A second volume, This Forsaken Earth (original working title The Stars We Sail By) was published in July 2006.
However it is later revealed that Amelie is actually an ancient, powerful, violent spirit cast into pure Weren form and given a soul.
Rol was brought up by his grandfather, Ardisan, on the fishing island of Dennifrey, with two “foster parents”, Morin and Ayd.
He was taught nothing of his heritage, believing he was a human, but was socially isolated from other children because of his Weren blood, which usually forms a mental barrier between ordinary people and Rol.
Rol returns to his home to find it threatened by a mob who felt that Ardisan had summoned the appalling weather with his magic.
They attack the house, and eventually slay the Golems, but Ardisan and Rol flee, after the former is wounded by a crossbow bolt.
He tells Rol to flee to a man called Michael Psellos in the foreign city of Ascari before dying.
They succeed, but a remnant of Psellos, made by his magic, informs them that they share the same mother, Amelie, hence committing incest.