“And I shall refrain, until he is cured, but make no promise for the future when we fondly remember the many changes my brother endured.”
“I am going to hear about this for the rest of my life,” Philip groaned.
And even though he was irritated, there was no malice from Simon. “It is out of love,” she said.
“I know. A love of torturing me.”
Chapter Nineteen
With so many people reading journals and being careful not to touch anything, they finally reached the end of the shelves, all of them, by the time supper was served. The only problem, there was absolutely nothing to help them.
“The spell books?” Petra asked.
“Only witches can touch those,” his mother warned.
“Billiards room for the gentlemen and the cellar for the ladies,” Orion announced.
“I suppose that leaves Cordelia and me taking tea as we are not witches or gentlemen,” Nina laughed. Nina was married to Orion and Cordelia was married to Damon. Both men were cousins to Philip.
In a way, Nightshade Manor belonged to them all. It was the original home built when their ancestors came from Greece nearly three centuries earlier to escape persecution of witches. When an ancestor was named Earl of Wharton and gifted the estate Markella House in Wiltshire, the family moved there, with Nightshade Manor becoming the haven for the rest of the family, a place for witches to hide, especially in the days of witch hunters. This is also where young witches came to gain their powers.
Only the females in the Drakos family were witches, but their powers were also bound at birth so that they did not accidentally display them before witnesses who might do them harm. When the females reached the age of twelve, they were brought here, where it was safe to learn and control.
This is everything Philip shared with Antonia when they would step from the vault in need of fresh air and to relieve the strain of her eyes. So much reading of ancient text was tiring, and everyone was taking breaks, even though there was plenty of lighting.
He then went on to explain that Damon was living here with his wife because the three nieces he was now guardian for were learning. Only the eldest was gaining her powers but by the time she had control, it was likely the next would be experiencing hers. He expected the family to live here for at least the next four years.
“Family members just come and go as they please?” Antonia asked.
“And as they need. Petra visits more often than most because of the gardens and she enjoys working on spells and potions.”
“She cannot do so at her father’s estate?” Antonia asked.
“It is not the same there,” Philip answered and took Antonia’s hand as they strolled to the cove. “Magic must be hidden at our estates. Unlike here, the servants do not know that there are witches in the homes except for a few.”
“It is the same in ours,” she admitted. “My mother’s powers are similar to mine, but not as strong, so we do not have to fear something active happening.” Antonia smiled. “When I was younger, I used to talk to all the animals. The horses, sheep, cats, dogs.” She laughed. “The servants just thought I was an imaginative child and not having actual conversations. They assume it is now habit when I talk to them and decided it is simply an oddity that I possess.”
Philip enjoyed these moments with Antonia. While he could feel her tension, concentration, and concern when she was pouring over the spell books that he could not touch or even look at, he experienced her relaxation when they took moments to stroll away from the others.
This had been their pattern for the past five days. He was by her side everywhere, but he was also very careful to school his thoughts and shut down any that involved his growing emotions as it was not the time for any proclamations of love. Besides, they would not even know what they were to be to each other until after the full moon, whether she found a reversal spell or not.
Those were his thoughts as he stepped from her bedchamber. They had only a few more days left and then he would know his fate.
Philip tried to keep the anxiousness away as much as he kept thoughts of love hidden and only revealed them to himself when he was not with Antonia.
“Mother told me that you were sleeping in Antonia’s chamber,” Simon said as he was coming down the corridor.
“Did she tell you why?”
“Yes, though I am not certain I could share a bed with a lovely woman and only hold her hand.”
“Don’t be an ass,” Philip retorted.
Simon sobered as they turned toward the stairs to go down to breakfast.
“I am not. I was simply stating a fact. But I also understand that it is necessary because of the connection of the spell.”
His brother may be difficult at times, but Philip was also close to Simon.
