Page 36 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)
Five years later, The Sacred Grove at Nightshade Manor
“See, Giselle, just over there are two whales.”
His daughter clapped her hands in delight.
“And dolphins,” Gustave cried with excitement.
Cassian and his family had returned to Bocka Morrow last night, after four years of living in France and bringing the estate to rights. After greeting the family, the four of them settled into the cottage, where they would live while they remained for a visit.
When he’d been a boy, France had been his home, but even as he and Samantha settled into the chateau and they toured the many rooms from his childhood, he was thinking of Cornwall as home.
Still, it was good to have the chateau and vineyards back in his name. The family’s legacy was returned, and in another year, they could begin producing wine.
Cassian and Samantha had married in January, as soon as the banns had been cried then set to plan their journey to France.
Her father, as well as the man who had raised Cassian offered generous financial gifts to help him achieve his goals but just as they were ready to set sail, word reached them that Napoleon had escaped Elba and would soon be on the March.
His two biggest fears were that they would be forced to endure years of war yet again, and that this time his home would be fully destroy.
Thankfully, neither had occurred and as soon as they learned of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, Cassian and Samantha packed once again and booked passage to France arriving just in time to celebrate Yule in his family home.
There was not much. Simply candles, blankets and a purchased mattress because the stone floors were too hard, but Samantha had not minded, nor had he.
When spring arrived, so did the woman who had raised him along with her sister, sister-in-law and their daughters.
The women helped him find any rootstock from the original vineyard that had survived the razing so many years before.
The plants had tried to grow and come back to life, but without proper care and support, the vines spread across the ground, dying back into it.
The women, witches connected to the earth, spent their days healing his vineyard.
He had not even asked them to do so, yet they had somehow known.
He also suspected the women used magic to save the vines, but Cassian did not ask because a part of him did not want to know. But, even if they had, it was a gift to him and Samantha to help them succeed in their dreams.
The husbands and sons had also come along, and likely because they did not want the women to travel alone, which Cassian could understand. Except, if anything were to happen, it would be the wives and daughters protecting husbands, fathers and brothers, but he did not point that out to them.
It had been good to have the family that had taken him in filling his home in France.
These past years had been a struggle, especially financially, and Cassian feared every day that Samantha would wake up and inform him that she was returning to England, yet she never did.
She loved him and had given him two children—a son and a daughter—who needed to visit Cornwall and come to know their family.
“Are you certain this is the right decision?” Samantha asked him quietly.
“It is not my decision, but yours,” he reminded her.
“The others, they were not harmed by the binding?” she asked.
“No and it was important that their gifts be hidden until the girls could understand the power and be taught to use it properly.”
“You are correct.” She pulled Giselle onto her lap. “She gave me a fright when she realized that with a wave of her hand she can make the wind blow.”
“It was a dreadfully hot day,” Cassian reminded her.
“Yes, but it might not be explained away so easily next time.” She grasped her daughter’s hands. “I also fear her burning something down.”
“As Gustave did when he couldn’t find his way out of the maze,” Cassian reminded her. “Were your parents not afraid of the same?” Cassian asked.
“I will need to ask, but I was also watched very carefully by trusted servants, and do not recall ever being alone.” She frowned. “But I do remember my hands being held often.”
“If you have concerns or doubts, we can speak with Eugenia. Perhaps she has other options.”
Samantha shook her head and stood. “No. This will allow Giselle and Gustave to have a normal childhood and we will not need to fear what they may do.”
Cassian lifted the little girl to carry her in his arms.
“You do not mind having magical children?” she asked, as she had before.
“No, Samantha. Had I not been raised in this world, I might have been alarmed, but I knew the day that we wed that if we were so blessed to have a child there was a chance he or she would be a witch.”
“Dolphins!” Gustave clapped again and jumped. Sparks came from his fingertips because of his excitement. Samantha took one to hold onto before the Sacred Grove was set ablaze.
“I hope you do not feel left out.”
He put his arm about her waist and drew Samantha close. “Never. In all the years that I have been exposed to magic, there was only one time that I wished I would have had powers.”
She leaned in and kissed him. “But you did. Your heart freed me that day, Cassian, not magic.”
“I love you,” he said right before kissing her.
“And I love you more and more every day.”
“Even though we struggle?”
“Likely because we do,” she said. “We are making something wonderful in bringing your family estate back to life. Our children have a wonderful place to run and play and grow.” She sighed.
“And the sunrise. Nothing is more breathtaking to watch as the music of nature fills the air with you by my side.”