me." He smiled and left.

"It's too bad he's not your dad," Cam said, watching him leave. "He's a lot more mellow than some of the Brizans I have met."

I thought back to how angry he had been with Kit at the training session and felt inclined to disagree. 'I think they all have their moments; I'm quite pleased that it wasn't a genetic trait I picked up!"

Through the glass, the sunlight danced across the wall in dappled spots and shimmered in the falling water. There was an air of calmness about the corridor, a sense of tranquility. It was nothing like the Arcan Realm, but I couldn't help but feel at home here.

"I love the fountains," I said to Cam, trailing my hand through the water from the one nearest to us.

"I don't know." Cam looked at them warily. "The longer I stand here, the more I just end up feeling like I need the toilet!"

"Come on then, let's go back into the main castle." We continued along the corridor, past the stares and whispers.

We had nearly reached the end when I thought I managed to make out a single word: "Mutant."

Unable to look the sandy haired Brizan girl who had said it in the eye, I hurried through the blue glass doors, my legs shaking.

"Come on, I can get that one for you, right?" Cam asked, coming through after me.

Wiping the beads of water from my eyes I forced myself to laugh. "No, Cam. Not even that one. It's not worth the bother." I shook my head and straightened my shoulders. "They're not worth it, none of them are. I'm just pleased that we're going home soon; I've had enough of experiencing my native cultures."

We hurried back to my room, trying our best to navigate through the internal corridors without further detours. Even then the beauty of the castle was not lost on me, the elegance of the decor, the peaceful colours. The Brizan Realm was turning out to be just like the Helian one: absolutely perfect, except for the people.