For the remainder of the week it was more of the same. Their classes were replaced with one aptitude test after another. The psychological tests were a killer. They left him wondering how to answer the questions wrong. How was he to know in answering them the way he did; he wasn't looking like the perfect candidate for whatever was happening? Finally, Friday rolled around and the kids had had enough.

Many of them went to their mentors to ask what was going on, but that was a useless endeavor. The teachers must have been sworn to secrecy, perhaps even with a non-disclosure spell. That's a spell that you have to agree to though. 

Would their mentors agree to do something that wasn't in the best interest of their protégés?

A NDA spell is interesting. It's a modern invention probably created by some half demon lawyer twit that thought he was a hot shot. It worked like this: If you take an oath to never disclose the truth to another. You cannot speak the words, write down the words, or telepathically relay the information. You can't even get around it by playing Pictionary or charades. It becomes the perfect secret.

If you try to break the pact: your words come out garbled, your email will look like someone in the grips of a stroke wrote it. It's the perfect solution to the whistle blower problem in the non-magical world. Industry giants were still looking for the non-magical equivalent in the non-magical world.

And he hoped they never found it.

You can't even pass on information pertaining to it: like handing a person books on the topics to lead them in the right direction. Let's put it this way if Edward Snowden had been bound to this agreement he'd be sipping Latte's in front of his computer screen at the NSA today, while ever word we uttered would be open to interpretation by the government.

No the NDA spell was iron clad, and unbreakable. And by the simple fact that it was in play here it left the kids with no doubt that whatever the council was up to would result in nothing good for them.

Cam worked in his lab all Friday night. Megan kept him company; he could tell she didn't want to be alone. When 11 pm rolled around he went for his customary swim while Meg looked on from the windy beach. It was a warm night for January and he and Meg strolled the beach together afterward, holding hands and walking silently.

When he took her in his arms she felt like home. Her body molded perfectly with his. It was like they were made for each other. She sighed in his ear and whispered.

"Let's go back to your room."

His body shivered with anticipation at her words. He bent his mouth to her neck and nibbled behind her ear as she arched herself toward him to press herself even closer to him.

He took her lips then, not in a soft kiss . . . No he wanted to brand her with his mouth. To reaffirm in that moment that she was his and he was hers. Lifting her up in his arms he kissed and nibbled her neck while he walked them towards his room.

Another great thing about his room was the sliding French doors leading to the backyard. He had left them unlocked before the swim which gave them easy access to his private basement domain.

Once he deposited her crutches against the wall he carried her to his bed and lay her down gently. He flopped down beside her heavily, making her light body bounce and when she laughed he took her lips and captured them in his mouth.

He wanted to savor this moment with her. Whatever may come of this last week? They would always have each other.

She whispered then, "Make me forget about everything, but us Cam."

And how could he refuse; she was his ocean jewel after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cam woke up the next morning alone. They had fallen asleep together last night, but he could vaguely remember her kissing him goodbye when the sun came up. His father and he took the time to sleep in slightly on the weekends. They usually didn't hit the water until 6am, which his tired body really appreciated. The extra hour of sleep was a godsend.

He rolled over and stretched luxuriously even though his itch was a dull roar, he didn't care. He switched sides to rest in the little pocket under the covers where Megan had slept and realized he could still smell her ocean scent on the pillow where her head had rested.

He breathed in deep before practically bouncing out of bed to get dressed for his swim. Just then he heard the customary knock on his door before his dad entered they would leave through the convenient sliding door and cut across the back yard to the beach just minutes away.

He took his time in the water on the weekend really enjoy everything it had to offer. He swam with the natural harbor seals, who no matter the circumstances, always seemed to know there was something different about him. The youngest of the herd would break off for a closer inspection, but the oldest would inevitably cut them off at the pass. He just loved to race through the water with them. He felt so at home in the water. Sometimes he thought of never leaving it.

It would be a far simpler life. Sure he would have to worry about their natural predators like sharks and whales, but he'd never have to worry about conscription. Would he even be able to live full time under the water as a half blood and could Meg?

His thoughts were interrupted by his father who had swum up to him and rubbed his bigger seal body against him and raised his seal head to the surface to indicate to Cam to rise. He did and when his head crested the surface his father barked and pointed his head towards the shore, which meant swim time was over.

They quickly dressed while the cold breeze of the early morning buffeted their naked bodies. When they were fully dressed his father cleared his throat and said, "let's talk."

Cam's father indicated a berm on the shoreline and Cam walked over with him. They sat for a moment in silence while his father formulated the words.

"Cam" his father began looking him knowingly in the face, "You know I have preternatural hearing, right?"

Cam just thought oh shit.

"And you know I'm a lot older than I look?"

Cam just nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"Well," his father cleared his throat, "You also know I'm Fae and we Fae are not prudes."

"So please know this is not coming from a place of ignorance to the drives of a teenage. I was one once, even though it was hundreds of years ago."

Cam started to feel uncomfortable. This was not a topic he wanted to discuss with his father.

Malcolm recognizing the look on his face, hurriedly explained."I'm not telling you, you can't be intimate with Megan. I'm just going to remind you to play it safe. Are you playing it safe son?"

Cam snorted and blurted out, "Of course Dad I'm not a complete newb."

His father cocked an eyebrow, but let that one slide.

"Okay then you've already given thought to what your offspring will endure given its mixed blood status?"

"What?" Cam asked incredulously already angered by his dad's small mindedness.

"I don't mean it that way son, "his father cajoled.

"You know how half blood selkies struggle imagine your progeny."

Then Cam suddenly got it. He sucked back a breath in shock and almost reared back from his father's words like he'd slapped him. He had never even thought about it. It wasn't like kids were even on their horizon, but someday they might be and if they were, would it result in a death sentence for them.

Their kids might be just magical enough to become enlightened, but with their mixed magical heritage, not magical enough to not reject their skins.

Cam sighed a sigh that echoed the worries of the world that somehow had fallen on his shoulders. It was deep and jagged and it made his heart ache. Great now I have another reason to find the cure. He thought dejectedly. 

 But to his Dad Cam just turned and said confidently, "Don't worry we're being safe."

His Dad seeming convinced that his son was old enough and wise enough to take his responsibility seriously, said, "Come on Son pancakes are calling."

And as they walked home in companionable silence, Cam promised himself in that moment no offspring until he found the cure.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Megan came by at noon looking well rested and beautiful as usual. He kissed her passionately and long when their bodies met, but he kept the conversation he'd had with his father to himself. There was no need to burden her with the knowledge when there was already so much going on. They'd talk about it later if later arose.

Maybe it was chauvinistic of him to feel like he had to shoulder the burden alone, but so be it. Deep down he knew she was strong enough to handle anything, but he couldn't help wanting to protect her. It was a character flaw of his; he knew it. Maybe it was the result of being the eldest brother of six sisters, or the number of fairytales he read as a boy where the knight in shining armor swoops into to save the damsel in distress, or even the result of having a father who was centuries old, whatever it was he was frankly #sorrynotsorry.

They strolled down to the beach after lunch and flopped down in the sand. Both he and Megan were in a much more relaxed mood today. So he decided to try again.

"Hey Babe," Cam began, "Want to go sailing tomorrow?"

Megan bit her bottom lip nervously. He just loved it when she did it. It made him want to capture it with his teeth and melt away her worries with his kiss.

"I-I-I don't know, Babe," she stammered.

"I promise I'm an expert sailor." When she worried her bottom lip again he continued. "I won't even let the water touch you, I promise."

She let out a jagged sigh when she saw the look of determination on Cam's face.

"Okay I'll try," but she threw her hands up before he could hug her, "I'm not promising anything though."

"I'll take it," he said joyously.

Cam couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face when he took her in his arms. He just knew she was going to love it.

"Hey let's go to the docks again. I've got someone I want you to meet." He finished with a smile.

She just laughed and took his proffered hand.

They spent the rest of the day talking and laughing and basking in the sun of a beautiful Southern California day.

After working in the lab for hours that evening he felt confident that he was getting somewhere with the Molecular Modification brew. He was even beginning to think about starting trials, but Meg was such an animal nut, he'd have to start with insects instead of mice.

The closer he got to a solution the better he felt.

When he took to the sea that night he'd even beat his father in an underwater race. He was razzing him fiercely about it on the shore as they were both hurriedly dressing when it happened.

All of a sudden he keeled over with a sharp pain in his gut and threw up about a gallon of sea water right at his father's feet. He saw his father's face in that moment and the worry there spelled doom for his recent positivity. Cam wanted to reassure him, but that's a hard thing to do when you're upchucking an ocean.   

****************** THANKS FOR READING********************

I hope you all liked this chapter -- What could be happening with Cam? Will rejection take him before the council does? 

Who else do you think might be in danger of being noticed by the council's administrators?

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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