Chapter 26

Samantha spent her ride reliving what she had experienced in the circles. There was no way to explain what she was feeling. Fear, awe, interest, all were a part of it. She remembered clearly every moment in that dark place. The warmth, the sound of waves, of . . . of people, voices. . . praying. . . chanting? The sounds were a bit jumbled but she could see it so clearly. The moment she woke she had known, somehow, the name of the place where they were sitting. She thought about it for a moment, wondering where the knowledge had come from and why she was so certain it was right. The Circle of Seeing. She clinched her hands. How did she know that?

The horse pranced nervously, sensing her tension on the reins. Deliberately, she relaxed and dropped her shoulders, her hands falling with them and eased her hold on the reins. Her mount sensed the change and settled down. Now she knew that more information was needed. How was it possible? She had just touched the table but the air in the circle had seem heavy and thick the moment she entered the central ring. Beneath her hands the stone had been cool but not cold and she sensed a small vibration that immediately translated into a tingling sensation in her fingertips and traveling upwards until is spread throughout her body. It was at that point she. . . saw.

Never, in any of her visions, has she experienced such a thing. Nor had they been so clear. Perhaps that was what frightened her so much. Most were cloudy, ambiguous dreams that eluded her until after they happened. The only experience that was certain, at least since she became aware of her gift, was when someone came through, even if the vision itself was unclear, the knowledge was positive.

This had been very different. Today the vision had been crystal clear and her perception was higher than she had ever known it to be. She knew, if she had been allowed to stay longer in the vision, she would have been able to understand the voices she had heard and she would have known exactly what they were saying. John had called her back. It was strange how his voice had been able to drown out the other’s. Yet, the fear on his face had been so great she wasn’t surprised. He must have thought she was having a fit of some kind.

Her horse pranced again, side-stepping something that lay in the path. Samantha looked down as they passed. In the middle of the path lay some kind of object that she was certain had not been there when they had passed by earlier. She pulled the reins and slipped off her horse. As she bent down, she noticed that it appeared to be a bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon of some kind and strung with beads.

“STOP!”

Samantha froze and looked back over her shoulder at Isabel and John. Isabel jumped to the ground and ran toward her. The evident fear on her face brought Sam to a standing position. When she reached her, Isabel caught her wrist and pulled her away from the object.

“You didn’t touch it, did you?”

Shaking her head she looked back. “What is it?” she asked.

“A talisman.”

“A what?” John and Samantha said in unison.

Isabel stepped back and let out great sigh. It was obvious that she had been frightened by Samantha’s proximity to the object. She took one step toward it but then backed away. “It is a talisman, a. . . something the locals use to ward off evil. Sometimes they leave them in places where they think something evil is located. It’s a pagan custom and a foolish one.”

Sam gave John a look and then moved toward the bundle in the road. Isabel grabbed her arm again. “NO! Leave it alone.”

She looked at Isabel and gently and firmly, pulled her arm free. “For one who thinks it foolish, you certainly appear frightened by it.”

“Sam,” John said, his voice a caution.

“O.k.” she said, “I won’t pick it up. So, what does it mean? And better yet, why is it here now when it wasn’t earlier?”

Isabel shook her head and turned to remount. “There are some who believe the circle is an evil place. They believe those who enter it are . . .”

“Witches?” Samantha gave a harsh laugh and moved back toward the bouquet. “I suspect I better get used to that appellation. I’ve no doubt I’ll be hearing it more often.”

“Samantha,” Isabel stretched her hand out. “Don’t. Please leave it lie.”

She thought about that for a minute as she walked around the object. It was a bundle of wild flowers, some ivy, held together by blue, white, and green ribbons and a string of blue and silver bells entwined in it. “It’s quite pretty, isn’t it?”

“It’s witchcraft,” Isabel declared. “Do not touch it, Samantha.”

“I think it is a bundle of flowers.” As she looked at it, she felt a great desire to pick it up and smell the flowers and study the beads more closely but Isabel again interrupted her thoughts.

“They are mostly herbs with a few pretty flowers tossed in for good measure. Look carefully and you will see a mixture of parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, fennel, and ivy. All are said to ward off evil. The blue and silver beads are also said to guard against evil spirits. Sometimes there are real gemstones, considered the most powerful, but poor people may use colored glass beads to represent the gems. The colors are also picked to ward of evil.”

Samantha knelt on one knee and leaned over to study the bouquet closely. Nestled among the daisies, sweet William, and pansies were the herbs Isabel mentioned, all twined about with a length of ivy and tied with colored ribbons and beads. A very pretty posy indeed but one shrouded in darkness, a cold darkness that suddenly crept around her like a cloak. Sighing, she got up and got back on her horse. Without a backward glance she rode on.

Soon, the path began to open up as the trees thinned and they reached the meadow in front of the house. For Samantha it seemed as if they had been gone for days rather than a few hours. Immediately, she felt a difference in the air. The breeze flowed in from the sea and sunlight began to warm her skin, burning off the cold, clinging darkness. She blew out a deep breath and straightened her back. Tugging on the reins she halted and turned to face Isabel and John.

“I don’t know what that was back there but I’m not going to be intimidated by ignorant Outlanders trying to frighten me.”

“They aren’t trying to frighten you. They truly believe in evil and that there are ways they can protect themselves from it,” Isabel reasoned.” That is just one attempt, Samantha.”

“You don’t think that was directed at me?”

“It was directed at whatever they believe the circle contains that you may have brought out with you.”

Both John and Samantha stared at Isabel. It was impossible to believe something so primitive could have any influence on any person. Apparently, in the Outland, it wasn’t impossible.

John said, “Is there any risk to Sam?”

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t think so. They’ve never harmed me. But they did make life difficult for a time.”

“I won’t be here very long,” Samantha said. “I can deal with it.”

She urged her mount toward the house. John and Isabel followed.

“Samantha,” Isabel called. “Promise me one thing.”

“If I can,” she tossed back over her shoulder.

“Never, ever pick up a talisman.”

Samantha twisted in the saddle and stared at Isabel a moment before turning back. She made no reply.