Ciaran smiled and looked to Cal and Killan who were approaching, but still
out of earshot, "Yes, but let's keep it to ourselves. Killan likes to
believe he can still pull one over on me."
Morgan smiled in return as Cal and Killan sat down. Cal was apparently still sulking and most likely planning intricate plans of revenge he would never carry out.
After she realized that no one else would speak, she said, "And we are meeting here because...?"
"Amyrath is here," Ciaran said simply.
Morgan gasped, "All of it?"
Ciaran shook his head, chuckling, "No, there's far too many to gather all of them. Just the more important members are here."
"What are they here for?" Morgan asked excitedly.
Ciaran looked at her, "You, of course."
Morgan flashed to her previous members, "This will be my third encounter. I hope this isn't going to be like the last two."
Ciaran nodded hastily, "No, this is nothing like that. I wanted to formally invite you to my coven."
"But I belong to Kithic," Morgan reminded him.
"That's fine," Ciaran assured her. "Most members are also part of local covens."
Morgan hesitated until she saw the look of painful apprehension on Ciaran's face, "Of course. Thank you, Da."
She heard Cal let out the breath he'd been holding and Ciaran was visibly relieved.
Morgan paused for a moment, then shyly asked, "Do you think they'll like me?"
Cal smiled, finally emerging from his glower, "Well, I know of one who already does."
"Two," Ciaran corrected.
"And a half," Killan protested.
"You're not a member," Ciaran reminded him.
Killan replied defiantly, "Maybe not, but I still come and go to the ceremonies as I please."
Morgan, touched, responded, "You are sweet, but honestly, they've been convened twice already, won't they be exasperated?"
Cal snorted, "If they are, they dare not show it. You are your father's daughter, with both his power and protection."
Ciaran nodded, "They know I intend you to be my successor as leader of Amyrath."
Morgan's breath caught, she squeaked, "Your successor?"
"That's always been my plan, didn't you know?" Ciaran asked.
"But, Cal," she protested.
"Cal will have his own role as your lifemate, but he is not my daughter," Ciaran replied easily.
Morgan's temper caught a bit, "That's a bit presumptuous, Da."
Cal looked hurt, "Morgan, isn't that what you want?"
"I don't know what I want," Morgan replied. "Except that it's time for me to go home."
Ciaran nodded, "When you're prepared to meet them, call."
Cal stood, grabbing his keys, "I'll drive you home."
Morgan nodded, giving her family less enthusiastic hugs.
Climbing into the car, she felt Cal studying her intensely. When she turned to catch his eye, he didn't turn away, but continued to stare.
"What is it, Cal?" Morgan asked tiredly.
"Why don't you love me, Morgan?" Cal asked, with pain and innocence capable of breaking her heart.
Morgan smiled in return as Cal and Killan sat down. Cal was apparently still sulking and most likely planning intricate plans of revenge he would never carry out.
After she realized that no one else would speak, she said, "And we are meeting here because...?"
"Amyrath is here," Ciaran said simply.
Morgan gasped, "All of it?"
Ciaran shook his head, chuckling, "No, there's far too many to gather all of them. Just the more important members are here."
"What are they here for?" Morgan asked excitedly.
Ciaran looked at her, "You, of course."
Morgan flashed to her previous members, "This will be my third encounter. I hope this isn't going to be like the last two."
Ciaran nodded hastily, "No, this is nothing like that. I wanted to formally invite you to my coven."
"But I belong to Kithic," Morgan reminded him.
"That's fine," Ciaran assured her. "Most members are also part of local covens."
Morgan hesitated until she saw the look of painful apprehension on Ciaran's face, "Of course. Thank you, Da."
She heard Cal let out the breath he'd been holding and Ciaran was visibly relieved.
Morgan paused for a moment, then shyly asked, "Do you think they'll like me?"
Cal smiled, finally emerging from his glower, "Well, I know of one who already does."
"Two," Ciaran corrected.
"And a half," Killan protested.
"You're not a member," Ciaran reminded him.
Killan replied defiantly, "Maybe not, but I still come and go to the ceremonies as I please."
Morgan, touched, responded, "You are sweet, but honestly, they've been convened twice already, won't they be exasperated?"
Cal snorted, "If they are, they dare not show it. You are your father's daughter, with both his power and protection."
Ciaran nodded, "They know I intend you to be my successor as leader of Amyrath."
Morgan's breath caught, she squeaked, "Your successor?"
"That's always been my plan, didn't you know?" Ciaran asked.
"But, Cal," she protested.
"Cal will have his own role as your lifemate, but he is not my daughter," Ciaran replied easily.
Morgan's temper caught a bit, "That's a bit presumptuous, Da."
Cal looked hurt, "Morgan, isn't that what you want?"
"I don't know what I want," Morgan replied. "Except that it's time for me to go home."
Ciaran nodded, "When you're prepared to meet them, call."
Cal stood, grabbing his keys, "I'll drive you home."
Morgan nodded, giving her family less enthusiastic hugs.
Climbing into the car, she felt Cal studying her intensely. When she turned to catch his eye, he didn't turn away, but continued to stare.
"What is it, Cal?" Morgan asked tiredly.
"Why don't you love me, Morgan?" Cal asked, with pain and innocence capable of breaking her heart.