CHAPTER 21: CAUGHT IN A WEB

Araphel was raging. What were the elders talking about?

'Meghan captured by humans?! That foolish girl, hasn't she disgraced me enough?!' He thought out loud. He poured some wine into a glass cup and drank from it. He calmed himself down and walked to the window. He could see most of the city from it; the castle staff, the trees, the markets.

'Meghan is risking this for foolishness,' he sighed. Being the front-runner of the covens is her destiny.

'She is but a child, she's also a woman,' Araphel heard his friend Forneius say from behind him. He felt some kind of relief.

'Brother,' he smiled. Araphel's parents and Forneius' were good friends decades back. The friendship had extended to their generation.

'Do you care for some?' Araphel asked referring to the wine.

'Sure,' Forneius replied with a brief smile. Araphel took the wine bottle, which contained very little wine, and emptied it into a glass cup.

'Thank you,' Forneius said, reaching for the glass of red wine.

'What were the elders talking about?' Araphel went straight to the point.

'Elders?' Forneius smiled cleverly.

'Forneius!' Araphel said hitting his clenched fists on the table. They were grown men now, he didn't know why Forneius still insisted on playing silly games.

'Well…you see, a while ago your beautiful daughter, Meghan was caught in a…web, but I've handled it.' Forneius stated as he strolled, observing the paintings beside the burgundy velvet curtains.

'What web?' Araphel asked puzzled. He was clueless about this scandal, but he knew better than to inform the elders of his ignorance.

'She was attacked by a group of humans and imprisoned.'

'One who is to be dubbed leader of our covens, my daughter, imprisoned by humans and I am the last to be versed about it?' Araphel said staring at Forneius' back.

'Like I said my friend, I handled it in the best way possible. It's unfortunate that word spread amongst the elders, but Meghan has regained her freedom and she was unharmed,' Forneius said turning to see Araphel drinking more wine.

'And the humans that did this?' Araphel asked.

'They're...deceased.' Forneius replied with an affirming nod.

'But why was Meghan captured?'

'I have no idea, but she might have a clue. She was the captive,' Forneius pointed out the obvious.

'Captive!' Araphel cursed under his breath.

'Brother, I must take my leave now, I have some business to handle at the manor.'

'You may leave,' Araphel waved his right hand to dismiss him.

'Thank you for the wine,' Forneius said wearing a cunning smile on his way out.