Page 22 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)

Cassian had hoped to avoid Samantha because he knew that it was for the best, no matter how much he craved her presence.

He may have even attempted an excuse of why he could not assist but Eugenia had not given him the opportunity, so now he followed the woman he was coming to love but would never have into the Witches’ Garden until they stopped in the very center before the low stone altar.

He placed the basket beside her and Samantha settled on the ground picking and choosing which crystals she planned on using.

The silence was uncomfortable, especially when they’d been able to have many discussions without awkwardness in the past but today was different.

He had almost kissed her this morning and he suspected that she was aware, and they both knew that he hadn’t.

Either she was disappointed, or she was glad that he hadn’t because she would have found it necessary to reject him.

Either way, it had changed what was between them.

Samantha blew out a sigh as she weighed different crystals in her hand, her lips pursed and eyes narrowed.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I am trying to balance which crystals should be left here and which ones are needed for the temple.”

“Maybe if you tell me what each one is for, I can be of assistance.”

She frowned and looked up at him. “You do not know?” she said it in a manner that he had failed a test.

“No, I do not.”

“You were raised by a witch.”

“Yet, I am not one. I just know they use crystals and candles for magic and since I have none, they never pertained to me.”

Samantha shook her head and looked away, but he was certain that she had rolled her eyes.

“What?” he demanded.

“You do not have to be magical to benefit from crystals and the energy they provide.”

“Very well, teach me.”

She retrieved a grey crystal. In some places it was darker, almost black, while in other areas it was almost white, as if it had been in a fire and came away with some damage from flames.

“This is a Smoky Quartz,” she announced.

The name was certainly accurate because it did resemble smoke, from a fire.

“This is used when a person wants to let go of anything holding them back or what is no longer needed, which opens them for forming new connections, a new beginning.”

“Then shouldn’t Antonia and Chedworth both have one?”

“Yes, which is why I am glad there are two.” Antonia placed one crystal in the center of the stone altar and the other beside her then drew out a bright, deep blue stone with silver and maybe some gold.

It really was quite brilliant and the blue reminded him of the sky just after sunset when some light still appeared but the darkness was quickly invading. “What is that?”

“Lapis Lazuli and is for wisdom and helps to reveal inner truths and strengthen deeper self-knowledge. Information that may have been previously hidden.”

“That was something they were to ask for during meditation, was it not?”

Samantha frowned. “Yes, but there is only one. It is deciding who would benefit from it more.”

“Chedworth,” Cassian answered without thinking. “He is a male with no magical abilities, despite how he was raised. Further, men are less likely to meditate for deeper understanding whereas a witch and a female have done so and likely more than once.”

“You do not paint a flattering picture of the male species,” Samantha laughed.

“I speak honestly, and I know Chedworth.” He chuckled.

“Then, it will be left for Chedworth,” Samantha said as she placed it next to the smoky quartz.

“The love stone,” she said with a smile as she brought out two pale pink crystals. “Rose quartz.”

“They have already discovered love,” Cassian reminded her. “It is the reason they are getting married.”

“True, but it also helps with unconditional love. For some, it is used to fix a relationship. In this case, it will aid in developing deeper love and compassion for not only a spouse but for self.”

She placed one on the altar and the other beside her before lifting two more blue stones from the basket. Except these were lighter than the Lapis Lazuli. They were the color of the sky, but slightly brighter and a deeper blue with wisps of grey and white resembling clouds.

“Moonstone,” Samantha explained.

Cassian would never have guessed that something that reminded him of an afternoon sky would have moon in the name.

“For new beginnings and a reminder that just like the moon, we all go through phases. New, waxing, waning and full. We should embrace each through life and with our spouse.”

As she had done before, one was placed on the altar and the other beside her.

Samantha lifted a deep, darker red crystal up to the sun, which he recognized as being a garnet. Was she checking for flaws?

“I am not certain,” she murmured quietly.

“Why?”

“There is only one and its purpose is to inspire love and devotion and as you said, they already have that.”

“Would the extra magical energy be harmful?” he asked.

“No,” she decided after a moment. “Besides, if it goes to Antonia, then she and Chedworth will have the same number of crystals because balance is just as important.”

Balance was something that he had often heard from the witches, though he had never really understood, and likely never would since he would never personally experience the energy from magic.

“I am not certain why this one was included, unless Maia or I mistook it for another crystal.” She held up a black crystal.

“What is it?”

“Black Tourmaline for protection from negative energies, harmful intentions.” She shrugged. “It is said to protect against all types of danger and was regularly carried by all witches through history, especially during times when they were being hunted.”

“I do not believe that either Chedworth or Antonia are in danger of the other.” He chuckled.

“Neither do I.” She slipped the stone into her pocket then withdrew another and frowned. “I am not certain why this is in the basket either.”

“It is an amethyst, correct?” Cassian asked.

“Yes, it is for emotional protection. Such should not be necessary in a marriage based on love.” As before, she dropped it into a pocket and drew another crystal from the basket. “Ah this is one of my favorites. Isn’t the color lovely?”

It was blue, dark fading to light with gold. It wasn’t as pretty as the Moonstone, but everyone had their own opinion. “What is it?”

“Labradorite. It is a reflective stone for looking deep inside and helps with learning of oneself but also spiritual awareness.”

“Did you not already have one of those?” He looked over the crystals on the altar. “The Lapis Lazuli because he is a man.”

Samantha chuckled. “If I had only one, this would be for Antonia alone, but I am wondering if one should not be left for Chedworth as well.”

“He is a man without magic and may need the assistance,” Cassian reminded her.

“I will leave one for him.” She placed it on the altar.

“But only because you said so and if he questions me, I will tell him that you had no faith in him.” She smiled as she reached into the basket and pulled out a simple white quartz crystal.

“This is to help with the overall release of energy and cleansing of the mind and emotions and opening a clearer path to the spiritual.”

* * *

Samantha arranged the crystals in the center of the stone altar, separated enough so that the sun could touch on all sides as it rose high in the sky, except for the part, the smallest side, that rested on the stone, then returned the crystals she had set aside back to the basket and stood.

With half of the crystals gone, it was not nearly as heavy.

“Thank you for your assistance, Cassian, but I do not believe I need you to carry this for me any longer.”

He almost looked crestfallen when she dismissed him. His eyes dulled and his smile faded.

Yes, well maybe he now understood how she had felt this morning when he almost kissed her and then didn’t.

“Eugenia ordered me to carry the basket and that is what I will do,” he insisted as he took it from her.

Ordered! In other words, he would not otherwise be here.

“Then follow me,” she said right before she turned and marched away.

Why did it have to hurt badly? Why couldn’t he like her as much as she liked him?

What would be so horrible about kissing her?

And this afternoon, her situation was made even worse because he listened to her, asked questions, let her teach him. He had made fun of Chedworth, but it was not malicious because she had no doubt that had Chedworth been present, Cassian still would have said the same to him.

She paused when they reached the hedges and looked for the hidden entrance. Cassian stepped beside her and led the way. She followed and once again passed through a ring of wildflowers surrounding a dead tree in the meadow before continuing on to the temple.

He had not spoken a word to her since they left the garden and she had nothing to say to him.

What was there to say? He wasn’t here because he wanted to be, and that was what hurt.

She also wished she understood him better because one day they were sharing conversations and watching the sunrise or shopping and then the next he avoided her. It was so frustrating.

No, what she needed to do was carry the amethyst with her for emotional protection, which in turn brought peace to the soul. She should keep it with her whenever she was with Cassian and then maybe she wouldn’t suffer disappointment.

She supposed there was no reason to keep the black tourmaline with her now, but it also would do her no harm and would save her from a trip down to the cabinet near the magical vault.

But she would also need to make certain they were charged or they would be of no benefit whatsoever.

When they reached the temple, she located an area that would likely receive full sun until it set, which would charge the crystals for that night, then pulled them from the basket and set them in a similar pattern as she had done in the garden.

Maybe she should have never told Cassian that the garnet was to inspire love and devotion and made him carry it, but that would also be unfair.

No different than using a spell to trick someone into falling in love when they normally would not and might be resentful when it wore off.

Instead, she would leave it for Antonia so that she and Chedworth had the same number of crystals—a balance.

“I thought witches usually charged their crystals in the moonlight,” Cassian wondered into the silence.

“It is safer to do so because there is no risk in damaging it. However, nobody thought to set them out under the moon last night.” At least that was her assumption, and it was odd that not one witch thought to do so.

Maybe it was because there was so much going on with Yule, Christmas, the Wedding, Lunar Eclipse and then Haloa, which she still did not understand. Each time she had asked the subject was changed.

Was it possible that nobody really knew?

“Are you not afraid that they can be damaged today?” he asked.

Oh yes, they were talking about the crystals. “I am not because they will not be left out for days, just one. And a charge by the sun brings more intensity to the crystals and makes their power stronger. They are also not in a space where the heat of the sun could spark a fire.”

It was then she noticed the baskets and blankets placed on a table in the center of the temple, safe from the sun and likely always shaded. She walked over and peeked in each one to discover bread, wine, and fruit. There were also other baskets of wine glasses, cutlery, cloth napkins and plates.

These items were clearly for the feast to celebrate Haloa.

“What is Haloa?” she blurted out. “I have asked but was never given a full response. I just know that it involves food, drink, dancing sometimes naked, which I am certain none of us would dare do and apparently eating cake.”

“It is a festival to honor Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and Dionysus, the god of wine and…other things. I believe it is also to honor Poseidon and may be the reason it takes place in December, which is the month of Poseidon, instead of at harvest time.”

Cassian was hesitant, which made her wonder. “Do you really know or is it a guess?”

“I know what the Drakos family has known and gathered over time, but nobody was there when the first feast was held, but it is believed that it also has something to do with fertility,” he added a little more quietly.

“But it has become an all-night feast for women while men drink ale or brandy around a large bonfire.”

“I suppose that maybe it is good that it won’t start until after midnight.”

“Why is that?”

“If the celebration began with sundown, and if they were to celebrate with wine all night, I can only imagine their state the following morning. I assume that it would be much like my brother staggering home after the sunrise and having been out all night.”

Cassian laughed. “It could make for an interesting evening since I have not once seen any of the women at Nightshade Manor drink beyond a glass or two of wine.”

“Nor have I and I certainly will not tonight!”

It wasn’t that she objected to learning what it was like to be drunk, a curiosity, but she did not want to experience what her brother did after he had drank too much, therefore, she would remain ignorant.