Rufus and his friends Clara, Mellek and Kirra face more challenges as the ship they are sailing on - "The Gumtree" - is attacked by a fire-breathing seahorse in the Hot Sea. Only when Rufus climbs along the bowsprit and manages to catch the beast in a net are they able to avoid being burnt to a cinder. But then they have to get through the Sea of Mirrors where the waves make navigation almost impossible by reflecting images of the ship back to them and making it look as though they are about to collide. They also intensify the light, blinding the sailors. Rufus, with his growing powers as a 'Discerner', gets them through to Sheep Island, but not before the ship has run aground and has to be towed back to deep water by the islanders.As they approach the Cold Hills, Rufus feels torn between obeying the Captain by steering well clear of them and desperately wanting to go there to see what he can find out - both about Calor's re-creation of the magic and also about the fate of his parents. In the end, it is the ship's cat that decides. Having been pushed towards the ice shelf by a whale that has taken control of the ship, Rufus is encouraged by the cat to row to the Cold Hills with his three friends. A final heroic act is needed before all is resolved.
