SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW ➻ DEMETRI VOLTURI

T R E N T A T R E

"I would offer you my hand and show you the truth, but unfortunately we both know that isn't an option," Cecilia began. With a little jolt, she realised she was enjoying this. She was enjoying the thrill of a political game, in which a lot of things were at stake. She enjoyed knowing that she had played all her cards right. "I would ask you to read Charles' mind, but his gift is to lie."

Aro nodded sympathetically. "It does seem we are at an impasse."

"Fortunately, there's someone's mind that can be read," Cecilia continued. She had folded her hands in front of her, the rest of her body appearing relaxed. "Because, in fact, it was Charles who offered the proposition. I accepted it, only under the pretence of gaining his trust so that I could find out more about this stranger. Right after I accepted, I hurried to the library, to clear my restless mind. Marcus met me there, and I told him of my plan and the things I'd found out about Charles."

Seeming genuinely surprised by this confession, Aro's head snapped to Marcus. "Is it true, brother?"

"It's true," Marcus said, giving the slightest of nods. He held out his hand and Aro had taken hold of it within a split second, spacing out entirely. 

Cecilia let her gaze wander to Charles, whose arrogance had disappeared altogether. Knowing that the whole situation had been put into scene, she couldn't help but wonder what the Ancient Ones had offered to Charles for making her betray the Volturi. Better yet, what would happen if he failed. 

After a couple of minutes, Aro let go of his brother's hand, turning to Cecilia with a pleased expression on his childlike face. "It is true then."

"That doesn't prove anything," Charles suddenly said, losing his patience. "Just because she happens to fabricate a version of the truth, which is her gift, as you would do well to remember, doesn't mean it's God's honest truth. I could have accepted her offer and be away from this castle, my freedom returned, yet I put my neck on the line to assure of this truth."

"How ironic," Aro murmured softly, appearing deep in thought. "Two people squabbling with each other. One is able to tell outright lies and make people believe them, the other can make different versions of the truth and plant them in someone's mind. How is one supposed to believe one over the other?"

Cecilia couldn't deny that a steady and sly was creeping up her spine. She hadn't thought about the option of Aro suspecting her of planting memories in Marcus' mind, hadn't even thought of the option altogether herself. Not allowing herself to lose her calm like Charles had done, she continued calmly. "I would like to remind the wise Ancient Ones of both the past and the future. You have sent me and Demetri away on many a diplomatic mission, many of which offered countless perfect opportunities to run away in betrayal if we had wanted to it. Instead, we completed the tasks given to us without a fuss, returning as loyal as ever."

She watched the reactions of the three old vampires closely, looking for any signs of approval. Marcus was nodding along sightly, Aro's face didn't betray anything, but his body language suggested that he was listening attentively and Caius was glaring, but not at her. "As for the future, I think my gift will be useful in many ways, from the settling of tiny rivalries to bigger issues like rebellions. Besides, I speak my mind truly when I say I fear the future of the Volturi with this creature in its ranks. Charles, if that even is his real name, could cook up some elaborate lie that will mean the downfall of us. It might not happen now, or in a week, or even in ten years. For all we know he will think on it for years, before we see the outcome of it. I know it's true, for I am such a person of careful thinking as well, as are you before me. It's why we are where we are."

The room had fallen silent, everybody thinking over her words quietly, Cecilia most of all. She had read many of Cicero's works to pick up little habits, the ancient us vs them, making sure her role in the future was made clear, explaining the threat of Charles. She looked from the Masters to Charles, fascinated by the way his face displayed exactly what he was thinking. Truth be told, Charles was nowhere near being a person of careful thinking, after all, if he was, he would never have been caught in this tricky situation, but making him appear to be one anyway made him a bigger threat to Aro, who did have a very strategic mind. 

"Very well," the said person exclaimed after a while. He clapped his hands together, rubbing them for a moment before settling them on the armrests of the chair. For all his masks and acts, Aro looked oddly regal sitting there like that, the only thing missing his crown. "I have thought the issue over and here is what I've come to conclude. This prisoner has been in the castle for exactly six days, during which he has had the time to think his actions through. This is complimentary with the statement Cecilia has made, who has, admittedly, served us loyally for the past thirteen years. More than that, I deem her fear of Charles, a vampire with such an extraordinary, but dangerous gift, legitimate. Therefore, brothers, I think no other solution is left to us than to sentence Charles to death for the abuse of his gift against the true Kings, thus committing an act of treason."

Cecilia, who'd been standing further from the thrones than Charles had, saw the way his muscles tensed before anybody else. He had only made up the first step of the staircase when Cecilia had grabbed hold of him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave one mighty pull and listened to the satisfying sound of stone and diamond breaking, his head coming loose in her arms. 

She dropped it and looked up at the Ancient Ones, who were looking down at her with a look of approval. "Let this be a sign of my dedication to the Volturi."

Aro smiled at her, holding out his hand. "Let us shake on it."

"Gladly," Cecilia said. She grabbed his hand and cracked open his mind.