The Phoenix Fighters recover a refugee, a Hylian man in his thirties named Tobias.  Tobias explains that he was once a respected professor at Shiz before his father died, four years ago, leaving him blood bound to a Bui Doi sister, half Hylian, half Morph, a creature with the innate need to procreate, shape shifting into any species in order to reproduce and change a species gene pool.  For the last four years, Tobias has been dragged from realm to realm by his sister, filled with the wanderlust of her Morph mother.  Arriving in Shaldani robbed them both of their powers and somehow, they managed to get separated.  Tobias asks the Phoenix Fighters to help him find his sister, Kate, and they promise to do the best they can.

 

Meanwhile, Insa continues her sessions with Tristan, offering him lessons with a polearm in order to protect himself.  In addition, Tristan asks Insa to teach him what it means to be Risan.  She takes him out to the courtyard shrine to offer prayers to Hopa, but they are met by Telian, Inigo, and Tobias.  At once, Tobias is mysteriously smitten with Insa.  Tristan shows signs of extreme jealousy over the attention he gives her and quickly finds an excuse to pull Insa back into the House.  She recognizes his jealousy, but is very reluctant to start up a relationship with him again, especially in light of the fact that once his punishment has ended, he will go back to being a Shadowman and in love with only Mia.

 

The next morning, Insa senses someone watching her from the shadows.  She moves closer and discovers Uri, the Carver from Quinn's trial who sentenced Tristan to life as a Risan and Tristan's mother, Queen Thea.  They offer her the responsibility of serving as Quinn and Casey's parole officer.  Insa is reluctant to accept the task, but Uri preys upon her sense of worthlessness in the House.  Insa agrees to at least consider the possibility.  Uri leaves to give her time to think about it, begging her not to tell anyone about his visit, including Tristan.  Insa promises Thea that she will watch out for Tristan.  Thea hopes that Tristan will not fall in love with her for it.

 

Pala, reporting in on her recent adventure with Khann, meets up with Tobias, who seems to recognize her from his past.  She reports seeing someone matching Kate's description near the Ebene stronghold where she was held.  Tobias mentions this to Ariadne who agrees to take him to the area.  In a clearing, they spot Xinn and several Ebene soldiers carrying away various creatures in cages.  Among them, Tobias spots his sister.  Together, both Tobias and Ariadne manage to dispose of the footsoldiers and while Xinn gets away, they still free all of the prisoners, including Kate.  They return to the House.  Although eager to leave, Kate is pregnant and therefore, must give up her dimension hopping powers until her baby is born.  She and Tobias are invited to stay in the Phoenix House, serving on the housekeeping staff. 

 

Insa, meanwhile, accepts Uri's offer and elects to stay in Shaldani.  She and Tristan spend some time talking and his old attraction to her is very obvious.  He reminds her of their conversation in Niflheim, how she promised to consider allowing him to court her if he were able to love again.  Now that he is mortal, he is not bound by the same laws of the Shadowmen and he is certain that things could be different between them.  Again, Insa reminds him that his mortality could be taken away at any moment.  Neither of them are certain of anything, but Tristan's mind is made up.  Tersely, Tobias warns him not to hurt Insa.  Meanwhile, Lucien begs her to remain as detached as possible from the entire courtship.