Cecilia had been dancing with Demetri for quite some time, when someone interrupted the two of them. They stopped, both raising their eyebrows high as they saw that out of all the people, it was Kyros. If there was anybody Cecilia didn't want to speak with, it was him and from the look on Demetri's face, she could tell that he was thinking the exact same.
"I was wondering if I could steal your mate for a dance," Kyros said. Though he was wearing an expensive suit and his hair was done nicely, his attitude ruined everything.
Demetri shrugged, but his arm around her waist tightened. "You'll have to ask her."
Kyros's eyes shifted from Demetri to her, his eyebrows raised in question. She didn't want to dance with Kyros. In fact, she didn't even want to look at him, but she could hardly say so. "I was actually thinking of a break," she said, trying to sound sorry.
"You're a newborn, you're supposed to be full of energy," Kyros said. He failed miserably at his attempt to lighten the mood as he started to sound like a child about to throw a tantrum. He looked the part as well. "Just one dance?"
"Cecilia, you're outshining us once again."
Danae and Odina had joined them and though Danae had probably wanted it to come across as a lighthearted comment, the jealousy was just as audible in her voice as it was visible on Odina's face. The blonde-haired girl instantly latched onto Kyros's arm, like she was an anchor trying to tie him down. She was wearing a beautiful red dress, with little gemstones making the body shine. Her tailor had certainly delivered an expensive dress.
Cecilia moved her weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "You're talking nonsense, Danae," she said, brushing her curls over her shoulders. "Everbody's eyes have been plastered on your dress ever since you entered the room, just look around."
The fact that Cecilia had entered later than the Markis' woman and that she hadn't spent a single second observing whether people were really watching her, slipped the other vampire in her act of vanity. Instead, she only smiled and raised her shoulders ever so lightly. "Oh, don't I know it."
"It's been nice seeing you again," Demetri said, nodding to them. "But I just saw a dear friend of mine enter the room and he hasn't had the pleasure of meeting my soulmate yet, so if you'll please excuse us."
Cecilia followed Demetri's direction willingly, wondering if he was telling the truth. She hadn't met a lot of people he knew, other than Felix, Alec and Jane obviously. She turned to him with curious eyes. "A friend?" she asked.
"Imaginary," he replied, smiling in an amused way.
She resisted the urge to chuckle and draw attention to her. "That's not very kind."
"Ten days with the Markis' is enough for the coming hundred years."
Just as Cecilia was about to reply, the sound of the music faded away until it was barely audible. The couples that had been dancing cleared from the floor and everybody watched the front of the ballroom with curious eyes. The Ancient Ones had been sitting on their thrones ever since all of them had gotten in and it was the first time Cecilia got to see their mates, the queens. Demetri had told her that ever since the kidnapping and murder of Marcus's mate, Aro and Caius had locked theirs away in one of the best-secured towers. The only Master without a mate looked oddly lonely and Cecilia felt for him.
"My dear friends, thank you all for travelling all the way to Volterra to attend this feast. Seeing all of your faces, old and young friends, brings me a pleasure all of you can't imagine," Aro said, standing up from his throne. His eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Cecilia shortly, before moving on. A childlike smile crept on his face. "It has been a long time since all of us have gotten together. Many events have happened, new alliances have been made, others have been reinforced."
Cecilia looked over her shoulder to where her parents were standing. They looked every bit the way she remembered them, calm and loving and in each other's arms, where they belonged. Her heart burned with love for them, as well as for the man standing next to her. If only there was a way she could combine those worlds.
"Sadly, my friends, some friendships have been shattered as well. Everybody knows that we are fair and just rulers, but we cannot deny that the law is the law. Without it, we would simply be beasts, mere creatures led by our thirst for violence and blood," Aro continued. He wore a grave expression on his face, his shoulders slumped as if he was truly sad. Cecilia wondered if her gut feeling of what was about to happen was right. "It pains my heart, friends, it truly does, but recently, some dreadful news has come to my attention. There are people among us here who would want to see us gone. Not only me and my brothers, but all of you ruling justly and fairly in our absence."
Several gasps could be heard and Cecilia watched the nervous faces of the guests. It was no secret that probably everybody in the room harboured secret ambitions and wishes against the Volturi and all of them were wondering who it was Aro was talking about.
"Do not worry, friends, do not fret," Aro said, appearing calm once more. "We know exactly the treacherous among us. Guards, seize them and bring them forward."
Lower-tier guards appeared from all the dark corners of the room, flashing forward and grabbing all of the Markis'. They struggled, Vasyl even managed to pull off some guard's head before he was caught, but in the end, they were brought forward all the same. In the room, distressed whispers had broken out, but with one look from Aro, nothing except for the Markis' protesting could be heard. Cecilia watched in fascination, feeling like she was about to become a part of history.
"What is this, Aro?" Adras called out. He squirmed in the guard's hold, but to no avail. He looked like he would cry if he could. "Never have we had any trouble, never have we insulted you. The Volturi and the Markis have been good friends, always."
Sniggers and chuckles could be heard all over the room. Though Adras might not remember the earlier rebellions and quarrels thanks to Cecilia, other covens did.
Aro looked at Adras like the man had personally driven a stake through his heart. "You openly rebelled against me and my brothers, Adras. We treated you so very well, gave you lands to hold and profit from and restored your glory. We treated you as equals, but you've gone behind our backs and that is something I cannot forgive you, or your family," Aro said, looking very sorry indeed. The Markis started crying again, probably already feeling the way this was going to end. "I, Aro Volturi, one of the Ancient Ones and ruler of the Volturi, find the Markis coven guilty of treason and sentence you, all of you, to death."
Aro raised his hands and simultaneously, the odd sound of china breaking sounded through the room. Cecilia squeezed Demetri's hand hard, her eyes following the way Danae's beautiful body landed on the marble floor with a loud thud. It was an awful sight, one that would probably haunt her the rest of her days.
"Now that our enemy is destroyed, I have one other question left to be asked." Aro's eyes found Cecilia's and she let go of Demetri's hand. She raised her head high, straightened her spine and placed one foot carefully in front of the other. The crowd gave way to her, hundreds of eyes following her body with unparalleled curiosity. "Even when one gets betrayed by their closest friends, little joys can be found. We have always regarded the Cullen coven highly, a mutual feeling, but our bond is about to become stronger than ever."
Cecilia moved past the dead bodies of the Markis, ignoring them to the best of her abilities, and trailed up the stairs to Aro. She looked up at him, her face void of any emotion but her body filled with raging nerves. She couldn't fail or blunder, not now, not when she was about to become a part of history.
"Cecilia Roseanne Cullen, will you do us the greatest honour there is and become a member of the Volturi so that you may do your duty and protect our sacred and ancient world?"
It felt like thousands of pairs of eyes were watching her, but there were only three that mattered. Those of her soulmate and her parents. And she couldn't help but feel like she was betraying the latter. She wondered if she had it in her to make everybody forget about the whole night, to forget about her, and to just run away. She knew that wasn't possible, that it was just the nerves twisting her mind in ways she didn't hold imaginable, so instead, she simply draw in a large breath. "Yes, I will."
Aro got handed a necklace with the Volturi's crest and he put it around her neck ever so carefully. Afterwards, he grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him, her body facing the crowd. "I present to you, our newest member of the Guard."
The loud sound of cheering burst out in the room, along with the sound of hasted clapping. That wasn't what Cecilia was focused on, it was the piece of metal she could feel between her skin and Aro's. When he let go of her hand, she stared at the palm of it curiously. A heavy and old key laid in it and she looked up at Aro with raised eyebrows.
He gave her a knowing, crazy smile. "I promised it would be yours before the sun would rise again," he said, his voice barely audible. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now join your soulmate again and have the happiest night of your life."
She nodded, curtseying before she left the platform and walked over to the marble dancing floor again. Congratulations were shouted at her, as well as gentle claps on her back, but her eyes were focused on Demetri, the only one capable of holding her together.