“Thank you.”
“But that is not why I came to find you.”
“You came looking for me?” Almost immediately she pushed away foolish hope. It could only be because Lady St. Alban needed her for something or told Cassian to take her somewhere.
“Yes. I was thinking about what you said about being an old soul.”
“It is silly and something a grandmother told me.”
“But you do believe it is a possibility.”
Samantha shrugged. “None of us know for certain. I fear we will not have the answers to what is beyond until we arrive there.” Which was a rather depressing thought and she was in no hurry to find out.
“I do know of someone who may be able to help.”
“Who?” Not even witches had such information for certain.
“Have you visited the Romani since you arrived?”
“No, I have not. I am to understand that their home is near and assumed they did not want to be bothered.”
“I have known them most of my life and they will not mind.”
Samantha rose from the stool. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. I will take you there now.”
“I think I would like that.” She smiled. If anything, it promised to break what she had anticipated to be a tedious afternoon.
Further, Cassian had invited her without being prompted to do so.
Or had someone proposed the outing?
“Did someone suggest that I should visit the Romani?”
He frowned. “No. Why would they? I have not mentioned your many souls.” The corner of his mouth tipped.
From that moment, Samantha decided to give up ever trying to understand men—especially Cassian Jourdain.
Chapter 8
Cassian had spent the better part of the morning trying to come up with a reason to escort Samantha away from the others. If he would have suggested going into Bocka Morrow, who knows who would have wanted to come along. No doubt that Ares, Ajax and Simon would find a reason to be in their company.
And then he remembered what she had said about the silver in her hair and knew exactly where he could take her without anyone else wanting to intrude.
However, he still didn’t mention his plans to anyone just in case they decided that they wanted to accompany them on the outing.
After he opened the back gate and led her through, they stepped into the small clearing. Samantha gasped as she looked around.
“Is something wrong?”
“I forget sometimes how powerful the Drakos witches are and that they are grounded to the earth. On one side of the wall, one would think it was summer, but on this side, with the leafless trees, brown grass and lack of flowers, it is winter.”
Cassian chuckled. “It can be shocking to step from one world to another.”
“Why do they not let nature do as it wishes?” she asked.
“I do not think it is intentional. I have been to Nightshade Manor when there was no witch in residence, and it resembled the same season as the rest of Bocka Morrow. However, the moment that a Drakos witch steps onto the estate, grass grows, turning green beneath the foot of the witch. Summer then spreads out in every direction with flowers blooming, trees turning green as if it hadn’t been dormant for weeks, months, and sometimes years. No wave of a hand, spell or incantation. The land seems to know that they have come home.”
