Damian carries me inside a modern cabin house that's facing the ocean,  through the full size kitchen and living room, he drops me in a room. "Make yourself comfortable and come out to eat when you're ready." He barks and leaves.

I glare at the direction he walks off, having a hard time deciding if I should curse him out verbally or internally.

Kicking off my canvas, I place my feet on the down and feel the cool smooth surface of the wooden floor beneath me. My eyes follows the arrangement of woodwork to the ceiling, it's the same pattern. My eyes widen when I see my backpack sitting in front of the drawer beside the queen sized bed. I look back at the direction he went and shake my head.  When did he get my stuff?

I return my gaze to the bed and frown at the four pillows arranged in front of the headboard and the cute candy shaped throw pillow in the middle of the bed. Moving closer to the bed, I stop to run my hand over the soft woolen blanket convering the bed. The tree shaped bed lamp catches my attention before moving my gaze to the floor to ceiling window, giving me the clear view of the ocean.

He has a place like this and he let me stay at that place. I slept with one eye opened and this place exist. Oh, Damian. How did he even get this place? I thought the island was ancient but this place has a touch of modern like the bed lamp and the brown fur rug at the foot of the bed.

Sighing, I walk over to grab my bag from the floor and drop it on the bed before unzipping it. I unload it, looking through the clothes I brought. No one told me I was coming to an island, but thank God most of the clothes I brought fit the environment. I pick a baggy white T-shirt and matching mini skirt, and lay them out on the bed before heading to the bathroom.

I open the door that leads into the bathroom and wait before going in. The bathroom is tiled to my surprise and it's cute, small but comfy. Straight ahead is a bathtub with a white transparent curtains draping over it edge. Beside it is the toilet and above is an open cabinet that I can see contains some soaps, shampoo, hair conditions, towels and... Tampons? Wait... Did he prepare this for me?

I shake my head and approach the bathtub. I prepare the bath before taking off my yoga bra and tights, and tossing it somewhere around. I step inside the bath and relax. How I've missed this  I love my bathroom at The Vale but there's no bathtub and nothing beats this.

Taking my time to scrub my body, remembering the awful shower I had the morning. I wash my hair and clean myself. After I'm done, I pull the drain and step out of the tub. I reach to grab two towels, wrapping one around myself and the other for my hair. I return to the room and change into my clothes. I dry my hair with the towel before going to dry them on the hanger in the bathroom.

I walk outside the room and follow the sound of water running to the kitchen. The whole place looks like a log home that traded concrete and steel for natural things. Damian is standing in front of the sink washing onions before moving them to the chopping board sitting on the countertop. He moves to the other side of the room where the storage cabinet are and opens the top, taking out glass bowls. I sit on the bar stool with my elbow bent on the counter and watch him dominate the kitchen.

"Who owns this place?" I ask after realizing that Damian won't say anything until I do. He enjoys the silence, I do too especially knowing what type of jackass he is, but I need answers.

"Mine." One word answer. His daddy taught well.

"It's different from the rest of the buildings here, why is that?" Not just the structure of the place, the location too. This place is the only visible house around. I noticed it when he was bringing me. It's like he specifically chose the other side of the island to be alone. The walk from the swamp Treta almost killed me to this place is pretty far.

"I built to my satisfaction." He answers and turns his back to the cooker. He places a frying pan on it before turning it on.

"You built it, as in you, built this place yourself?"

I watch him pour little olive oil on the pan before pour the blended tomatoes in, he picks up the wooden spatula from the sink and uses it to stir the sauce.

"Yes." He answers my question.

I hum and watch him carry a bowl before adding the small pieces of meat inside the sauce and stir. He finishes cooking the sauce and bring the cooked spaghetti on the counter before serving the food.

He drops my plate in front of me and takes a seat opposite me. I watch him eat. See him stab the fork into spaghetti and turns before bringing it up to his mouth. It weird watching him eat.

"What type of food do you eat in Di Hipsodat?"

"Not pasta," he answers, "you wouldn't know them if I tell you."

"Right. You knew my parents?"

He raises his head to meet my gaze. "Your adopted or biological?"

"My biological."

He looks down at my untouched spaghetti and says, "eat your food before it gets cold."

I'm hungry as hell and watching him walk around the kitchen, cooking for me just made me hungrier but I just want to have a nice conversation with him.

He continues to eat, not answering my question. I should have known.

I take my fork and start eating. The both of us eat in silence until when he finishes eating and decides to speak again. "I was part of the Queen's guard and in the first army of Di Hipsodat. El trained me herself. Even though my father is the gatekeeper, I never left Di Hipsodat. I'm an explorer. I do not wonder or get curious about other worlds. I was created to serve my Queen and follow her orders, so when she told father to bring Ulrik to earth, she asked me to follow them to keep his company and I did that. Yes, I knew your father but he didn't know me because we weren't friends. To him, I'm just a teenage boy that used to teach him how to defend himself when he was a teenager and as he grew in size and everything, I remained the same and he didn't need me anymore. He had father, so I came here."

I think this is the first time I've heard say so many words without taking a break.

"What type of person was he?"

"Opposite of me. He grew up here. He was basically human except from his powers."

"And my mom?"

"I was with her when she was pregnant with you. Camille, you need to understand that your parents loved you, adopted and biological. Sabine and Ulrik did everything they could to protect you. Ulrik died protecting you. He was reckless and arrogant, he used to act without thinking. You two are the same in that aspect. He did things because he could but that wasn't what got him killed. He changed the moment he heard your first heartbeat. He loved you, and I've never seen anyone fight for someone they love like that. Sabine loved you too but the death of your father and your birth made her insane.

"Corinne and Richard loved you. They didn't know you and yet they took you, they welcomed you into their home even after father's warning of your display of power. They fed and cloth you. They might have been hard on you but everything they did was because they love you. They sent you to The Vale because they wanted you to be better. They had no idea of what you are and they thought it would be best to do what Sebastian told them.

"I know you came here to clear your mind and I just want you to know my thoughts on the matter. Don't think too much and I'll come get you later to start your first lesson. Don't look for me or enter my room. The rest of the house is free access. There's a spell book on couch in the living room. I want you to read it and learn some things." He says and stand up, taking his plate with him to the sink. He drops it and walks out of the room, leaving me with my thoughts.

I don't know how long I stay there just staring at the direction he went. I tend to do that a lot, just watch him leave. I think about what he said about my parents, both of them. I know Corinne and Richard loved me, they showed me in everything they did. Their love for me was never a question but I just couldn't get over what they did. I mean, it felt like they knew who I was all along and continue lying to me. I didn't give them much choice and I know going to The Vale was my fault. True Sebastian convinced them to transfer me but I wouldn't have had any reason to transfer if I was good and appreciative. And in the end, they died because of me. Damian is right about me coming here to clear my mind but the guilt will always be there. The last time I saw my dad, I knew he was in trouble. I could see it in the way he talked with fear and how unkempt he looked. I knew but I didn't do anything. I just left like the ungrateful spoiled brat that I am.

I don't like wasting my time on pondering questions I can never answer. What if I had stayed? What if I had been a good child? What if I wasn't as angry as I was that day? I can't answer those questions because my parents are gone and it's my fault. I might not have killed them but their blood is on my hands and that will plague me for rest of my life.

Eating is like a punishment now and I don't like wasting food because I know what it's like to be hungry. So I force myself to eat the delicious food Damian made. I take my plate to the sink to wash because he doesn't have a dishwasher. I clean everything we used and set them on the counter because I don't know where he keeps his utensils.

I get myself a bottle of water from his fridge before going to the living. My eyes catches the large hardcover book on the couch. The spell book. I close the cap of the bottle and drop it on the coffee table in front of the couch before taking my seat. I grab the book and it's heavy. It's fucking heavy. Placing it on my lap, I open the cover. The book is old, the smell and the old tattered brown pages are evidence enough.

I turn the pages and get to where they started lesson.

You can do this, Camille. You can do this. I close my eyes and encourage myself because I really do want to learn.

And that's what I do for the next hours. I begin to study the basic spells most of which I already learned from my Basic Spells 101 class in The Vale but this book is better, each spell goes deeper with instructions on how and when to use them. Getting the right pronunciation.

Not long after getting pass basic spells, I hear footsteps approaching. I know instantly that it's Damian, not because this is place but I always have this feeling in my heart whenever he's near even though all he do is piss me off.

He comes to stand in front of me, my eyes drops on his bare feet. Nice feet and beautiful fingers. I don't know how long I spend drooling on his feet until I notice a cane, I look from the tip up to where Damian's clutching it.

I chuckle nervously and ask, "What's that for?"

"You." He answers and backs away.

I close the spell book and drop it beside before standing up. "Do you plan on beating me with it?" I mean, he hurt me yesterday. I won't put it pass him.

His face curls in disgust like I've offended him with my question but can he blame me?

"No." He goes down on knees and take out a candle, he drops it on the floor in front of him before switching position to sit criss cross. "But I plan on using it on you." He adds.

"What the fuck?" I stalk him and stand glaring at him.

"Sit down." He uses his hand to gesture as he speaks before adding, "Treta was right, Yuki was too easy on you. I will not."

I sit down, mimicking his sitting pose and try to voice out my opinion but he cuts me off. "What–"

"Do you want to learn how to control your powers or not?" He demands with a glare. What's his problem? I never asked him to teach me.

"I–" the rude bastard interrupts again.

Oh fuck this guy.

"Don't hesitate. Answer me. Do you want to learn how to control your powers?"

Of course I want to but I'm not sure I want him to teach him especially when there's a cane involved.

"Yes." It's appears my mouth and brain has lost in touch.

"Good."

"I haven't–"

"I'm not going to take it easy on you. So be ready."

Oh fuck. How did we get to this seriously?

"Okay." I breathe out. It's obvious that Damian knows a lot about my powers and he seems to know his way around a battlefield. I have no doubt that I will learn from him but I don't know...

"Did you read the basic spells in the book?"

I nod and answer. "I did."

"Light up the candle." He orders.

I look at the candle sitting between us and frown. "What?

"This is the last time I'll warn you. I won't say it twice, now light up the candle." His voice comes out husky, making him sound dangerous and hot at the same time.

"I don't–" instead of interrupting my with his voice, Damian raises his hand and flex the cane, hitting my arm.

He. Did. Not. Just. Do. That.

I bring my hand up to rub my arm and glare at him. "What the fuck?–" the cane come down on the hand I'm using to rub my skin, hitting my knuckle. "Stop hitting–" he hit me again and now I know he won't stop until I light the candle. Fucking asshole. "Okay, Okay, I fucking got it. You want me to light up the candle. Fine, I will."

Tossing him one last mean scowl before forcing my attention on the candle. I take a deep breath and stares at the candle. "Ignisia." I whisper and at my command the fire lights up. I widen my eyes and jump up. "I did it!" I cover my mouth with my hands and squeal. "Oh my God! I did it. I really did it. Can you see?"

I can't believe I did it. I've never done magic by myself. I did with Roman and when we were trapped in the detention prison the Headmaster sent us too, but then I never got it at the first try. I can't believe this. Oh, my God.

"The witch part of you is stable." Damian interrupts my happy place with his broody and bad mood. What a way to ruin the fun. He can't even be happy for me. "Let's move on." He says and I sigh, going back to the sitting position. "Your powers, the ones you've used or seen. Can you tell me about them?"

"Well there's the time I almost killed everyone with my bird attack after I called for your queen. I break stuff when I scream in my sleep. I can see people's memories by touching them. Oh, and I can heal." Did I miss anything?

"Magic, telekinesis, empathic and telepathic. Common power in your bloodline. Let's see how you can do those awake and not under stress. Get up."

Damian is the worst teacher anyone can ever ask for.