Page 31 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)

The apples of her cheeks bloomed to a deep red as she glanced away and he was glad to see that she appeared healthier than when he first entered. Maybe it had simply been that she was hungry and thirsty. Likely tired as well.

“I was not going to be intrusive, and it had been my intention not to ask anything, but I also cannot help my curiosity.”

There really was no harm in telling her. Everyone knew and Cassian was a little surprised that Samantha did not. Then again, she had not known Nina was his sister until recently.

“My father was Comte de Rohan, which is of equal status to an English Earl. Before the Revolution, we were quite wealthy and my parents affluent; however, they were not part of court and my mother hated being forced to attend the king and queen at Versailles.” At least that is what he recalled.

The only time his parents were unhappy was when they were called away.

“We had a chateau, large estate and winery.” He smiled with memories of playing in a maze and stomping of the grapes.

“Then the Terror began.” Cassian grew more sober.

“Father took us to the coast so that we could flee to England. It did not matter that he did not support the King and Queen, he was still a lord, wealthy and landed…” Cassian blew out a sigh.

Samantha placed a hand on his arm. “If it is too difficult to speak of…you really do not need to tell me, especially if it is too personal.”

“It is not that,” he assured her. “It is not as if you are making me remember something forgotten. I remember every day.”

“Still, if it is too painful…”

He truly did not mind telling her and even though the events still brought sadness, it wasn’t the deep pain of loss he had suffered as a child.

“Father went to a friend and booked us passage on a ship but he was arrested before we could leave. My mother was able to get us safely aboard. The ship was bound for a town north of here. I think it was my mother who had friends there, but I was not certain, nor was I told any names.”

“Your mother brought you here instead?” Samantha asked.

“No. A fierce storm blew up as we neared the coast around Bocka Morrow. The ship’s captain wanted to put in to port, at least that is what I recall, but the storm was too bad to allow him such control and it was tossed about and then broke up not far from here.”

“Oh, no.” Samantha placed a hand over her mouth as she realized what must have happened.

“My mother was lost to the sea but Nina and I were washed ashore, with the help of the Nereids and found by the family who was residing at Nightshade Manor at the time.” He shook his head then poured a cup of tea for himself.

“As a child, I resided with the Cardwells until I was sent to Eton. After I returned from university, I took up residence in the Sacred Grove and I never believed that I would ever leave again.”

“Why is that?”

“Nina. I was responsible for her being there, so I returned to her so that she was not abandoned.”

“How was that your responsibility?”

“She was going to die,” he said quietly.

“She should have died because her injuries were grievous. There was only one way to save her and that was if she became a Dryad. I was six. I did not understand that by making that choice for her that I was deciding her fate and future. I only thought I was saving her life.”

“Which you did. I have met Nina, and she seems perfectly happy.”

“Because she is no longer attached to the grove, but until a year and a half ago, she could not leave it. She grew up in the Sacred Grove, her only companions were ancient Dryads when I was at school. I was not going to leave her alone for the rest of my life after I was the one who was responsible for her not having a choice of what her future would be.”

“She would have died,” Samantha reminded him.

“Yes, and had I done nothing, I would not have my sister, but there came a time that Nina risked her very life to be free of the Sacred Grove.”

“What happened?”

The corner of his lips twitched. “She met Orion.”

“How? I thought men were not allowed in the Sacred Grove.”

“Men can go into the Sacred Grove so long as they have permission from the Dryads.”

“So, Nina left and she survived,” Samantha clarified.

“Do you know that dead tree that is in the middle of the wildflowers?”

Samantha nodded.

“That was hers. The tree that she was connected to. Once she was free of it, it died.”

“But you leave it anyway?”

“Yes. It was her tree and it will always remain.”

“You suffered guilt for…how many years?”

“I did not suffer at first because I had not understood. My younger sister was alive, she was all that I had, and that was all that mattered. There was a caretaker in the grove who acted as her governess and I convinced myself that she was well. But when I returned from Eton, I noticed how lonely she was. I refused to return to school and was going to live in the cottage all the time but she insisted that I go back, study very hard, and bring her the knowledge of everything that I learned.” He shook his head.

“I always knew that I would never abandon my sister so there truly was no future to plan for.”

“Guilt would have kept you in the grove.”

“And my sister, but yes. I would not abandon her after I was the one who sentenced her in the first place.” Cassian took a sip of his tea.

“But, even if I had known as a child what the future would be, I would have made the same choice. I had just lost my mother and was not prepared to lose my sister too.”

* * *

Samantha’s heart ached for the little boy who had lost so much and almost his sister. For the boy and man who realized that his sister was confined to a small piece of land.

“The entire time that I was addressing you as Mr. Jourdain and then Cassian, you never corrected me. My address of you was disrespectful as you should have been addressed as Lord de Rohan.”

Cassian chuckled. “I have not been called that in a very long time.”

“Not since you were studying very hard in school?”

“When someone addressed me as Mr. Jourdain at Eton, I did not correct him, and it freed me.”

“How so?”

“When one learns you are a comte and who my parents were, a lot of intrusive questions are asked. I understand it is their curiosity, but I did not want to discuss how my father likely met his end at the guillotine and that my mother had been escaping with me and my sister, the shipwreck, etcetera. However, a Mr. Jourdain, an orphan taken in by Lord and Lady St. Alban, was not titillating enough for anyone to pry further.”

“Certainly, your instructors addressed you properly.”

Any other lord would demand to be addressed by their title and be insulted if they were not. A simple de Rohan would have been sufficient for some because it was still a title, not a surname.

“Not after I asked them not to and explained my reasons. That past and title served no purpose and I would rather be left alone instead of having to answer questions about a painful time in my life.”

“I am sorry,” she quickly offered. “If you do not want to tell me any more, I understand.”

“That was then, when I was still a boy and grappling with the loss of both parents, and not able to visit my sister as often as I would like. Much time has passed since then and much has changed.”

“Why do you want to return to France?”

“I intend to look for any members of my father’s family, if they still live, and lay claim to the estate that had been in my father’s family for generations.

The chateau still stands, and I am certain the fields are fertile.

The estate once produced a fine wine and I would hope that it would again one day. ”

“How do you know it still stands?”

“When I finished university, and at the insistence of Nina, I did sail to France to learn what I could of the estate, who survived from my mother and father’s families.

I only met those from my mother, but I believe there are survivors who are related to my father.

I also saw the estate. It stands, but many repairs are needed. ”

“I hope that you find what you are looking for,” she said with sincerity. “I hope that you can claim your estate again and that Nina can also visit.” Samantha frowned. “She can leave Nightshade Manor, can she not. She is free of the grove, but is she completely free?”

“She is.”

“Are you speaking about me?” Nina asked as she entered the music room.

“I was telling Samantha how we came to be here, and how you once lived in the Sacred Grove.”

“He is still eaten with guilt for saving my life.”

“Nina.”

“I am glad that you did, Cassian.” She smiled. “I came to get the tray and ask if you need anything.”

“I would like wine, or brandy,” Cassian answered and looked at Samantha. “Would you like wine or would you rather have a fresh pot of tea?”

Her stomach churned at the mention of wine. “Tea please.”

“Yes, well…I am so sorry this happened to you, Samantha.” Nina picked the tray up off the table.

“I know the witches will find the answer and free you.” She paused when she reached the door and looked back.

“If you can think of anything else, please let me know. Or, let Cassian know so that he can tell me.”

She was very sweet and kind. Given what Nina and Cassian had both lived through, she was surprised that they weren’t more unhappy or even bitter.

“There is magic in Nina,” Samantha whispered. “I heard it when we first spoke and each time since.”

“Likely from being a Dryad.”

Samantha shook her head. “No. It is a new magic. Not yet fully realized.” She frowned. “I first heard it the night of Haloa, before the fairy grog.”

“What does it mean? How can she have new magic?” he demanded.

“When a witch is increasing,” she whispered.

“A new magic joins with an older one. Except, neither Nina nor her husband are witches and hers is simply new, so it is surprising, but I suppose witches have come from stranger circumstances. After all, the first real witch was likely born of parents with no magic.”

Cassian laughed. “Do you not know about children who carry the blood of a Drakos, which her husband is?”

“That only daughters become witches, never the sons. But if neither one of them are witches…” Samantha answered.

“Orion still has Drakos blood, thus my sister is carrying a magical daughter, not a non-magical son.”

Samantha grasped his hand. “Please, do not tell her. I never reveal what I hear because it is personal and I always wait until a delicate condition is announced. I have also never known if the child was a son or daughter, nor do I think it is right that we do now. Let the parents be surprised.”

“I was thinking that they need to be more prepared.” He chuckled.

“Why? Witchcraft is not new to either one of them. When they see their daughter, they will know.”

“If they do not?” he asked.

“Then, you do have permission to tell them. That way they can watch for her magic to protect her and everyone around her.”

“They will bind it,” Cassian stated.

Ah yes, now she recalled their earlier conversation. “One of the grandchildren is a new witch.” She smiled.

“How do you know?”

She smiled. “I have come across her concentrating on trying to make blades of grass grow.”

“Grass?”

“Yes. I believe she was working up to dandelions. She wanted a field of them to make the bees happy.”

“Is that all?” he laughed.

“Also, so that non-magical people had a means of having their wishes delivered to the fairies.”

“If only it were so easy to solve our problems, dandelion wishes and happy bees.”

“Maybe you should go blow on some dandelion seeds and make a wish that I am whole again and will be free of this place.”

He took her hand in his. “If I thought that it was that easy, I would find every dandelion in Bocka Morrow and blow on every single one of them.”

With those words, she fell even deeper in love than before—with a man who did not even want to kiss her. But at least he remained by her side and for that she would always be deeply grateful.

She also feared that if she was not freed from this room, that he would stay, becoming as much a prisoner as her.

Except, he would be doing so because he was kind, good. Not because of love.