A shadow fell across my face.
The mere recollection of Brianâs ordeal was enough to disrupt my composure.
Anger welled up within me, an unyielding surge in my heart.
Approaching my father, I demanded in frustration, âDad, why are you treating Brian like this?â
My father remained engrossed in the newspaper, still not meeting my eyes or responding immediately.
The vast study fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the rustling of the newspaper.
After a pause, my father finally looked up at me and asked calmly, âWhat do you think?â
Anger surged within me.
Clenching my fists, I fought the urge to lose my temper as I retorted, âI donât know.
ALL I know is that itâs a terrible decision.
â
âWhat do you mean?â my father inquired, unperturbed.
His demeanor was placid, akin to discussing mundane dinner plans, utterly indifferent to the gravity of the situation.
Wearing a sullen expression, I spoke in a hushed tone.
âBrian worked for me, helped me in secret.
I never rewarded him, yet you want him dead.
How can I accept this?â
My father let out a sigh.
Setting aside the newspaper, he gazed at me with a helpless expression.
âCaleb, the truth is, this decision was made while you and Debra were in a coma at the hospital.
â
I was taken aback.
âWhat do you mean?â
âAfter the accident you and Debra had that day, Carlos did his utmost to keep everyone, including me, in the dark about the foggy forest incident.
In other words, the elders and I are unaware of the truth behind your injury.
Thatâs why we canât determine whether Brianâs assassination attempt was deliberate or influenced.
Without certainty, he canât be pardoned.
â
My heart sank, and I blurted out, âBut Brian was poisoned and driven to madness.
Many others who ventured into the forest suffered the same fate.
The madness caused them to lose their sanity completely.
He was not an assassin by any means.
â
âDo you have any evidence?â It was evident that my father didnât trust my words.
He glanced at me and stated, âWithout information and evidence, how can we possibly determine if Brian harmed you in a state of madness? Even if heâs your informant, you need a clear explanation.
â
I was eager to defend Brian, but my father interjected, âIf youâre keen on saving him, urge Carlos to present the information and evidence from that time.
Otherwise, thereâs no need to say anything further.
â
I fell silent, grappling with the weight of the situation.
Carlos refrained from disclosing the truth because we aimed to shield the revelation of Debraâs half-witch bloodline.
I never anticipated it would lead to harm for Brian.
What should I do?
Calebâs POV:
My thoughts were a wild race, leaving me flustered and disoriented.
The current situation had gone far beyond my anticipations.
It felt like, no matter how I articulated it, the outcome would be unfavorable, dragging Debra into the mess effortlessly.
After I mulled over it extensively, a viable solution remained elusive.