Outside of Chloe, the news of the attack remained amongst the people who rescued me that evening. Elaine made a full recovery but refused to talk despite what Anna called very persuasive tactics. She was being held in a holding pen until Headquarters could spare their top psychic. Regardless of assurances that I was safe, I woke up night after night, struggling to breathe as Elaine strangled me in my dreams.

I poured most of my energy into controlling my Talent. By the first of December, I could summon my power at will and throw with deadly accuracy. I was still stumped on how to call forth the amount of energy I'd used when Gavin had tried to abduct me, but in retrospect, we were all probably safer for that.

The most important thing I learned was how to change the intention behind my blasts. I'd suspected it was possible, or Gavin would have died that night. Having the ability to control it meant everything to me. No longer was my power an immediate death sentence. I could now, as I jokingly explained to Chloe, set beams to stun instead of dissolving anything that crossed my path.

I remained in Mara's history class, and I strengthened my focus. I devoured every book I could get my hands on, and while my brain struggled to meld what I knew of the world with the stories I read, I knew in my heart that the legends were true. Science wasn't behind the abilities I wielded. Magic was.

Even though I couldn't confirm or deny whether I was part Fae, it became a widely accepted fact amongst all the other students. I waited for the taunts and jeers, but my friendships with Kent, Chloe, and even Jarod and Nelson turned the fear into awe. Bri continued to hang out with us, though she made it clear it was because her choices were extremely limited.

"I imagine this must be what high school was like," I joked one day after Bri left in a hissy fit because Jarod, her new boy toy now that Kent had made his intentions towards me clear, accepted an invitation from another girl to play volleyball.

"Were you home schooled?" Chloe asked, popping a mandarin orange into her mouth while we sat near a bonfire. The days had become cooler, though nothing like back in the mountains. The chill in the night air was enough to warrant the blazing fires for warmth instead of just parties. Signs of Christmas had sprouted in the dorms. Festive lights and wreaths decorated doors and windows.

"Oh, yeah," I quickly tried to cover my gaff. Despite what I'd told Calum the night of the attack, my old walls still held. The reception I'd received from the students had proved his words true and gave me hope for my future here. I wondered how much longer I'd keep my secrets from Chloe.

"Well, that explains a lot," she joked.

"Hardy har. You're hysterical."

"The only thing quicker than my feet is my wit."

"The lady is on fire, ladies and gents," I shouted, drawing attention from the few students who had joined us around the flames.

"Stop," my friend hissed, attempting to cover her face with her hands. I just laughed at her, not recognizing the girl I was becoming. When had I ever drawn attention to myself?

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Eh, you're right. I'm not. But it's so much fun to make you blush."

"Hmm, well, I've got some details that will make you turn red yourself," Chloe whispered, leaning towards me conspiratorially. "Calum is back."

I jerked away from her as if I'd touched the fire. "Why do you think that would mean anything to me? Is Bri starting to rub off on you?" The harshness of my words betrayed me, and Chloe gave me a sad, knowing look.

"Girl, I saw him come out of your room the morning after," she paused and looked around before lowering her voice, "you know, the event. He looked like a man who'd been handed a death sentence. You didn't come out of your room for two days after Fleur cleared you. You two obviously mean something to each other."

"You don't leave people you care about," I insisted, grabbing a handful of sand and allowing it to slip through my fingers. My hands gleamed violet, making the grains sparkle like gems as they fell.

I'd been a weeping mess after Calum left me that morning. Fleur had arrived to find me staring at my bedroom wall with swollen eyes. She had assumed that I was having an emotional breakdown after all the traumatic experiences I'd had. I didn't correct her.

Anna gave me two days before she burst into my room, insisting I needed to suck it up and get back to training. The only way to prevent being a victim was to train. It wasn't enough to convince me to get out of bed.

Then she dropped the news that Calum had returned to Headquarters to assist with a mission. My tears dried up immediately. I'd wanted him to make up his mind, and he had.

"How do you know he wasn't actually called away? He may have even left to make sure you were safe. I heard the psychic came back with him. They're going to question Elaine soon."

"I don't understand what there is to ask her. The woman is clearly a prejudiced lunatic who attacked me because she thinks I'm part Fae. End of story." I wasn't allowed to mention the phone call; Fleur had made that very clear.

"So you don't think there is anything fishy about a woman who has worked as a Guardian for over fifty years suddenly snapping and trying to kill a student?"

"Nope. I'd snap too if I was stuck on this island with brats like you for fifty years," I quipped, trying to lighten the conversation and change the topic.

The smell of sun and sweat wafted over me before Kent's arms wrapped around my waist. Fighting the instinct to tense up, I let my head drop back so that it was resting on his shoulder. He nuzzled my neck, sending pleasant tingles running down my body.

I liked where we were out in our relationship. He hadn't asked for anything more than I could give, and while we weren't officially an item, despite what I'd implied to Calum, his womanizing ways had significantly diminished.

It should've bothered me it hadn't completely stopped, but his flirting with other girls didn't even register on my radar most of the time. I was self aware enough to know that my interest in Kent was only slightly elevated about friendship. He was kind, attentive, smart, and extremely attractive. He hit nearly all the boxes on my checklist. All of them except one. He wasn't a broody, centuries old, pain in my ass.

"You two look like you're scheming," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on my forehead before taking the seat beside me.

"Ah yes, you would know what that looks like huh," Chloe jested, watching the two of us with narrowed eyes.

"Thought you would be playing volleyball with Jarod."

"We're playing in rotations. Our team just decimated Nelson's."

Chloe and I laughed. "How is that even a match up? Nelson has less athletic ability than a ninety-year-old grandmother."

Kent just shrugged, his amber eyes bright with mirth. "He asked to play. I think he was trying to impress Hanna."

"By playing a sport? I feel like poetry in a coffee shop is more his speed," I responded, shaking my head. We were all suckers, it would seem, but we couldn't change who we were for someone else.

"Anyway, just wanted to ask if we were still on for that walk later?"

Ignoring my roommate's stink eye, I nodded. "I was planning on it."

He leaned down to give me a quick kiss, but stopped. "What's this?"

We all turned to look at the small flower he plucked from the sand. "It's a forget-me-not."

"Growing in the sand? In the middle of a magically cloaked tropical island," Chloe pondered.

"You sure it wasn't just dropped in the sand?" I asked.

He shrugged and handed me the flower. "Could've been. I'll catch you later, babe."

Awkward silence settled in his absence, and I finally sighed, unable to take it anymore. "What Chloe?"

"You and I both know you're leading him on."

"I'm not leading him on. We aren't even officially dating. He's just using me like all the other girls, and I'm okay with it because I enjoy his company."

"Are you sure you aren't encouraging his affections for a different reason? I mean, I get it. He's cute and can be funny sometimes. I've known him for a while now, and he's always been a love em and leave em type. He has a completely different look in his eye around you. You don't have the same look."

The truth of her words stirred the guilt I kept trying to push away. "He's just intrigued with me because I haven't slept with him. He's enjoying the chase."

"Um, yeah, he's not a complete cliche. Try again."

"Fine, ok. I've been thinking that it's time to put the brakes on for a while now. I know he cares more for me than I do for him, at least romantically. I'm just scared that he won't want to remain friends."

"It's going to be awkward for a little while, but it won't last. First off, we live on an island with like fifty people. You can't afford to stay angry at anyone for too long. Why do you think I'm still friends with Bri?" Chloe quipped. "But it's going to be irreparable if you don't stop it. He's going to develop genuine feelings soon."

"Ugh, why did I get stuck with someone so sensible?"

"Clearly, the universe is watching out for you," she said, tossing her arms around my shoulders and drawing me into a hug. "Now, I'm going to go find Bri. She just messaged me. I'm sure she wants to whine about Jarod."

Stretching, I decided to take a stroll along the beach. Kent would join me later, and I needed a few moments alone to gather my thoughts and courage. The bond we'd forged over the last month had been a great comfort. Often, his presence alone was enough to pull me out of the darkness I wanted to wallow in.

The first week after my attack, we would sit on the beach in silence, his hand clasped in mine while the waves caressed the shore. He would tell me about the family he left behind. About his little sister that was reaching the age he'd been when his Talent emerged. He was worried she was like him, and his mother would be left all alone.

I let him talk for hours on end, never sharing more about myself than necessary. Before long, the hand holding progressed to cuddling, which turned to sweet, lingering kisses. History told me he would press me for the next step soon, but so far, he hadn't pushed. He allowed me to progress at my own pace, and for a short time, I convinced myself that this type of relationship was enough for me.

But then the nightmares were replaced by new dreams. Even alone, thinking about the images that plagued my sleep caused me to blush. The first time the dream came, I felt like I was back in the same murderous loop that had haunted my sleep the night after crashing the party. Tight stays made my waist unbelievably small and my heavy skirts brushed the ground as I wandered around a large estate. It was surrounded by the woods I instinctively recognized as the place I had died in the last dream.

A party was in full swing. Other young women huddled in corners, dressed in pale colors with flowers pinned into curled hair. Giggles would erupt behind lace kerchiefs whenever a young man would brave the gaggle of debutantes. I wondered why I was alone, no mother, sisters, or friends. Apparently, the dream girl and I had something in common: no access to memories.

I was never alone long. Soon, his clean, masculine scent would fill my nostrils as he approached in breeches that were almost scandalously snug. His hessians were polished to a high shine, and though his jacket and shirt were made of fine material and of the latest fashion, there was nothing soft about him. His voice was a hypnotizing hum in my ears as he escorted me to his study, the walls lined with books and the furniture made of a heavy, dark wood I couldn't place.

We didn't exchange words before his lips found mine. I stumbled back into the desk. My arms slid around his neck as I returned his kiss with passion, my fingers tangling in his hair. Our movements spoke of intimate knowledge of one another, but rather than boredom brought by familiarity, his purposeful touch drew soft sighs.

Curling my toes in the cool sand, I rubbed my arms as if attempting to erase his grip from my mind; the ghost of the dream always clung long after waking. I never remembered his face, but Calum's chiseled features easily took the place of the mystery man during my daylight musings.

My stomach fluttered just thinking of his brooding dark eyes filled with the same desire that left me shaking and breathless. I was becoming a junky, yearning to escape into sleep. For the first time, I fully understood passion, and Kent could never stir that level of desire in me. Hanging onto the comfort I found in him wouldn't be fair to either of us.

Glancing at my watch, I groaned. I had at least another hour before Kent would meet me, and I was terrified I'd lose my nerve before then. The sun was rapidly sinking below the horizon, only a sliver still glowing above the dark blue edge. I loved the sunny days by the sea, but my soul found the most peace when the moon ruled the sky, casting a pearlescent shimmer across the inky waters.

As if possessed, I stared at the ocean. The urge to slip beneath the waves overwhelmed me. The water would still be warm from the all day direct sunlight, and in all my time on the island, I hadn't once gone swimming.

With a furtive glance at my surroundings, I tugged off my yoga pants and waded into the ocean with a grin. Sure, I wasn't skinny dipping, but cautious Camille would have never gone for a moonlight swim in her underwear. Okay, I was wearing my tank top too, but I was still going for a swim without pants or a swimsuit. Baby steps.

Thankful that the water around our island was tranquil, I swam until my feet couldn't touch the bottom and flipped so that I was floating on my back. I'd never seen a sky like the one above me. Constellations were hard to find in the mass of sparkles, and at that moment, I was content to stay in this hideaway forever. Let the war rage beyond our horizon; it could not reach us here.

A cool gust cut across the top of the water, causing me to shiver and lower my legs in the water to gain some warmth. My blonde hair floated around me, the platinum strands glowing in the moonlight. If anyone on the shore or near the beach houses looked over in my direction, they would easily spot me. With a laugh, I sank beneath a soft wave and kicked towards the shore.

The water, which had been so gentle and welcoming during my leisurely swim out to sea, morphed into a violent, grabbing mass. I scissor kicked harder, but the current wrapped around my legs like a serpent, dragging me further from my goal. Lungs aflame, I struggled towards the surface, desperate for oxygen, but the ocean kept tossing me around so that I no longer knew which way was up or down. A sense of betrayal mingled with the fear. The sea's song had been a siren call all along.

I had to draw a breath soon. My vision faded. My frantic kicking stopped, my body surrendered to the ocean's control, and I simply accepted what was to be. Cautious Camille unfurled in my mind, shaking her head while wearing a smug smile.

Karma, she whispered. I pushed the voice away. I would rather meet my end now, while I had a sense of peace in my world.

I pulled my teeth off my lip, opening my mouth slowly and preparing for the onslaught of burning liquid in my lungs. As the salty water broke over my tongue, powerful arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me until my head broke the surface. Choking, I drew my first breath in what felt like hours, dizziness overtaking me as my body responded to the oxygen flooding my system.

I rested my head against the hard chest of my saviour as he moved swiftly towards the shore, all hostility gone from the waves. My deprived brain held onto that small detail, causing me to wonder if I'd been under attack from one of the Children and not Mother Nature. My eyelids fluttered to a close, and I found myself hard pressed to care about anything.

"No, wake up Camille."

I shook my head and tried to draw another breath. The calm that had taken over while I sank towards the ocean floor fled as each attempt at breathing left my weary body unsatisfied, but I couldn't muster the energy to thrash or flail. Instead, the moments between each attempt to breathe became longer and my awareness slipped away.

Full lips crushed mine, forcing air into my lungs even before my feet felt sand.

"Come on," my rescuer demanded, pressing his mouth against mine once more as he maneuvered me onto my back as we finally reached the shore. Extreme pressure on my chest replaced the warmth of his lips.

Pressure. Pressure. Pressure. Extreme pain wracked my body as the water I swallowed worked its way out of my body. Strong hands rolled me to my side as I vomited salt water and everything I'd ever eaten into the sand. Shuddering, I wiped my hand against my mouth as I used my other hand to push myself up.

"That's it. Get it all up."

With one last heave, I raised my head and turned to stare into the dark eyes I knew far too well. Concern, mingled with stark relief, was etched across his face, his body tense as he watched me for signs of further distress. Instead of speaking to him, partly because I wasn't sure I could manage speech, I tore my gaze from him and looked across the beach. As the fuzziness dissipated, I could see another shape crumpled on the ground.

Unable to make sense of what I saw, I turned my attention back to Calum and burst into wheezing laughter. "This really needs to stop being our thing."

His lips twitched as though he fought against a smile. "Can you stand?"

Calum didn't give me an opportunity to answer. He brought me to my feet by slipping his hands under my armpits. A newborn foal was steadier on its legs than I was, but I felt certain that I could at least move under my own power. Still, I wasn't sure why Calum was rushing my recovery.

"Can't I just rest for a moment?" I croaked, my vocal cords screaming in protest.

"No, we've got to get out of the open," he insisted, holding onto me as he half drug me down the beach, towards the jungle portion of our island home.

"Why are we going this way?"

"Because the island is under attack. Come on, I've got to get you somewhere out of the way. You're in no condition to protect yourself right now. And don't think that just because I haven't asked why you were out in the ocean half naked, that I'm not going to ask later."

With strength I didn't realize I had left, I planted my feet into the white sand firmly enough that Calum had to stop completely. I turned my head back towards the beach houses and my knees buckled. For the second time this year, orange flames lit up my night sky as the main house burned to the ground. Unlike the night of the fire at the Green Knight, no one screamed in terror; instead, they appeared to be fighting amongst themselves.

"What is happening?" I demanded, slapping Calum's hand away as he attempted to help me stand again.

"Morgan's people found the island."

"I'm going with you."

"No, absolutely not. You nearly drowned. You can't even walk."

Without another word, I lurched to my feet and ran towards the chaos. I could hear the string of curses Calum shouted behind me, but I didn't stop. I would pay for this afterwards. Hell, I might even pay for it now, but I was done being a victim.

First Anton, then Gavin, then Elaine, and then the damn ocean. People kept saving me, and I refused to sit on the sidelines again when my friends were in the middle of a battle.