These items were clearly for the feast to celebrate Haloa.
“What is Haloa?” she blurted out. “I have asked but was never given a full response. I just know that it involves food, drink, dancing sometimes naked, which I am certain none of us would dare do and apparently eating cake.”
“It is a festival to honor Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and Dionysus, the god of wine and…other things. I believe it is also to honor Poseidon and may be the reason it takes place in December, which is the month of Poseidon, instead of at harvest time.”
Cassian was hesitant, which made her wonder. “Do you really know or is it a guess?”
“I know what the Drakos family has known and gathered over time, but nobody was there when the first feast was held, but it is believed that it also has something to do with fertility,” he added a little more quietly. “But it has become an all-night feast for women while men drink ale or brandy around a large bonfire.”
“I suppose that maybe it is good that it won’t start until after midnight.”
“Why is that?”
“If the celebration began with sundown, and if they were to celebrate with wine all night, I can only imagine their state the following morning. I assume that it would be much like my brother staggering home after the sunrise and having been out all night.”
Cassian laughed. “It could make for an interesting evening since I have not once seen any of the women at Nightshade Manor drink beyond a glass or two of wine.”
“Nor have I and I certainly will not tonight!”
It wasn’t that she objected to learning what it was like to be drunk, a curiosity, but she did not want to experience what her brother did after he had drank too much, therefore, she would remain ignorant.
Chapter 21
“What am I supposed to do again?” Chedworth asked while sitting on the ground facing the altar with the crystals that Samantha had placed earlier.
“I will walk you through this,” Samantha’s brother sighed.
“And do not mess it up since it is my sister he is marrying,” Antonia’s brother warned.
“Everyone, now pay attention,” Samantha’s brother insisted as he lit the candles. Cassian sat quietly and observed but he was not paying attention to anything that was being said because he was thinking about Samantha.
He intentionally put himself near her and participated in the same tasks. Part of it was because he was trying to decide if her mood had anything to do with his near kiss early this morning.
The other reason was because his nightmare still lingered. It stayed with him all day, just as it was right now. She was lost and nobody could find her, which he knew was a result of Iza telling Samantha not to wander and the fact that he could not keep her for himself no matter how much he wanted to. She was lost to him forever and he needed to come to terms with that fact.
If only she would have been born to a common family, or even a servant, then she might be content to live in the cottage with him, but Samantha came from wealth and deserved a man who could give her anything she needed or wanted and beyond. Sadly, that was not him. He had only a heart to offer.
He glanced across the altar and wondered if Chedworth had fallen asleep. His head was down, chin practically on his chest, eyes closed, as were others in the circle. He thought only Chedworth was supposed to meditate and let go of the old and embrace the new, which was Antonia, but everyone else seemed to be doing the same. Cassian feared that he would drift off if he attempted to meditate.
Cassian glanced up at the moon to track the lunar eclipse. A good portion of the moon was shaded and he waited and watched as it grew bigger again, his mind on Samantha and wished things were different.
When the shadows were gone, he announced it to the others and by the way a few startled when nudged, several had fallen asleep while waiting. But not Chedworth. Instead, when he looked up there was a peaceful serenity about him. Calmness that Cassian had not seen in a very long time.
“I am ready to wed.” He came to his feet and held his hand out to Samantha’s father. “Thank you, Lord Saye. I never truly realized the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.”
“I did not snore, did I?” Ajax whispered to Ares.
“How would I know?”
“Neither of you did,” Cassian informed them then turned to walk with the others to the stacks of wood piled high. As they gathered around, Malcolm formed fire balls and tossed them onto the dry wood, which immediately caught and blazed. Only then was the brandy, wine and ale brought out of the baskets.
Cassian drank and enjoyed the camaraderie and celebration, and good-natured teasing of soon-to-be-wed Chedworth. Stories were shared of the difficulties one may encounter when married to a witch, though nothing dire or dangerous, unless being transported to the middle of a lake was considered such. When Chedworth reminded them that Antonia saw auras, which was hardly dangerous, he was reminded that she could talk to animals and that if he didn’t want his horse to unseat him that he should take great care of his wife.
It was all in good fun because none of the men who were gathered would dare harm the woman they loved. Yes, there might be bickering as there was in any marriage, but Cassian could not imagine that any of the witches would need to take drastic steps to punish a husband.
He also did not get deep in his cups like the others because Cassian simply was not in the mood to indulge all night. At any other time, he would have enjoyed the celebration as much as the others but discontentment filled his soul, which would make it difficult to stand by and watch as Chedworth pledged his heart to Antonia on the morrow.
“You are quieter than usual tonight,” Simon noted as he joined Cassian where he stood away from the others.
