Page 13 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)

His adoptive mother was playing matchmaker!

It wasn’t just Eugenia but his entire adopted family who had set out to settle his life.

Cassian should have realized their intentions before now.

It was Eugenia who had him take Samantha to the Sacred Grove.

Maia was the one who suggested he show Samantha where to view the dolphins.

Then, the following morning it had been Simon, Ajax and Ares who joined Samantha to watch the sunrise.

He had assumed their intent had been to be difficult, or perhaps make him jealous, because they had enjoyed teasing him the day before, hinting at a courtship that would not take place.

Bloody hell!

They also needed to understand that there would be no courtship and no match.

How could they even think there should be?

It did not matter that he was infatuated with Samantha, and if his life circumstances were different, he would court her, but they weren’t.

“Shall we start with The Hourglass?” Samantha asked.

It was a shop owned by a witch who sold candles, sachets, and teas. But for those magically inclined, one could purchase what was needed for a spell.

“We will at least be able to get the candles for the meditation,” Cassian answered.

“There are herbs on the list too,” Samantha reminded him as he assisted her from the carriage.

“We shall start there, then visit any other shop that is necessary until we have purchased everything required.”

Samantha graced him with a beautiful smile. “And, if we are organized enough, it should not take us so very long.”

Except, he was no longer bothered by being sent away on errands, since he now understood the reason.

Further, it was not Samantha’s fault and he should not take his irritation out on her, especially since he enjoyed spending time in her company despite the fact that they could never be more than they were right now.

With a much-improved disposition, Cassian offered his arm to Samantha then escorted her first to The Hourglass, and then into nearly every shop in Bocka Morrow before they stopped for afternoon tea at The Mermaid’s Kiss.

In fact, they had a very enjoyable afternoon where she laughed often, took pleasure in the simplest things, such as the gay ribbons at the mercantile, or the fragrance of a special soap. It was if she truly saw everything that surrounded her and noticed details most people would never see.

She was an old soul, settled, and had come to appreciate the beauty in simplicity and as the day wore on, Cassian felt himself relax more and more, as if just being with her eased the tension and anxiousness that always brewed just below the surface.

He was in no rush with her and saddened when their tea was concluded and it was time to return home.

Maybe he wasn’t simply infatuated with Samantha, but in love. If so, he was going to enjoy it for as long as he was allowed without anyone being the wiser and would worry about what was to come later.

* * *

Yesterday had been the most glorious day and Samantha could not wait to see what today would bring.

At first, she had been disappointed when Cassian seemed to resent that he had been forced to accompany her to Bocka Morrow, but once she realized that he was more concerned about Lady St. Alban, and that it had nothing to do with her, she relaxed.

In the end, they had the most enjoyable day while they wandered the shops and took tea.

While their conversations were not too personal, they were pleasurable just the same and she believed she was coming to know him better, and maybe her infatuation was slipping deeper into love.

Of course she had no idea what he thought of her, but she hoped that he would see her as something more than a friend.

Then, last evening had been the eve of the Winter Solstice, Mother’s Night also known as Mōdraniht, a day to offer thanks to the female ancestors. It was a practice that was brought into the family a century ago when a Drakos married a Germanic witch, and the tradition had continued since.

Candles had been lit to honor the women who came before, which was particularly meaningful for the women with Drakos blood, the witches who protected their families with magic when necessary.

And while everyone enjoyed the Kourabiedes, stories of the female ancestors who had first come to Bocka Morrow centuries ago and others who had lived here over the years were shared by the Marchioness of Chandos and the Countess of St. Alban, sisters who carried the Drakos surname before they wed.

It had been a wonderful evening. Every family member was present as well as the guests who included Samantha and Antonia’s families. They were the only families who had accepted the invitation to the wedding, which had not been a surprise to anyone.

Each seat had been taken in the large drawing room and many sat on the floor to listen to stories that they must have heard several times before but they were all new to Samantha and by the time she fell into her bed, her heart swelled with love, because that had been the music that had filled her as the women spoke.

Her only concern was that Cassian had sat the farthest away.

While he listened and sipped brandy, he seemed almost detached from the gathering.

She likely would have been more concerned, but she did not sense that anyone else in the drawing room found it odd, so Samantha had put his distance from her mind and listened to the stories.

Pushing herself from the bed, Samantha rushed to prepare for the day and reached the rise in the Witches’ Garden just as the sun began to peak over the horizon and the birds began to sing. It filled her soul with peace. Her old soul, one that had lived several lives and never found love.

Maybe this life would be the one where it found its mate.

With a sigh, she turned to walk through the Witches’ Garden, which contained every imaginable plant, tree and bush required for healing and magic, and strolled the meandering paths until she came to the very center where a table had been placed to hold books or candles and where one could sit to meditate.

She had thought it was the most peaceful place at Nightshade Manor until she had gone to the temple in the Sacred Grove.

That is where she wanted to visit today.

Did the fairies rise early and did they begin the day with laughter?

With that thought, she made her way from the garden and took the path into the Sacred Grove and up to the temple. Once in the center, Samantha paused, closed her eyes and listened.

There was no laughter, simply silence from the beings who lived within.

It was likely they slumbered, at least those with voices that spoke such as the fairies and Dryads.

As for the animals, they were going about and doing whatever it was they did before humans disturbed the serenity that came with the beginning of a new day.

With a sigh, she walked to the steps of the temple and settled upon them as she stared out over the small lake where the sun’s reflection off the water was nearly blinding. However, Samantha did not shy away from such but absorbed the energy and calm.

When her ears picked up on the snap of a twig behind her and coming from a path that led into a wooden thicket, she stilled, only tilting her head in that direction.

Had that been an animal? If so, it was rather large, though she supposed deer could inhabit this area. If it was not, then it was a human, or possibly dryad, but she didn’t suppose they stepped and broke anything.

She then heard a sneeze, which was most definitely human.

Who else was here?

Only women were supposed to be in the Sacred Grove. Well, except for Cassian, but why would he be here?

Whoever it was, they were walking closer because she could now hear the footsteps, which was so easy to do in the silence. Later in the day, when all was awake, she would not have been able to do so.

As she did not know who else was here, and because there was no place to hide, she slipped down to a lower step and remained very still and watched the direction from where the footsteps had come.

She even altered her breathing so that it was light and quiet, barely present at all, and waited.

However, she had not expected to see Cassian march down a treelined path and into the open.

She nearly called out to him, but his face was set, jaw tight and lips pressed.

Even his shoulders were stiff and he walked with a purpose that he had somewhere to be and would not welcome being delayed.

Therefore, she held her silence and watched as he passed the temple, not bothering to look in any direction other than ahead, strode through the wildflowers then disappeared.

Where had he come from and why was he in the Sacred Grove so early?

More importantly, why did he appear so angry or at least determined?