“Should that not be done on Christmas Eve?” she asked.
“Oh, Samantha, you have so much to learn about our pagan origins.” Petra shook her head and glided out of the music room without offering up an explanation.
“Why today?” she asked Cassian.
“Because it is the Winter Solstice and that is when these witches deck their homes with mistletoe, ivy, holly and set the yule log aflame.”
“And everyone goes?” she asked
“Not the parents any longer. They leave that to the adult children. This is also the one time that we are allowed into the forbidden forest.”
Samantha took a step back. They certainly were not going to venture into somewhere so dangerous, were they?
It was also the very place that she promised herself not to go, which meant she would remain exactly where she was. “Why?”
“Because mistletoe grows best on the oak trees within. Also, it needs to be cut away so that the trees do not die. The forbidden forest has an abundance of everything we need, including a yule log since the area remains undisturbed.”
“Are you not afraid to enter?” Samantha asked. A wolf lived there. More than one, and who knew what other dangerous animals made the forbidden forest their home.
“This is the one day that we are all given passage,” Cassian promised. “It is a tradition. And, even if we are met with disgruntled animals, Antonia will be with us to explain.” He laughed. “Come along. It is always entertaining, so long as Simon doesn’t cut anything but the mistletoe.”
Samantha gasped. “Has anyone ever been hurt?”
“No, but we fear that it is only a matter of time.”
She wanted to go, she truly did, but did she dare? “Iza warned me not to wander.”
“My interpretation was not to wander alone. You will be with a group of us and so long as you do not go off on your own, there should be no concern.”
He was correct and she hated to miss out on something that might be quite fun…
“Come with us, Samantha.” He reached forward and grasped her hand, then pulled her from the room.
Her hand tingled and warmed. Cassian had never really touched her before.
Then suddenly he stopped and glanced down and then let her hand drop as if it had burned him. “I apologize for the familiarity. It will not happen again.”
Except, she wanted it to.
Chapter 13
After his audience with Eugenia, Cassian’s spirits had lifted and while there were still concerns for his future, they did not weigh so heavily upon him.
He should have said something long before now because even though nothing had changed, the burden had been lifted once he explained to Eugenia, as a son would to a mother.
Any plans and concerns could also wait until after Christmas and Chedworth’s wedding.
He had also left the parlor far more settled than when he had entered, ready to enjoy the holiday, only to be told to help gather everyone after they had eaten and the reason. When Samantha was not in the dining room, he went to the music room because he knew that he had to collect her so that they could enjoy the outing together, with the rest of his friends.
What had possessed him to take Samantha’s hand though? It certainly wasn’t proper, yet it was instinctive. Was it because he’d been overcome with…holiday spirit?
It did not matter. He apologized and it would not happen again.
As they neared the entrance to the forest, Samantha’s steps slowed.
“It is safe, Samantha,” Petra assured her. “The animals seem to know the day we visit.”
“How do you know?”
