Except two and a half glasses of wine was not that much.
Yet, one included a small, tiny bucket of fairy grog. She had not believed it could be so potent. Clearly that was the reason she had tossed away caution.
They say if one needs courage, to drink from a fairy’s cup. That is what Petra said, and Samantha had certainly become daring.
Then Nina showed her the path and said…wander down that path.
Samantha sat up again, startled at the revelation.
Iza had told her to be careful where she wandered.
She had thought it something dangerous to her physical being, such as what lurked in the outside world like witch hunters who still roamed. She never dreamed that the danger was at Nightshade Manor, in the Sacred Grove.
She wandered down a path that led to her heart being broken.
At least Cassian had been kind enough not to come right out and say that he didn’t want her or did not like her or had no desire to kiss her. Instead, he blamed it on her being drunk.
Samantha supposed that she should be grateful for his kindness but rejection was a rejection all the same. She had not been careful where she wandered and she had been hurt.
Thank goodness that her parents intended to leave Nightshade Manor tomorrow and that she and Malcolm would be going home with them. Therefore, she would only need to avoid Cassian for the rest of the day and hope that they were gone before he came to the house to break his fast and then she would never see him again.
How could she ever face him?
The very idea made her want to toss up her accounts.
Her next biggest fear was that she may have told her friends what had happened. All she could recall was leaving Cassian, with a fireball to light her way, heart breaking and wanting to cry, but held it in, then joined the others in the temple where she poured herself another glass of wine in hopes of forgetting that he did not want her.
But that was all. Samantha did not remember talking to anyone or anything after she picked up that second glass of wine.
What did she do after?
How had she even gotten in her bed?
She looked down at what she was wearing, which was the shift that she had under her dress last night. That dress was on the floor with her stockings and shoes. Apparently, she must have come into her chamber, stripped everything off and climbed into bed with no memory of doing so.
At the gentle knock on the door, she called for them to enter. It was Petra who stuck her head around the door.
“How are you feeling?”
“My head is pounding and my stomach is rolling,” she answered honestly.
“That is why I brought you this.” Petra entered carrying a tray with a pot, which Samantha assumed was tea, a cup and toast.
“The toast will help absorb whatever's revolting in your stomach and the tea is a mixture of herbs and magic.”
“Would the use of magic be selfish?”
“Not when it's being given to you by a friend.”
“How are you feeling?” Samantha asked her friend.
“I am fine. I did not have nearly as much to drink as you did.”
Samantha frowned. She may not be able to remember all night but she knew how much wine she had drunk.
“You had three glasses of wine,” Samantha remarked. “Did I have more than two?”
“No, you did not, but according to Cassian, you told him that a fairy poured grog into your glass, and one of the reasons using magic with the tea will not be harmful is because a magical creature assisted in your demise.”
