"Rough night," Percy asked, looking far too pleased as he surveyed the three ladies of the house sitting at the dining room table in various stages of wakefulness and discomfort. "How can you not be chipper on a morning like this?"

He flung his arm towards the open French doors where the sun warmed the calm turquoise waters.Anna and Fleur looked like they regretted their decision to have fun with the students. Fleur's normally perfect bob hung in stringy waves, and the vibrant color of Anna's eyes seemed more red than pink.

Fleur didn't even look up the from the coffee mug she was holding, peering down into its dark depths like it held the cure to the common cold and not just her hangover. Anna mustered up a convincing stink eye as she pushed around her eggs and bacon.

"I know why they look like that," Percy said, "But what's your excuse?"

I'd reverted to the wallflower version of Camille, but from the brief glimpse I caught in a mirror this morning, I looked more hungover than the other two women. The same dream had haunted my sleep last night, over and over again, like I was stuck in a time loop.

"I just had trouble sleeping. Still sore. What did you all do last night?"

All three of them shifted in their seats like guilty children. I had pushed aside my anger and hurt at their exclusion last night due to recent revelations, but in the glaring morning light, it bubbled back up. Of course, if I wanted to fan the flames a little, I just needed to think of Bri's smug face.

"I hung out with Anna in her rooms. We polished off a couple bottles of wine, hence our lackluster appearance this morning," Fleur finally supplied.

"Oh, I do hope that won't affect our training today." I raised my voice higher than necessary, watching the two women wince.

"I'm sure I'll manage to be fit and ready by then," Anna croaked.

"Hmmm, from the looks of things, that would be quite a miraculous recovery. I sure hope you don't ask Fleur to help you out. She really stressed the importance of not meddling with the body's natural healing processes when it isn't life or death."

Percy caught my eye, and I swear the man was trying not to laugh. Even though he pissed me off more than any of them, I couldn't help the goosebumps that raced across my skin. Earn his trust, and he would die for you, I was certain of it.

Fleur gave me a weak, grimacing smile before she murmured, "I'd never dream of doing such a thing. Excuse me. I have a class to teach." Grasping her mug like a lifeline, she pushed away from the table and trudged out of the room.

Percy followed her out with a chuckle. I focused on eating my breakfast, still too hurt to engage in conversation with Anna.

I spent the better part of breakfast mulling over what I'd learned the night before. Did the knowledge change anything? And what was I supposed to do with it? I longed to ask Anna, but that would lead to questions I couldn't answer.

"Morning ladies." Calum's deep voice boomed from behind me.

Anna waved her fork weakly at him. "I was about to tell the staff to clear the rest of breakfast away. You're pretty late this morning."

"Not for the same reasons as you, I'd bet," Calum joked, shoveling heaping piles of bacon, eggs, and pancakes onto his plate.

"Oh, and what are your reasons?" Anna asked.

The smile on his face became forced, but it didn't slip. "Bad dreams."

He sat in the chair next to me, his muscular arms brushing against mine as he reached for the syrup. I immediately shrank back into my chair and tried to wipe the panic from my face.

"You okay?" he questioned, turning his dark eyes towards me. The concern hidden in the chocolate depths at once soothed and enraged me. The emotion couldn't be genuine. You didn't avoid someone you truly worried about.

"Fine."

"Excuse me, I'm going to go get ready for our training session," Anna said, looking like she might be ill at any moment.

Calum and I sat in an awkward silence after she left. Ok, I sat in awkward silence. Calum munched on his breakfast, perfectly content to ignore me. Finally, unable to take it any longer, I pushed away from the table.

"I should go get ready."

"Sit back down." The pleasant tone from earlier was gone, and while his domineering attitude rankled me, I returned to my chair. "You mind telling me what you were up to last night?"

"Not unless you want to tell me what else you did last night?" I snipped.

"Damn it Camille. Even if I hadn't seen you sneaking around, I would've found out about it. Kent and his little crew won't quit asking about you. I believe his exact phrase was 'where's the hot little blonde piece?' What were you thinking?"

"You know, I wasn't under the impression that I agreed to house arrest when I decided to stay here. You told me I was going to be offered a home and a family of sorts, since we're quoting people. Instead, I'm kept separate from the rest of the trainees. I'm not given even the most basic information about what I am. That was all pretty irritating, but you can imagine how much fun it was to learn last night that Percy had been hiding the nightlife from me since I got here. I convinced myself that I could stay here because you all had my best interests at heart, but the truth is that you want me here to keep tabs on me. You're a bunch of damn liars."

I didn't remember moving, but at some point during my tirade, I'd stood up and planted my hands on the tabletop. Purple energy arced around my fingertips, and I snatched my hands to my chest to hide it. Calum was up in an instant, slipping his powerful hands around mine. I shook my head frantically, overcome by a vision of him disintegrating before me. Becoming nothing like Katerina.

"Camille, look at me. Breathe."

I watched in awe as the purple sparks receded, disappearing into his hands while the tightness in my chest faded. I remained still for several moments, hoping that he wouldn't take his hands off of mine and praying that he would. Finally, I raised my eyes. Blue clashed with brown, and for just a moment, I saw the man who'd convinced me to stay. Then, like smoke on the wind, he was gone.

"How did you do that? How did I not kill you?" My voice was ragged, cracking when I tried to speak above a whisper.

Calum pulled away and raised his hands. Violet sparks crackled around his fingers before he extinguished them with a shrug. "I don't share this with many people. One of my Talents, perhaps my strongest, is Absorption. At least that's what I call it. I don't know of anyone else who has a gift like mine."

"You're like Rogue? You know, X-Men."

I enjoyed the look of surprise that swam across his features before he chuckled. "Where do you think they came up with the idea for her?"

"But, I don't feel weaker."

"I don't weaken or kill the people I touch," he said darkly. "I just need to be open to your power when you use it, and then it's mine to use. And before you ask, because I can see the question, I don't have the ability forever. It fades. How quickly it fades depends on how strong the original user is."

"Doesn't that mean you're practically invincible? At least against other Children?" I remembered his warning to Gavin the night of the fire. His promise that Gavin couldn't beat him.

"I like people to think that. We'll leave it at that."

I knew I was being a hypocrite, standing next to him keeping my own secrets, but his lack of trust hurt. It reminded me of why we were having this conversation.

On an impulse, I snapped, "I see. Well, look. It's been nice being here and all, but I think it's time for me to move on."

"No."

"No?"

"No. I get what you were saying earlier. You could have spoken to me about it before you pulled that stunt last night."

"What stunt? I hung out with other people like me. Please explain to me how that was detrimental to me, to you, or to them?"

"You can't control yourself. You could have hurt one of them."

My laughter was brittle. "You're telling me that not one of those drunk students last night had a gift that was potentially harmful to others? You've got a bunch of daisy growing hippie Children in combat training?"

"They're trained. You're not."

"They weren't always trained. You're just blowing smoke up my ass," I growled. "Tell me why you're keeping me separate. Tell me why you haven't told me the most basic history about how I am what I am."

Calum ran his hands through his hair, causing the short pieces to stick up haphazardly. It was a habit he seemed to indulge in most often around me.

"Follow me."

"Ok, now what?" I demanded after we'd made our way out of the house and to the beach.

Calum grunted as he paced in front of me, the water stealing his footprints before he changed directions. "First, let me be clear. I am only giving you this information because you're going to end up doing something stupid again. Close your mouth. You know it's true. You're impulsive and thoughtless."

"I still don't see how I did anything wrong last night. I hung out with the other trainees."

"You don't have control of yourself. You saw what happened in the dining room."

"Then teach me!"

I thrust my hands out, energy crackling all around my hands. For the first time since I'd discovered this part of myself, I focused on the source of the power. I could feel it raging beneath my tumultuous emotions, tethered to the spikes in my feelings, but beyond that, the power felt much like my other gift. With deep breaths, I reached for it and wrestled it into submission. It disappeared, only a tiny pop snapping from a fingertip as I shrieked with joy over my accomplishment.

"I can learn just like the others."

Calum's chiseled features twisted into shock and then suspicion. "What's your other Talent, Camille? The one you've known about."

I staggered backwards. His perceptiveness was terrifying. "Nothing. Unless you count the increased physical gifts that we all have. At least that's what Anna told me."

He pushed into my personal space until it forced me to look up at him or stare at his chest. I'll be honest. They were both worthy of perusal. "Try again."

"You know, I vaguely remember something about me being allowed to keep my secrets if they didn't hurt anyone. It isn't hurting anyone."

"Well, I guess that means you best quit whining about being kept in the dark around here. You have your secrets. We have ours."

"Well," I sputtered, swaying as he turned abruptly and stomped away.

For one moment, I considered letting him go. But he was right. And I was tired of being in the dark. "Hey, stop. Stop! Fine. But please don't tell anyone else."

"As long as it doesn't pose a threat to anyone else here."

I sat down on the warm, white sand, stretching my legs out so my toes could catch the waves as they pushed in. Here the water was a dozen shades of jewel toned blues, and the waves were unhurried, caressing the shore like a lazy lover. It sang to me, but I still didn't understand the words. What I really wanted to hear was affirmation. I needed to know that I wasn't about to ruin everything by telling him.

After a few moments, Calum settled next to me, holding himself very still as if afraid he'd spook me. Or shake me in frustration. I imagined if I asked him, it would be a tossup.

We spent several moments in silence as I tried to figure out how much I was going to tell him. I slumped forward and wrapped my arms around my legs as I realized I had to tell him everything. Not just to earn trust, but because I needed to share it.