nigel enlists the help of elemental master of fire and stage magician, jonathon hightower, both for the production and that he suspects the shipwrecking was actually an attack on nina. the threat becomes real, when the real nina tchereslavsky discovers ninette's impersonation. the danger in this is that the real 'nina' is a rogue dark earth elemental, a troll. this troll possessed the ability to absorb people's identities and their memories. using the intelligence gained from said absorptions, 'nina' escaped the bonds of the earth master who summoned her and has been living multiple lives, absorbing many people, and growing in magic power. when 'nina' discovers ninette's usurpation of her person, she is furious and vows to destroy the imposter.