SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW ➻ DEMETRI VOLTURI

T R E N T A T R E

Outside the throne room, Cecilia took a quiet minute to regain her composure. She brushed the dust of the dungeons from her black clothing, raked her fingers through her brown curls in an attempt to smoothen out the twisted locks. She straightened her spine, raised her head and pushed back her shoulders, before throwing the doors open and walking in calmly. 

"I believe my presence was required," she said softly, doing her best to remember her father's habits. The world could turn upside down and he always managed to stay calm. Even your breathing as you talk, she reminded herself, and keep an even tone. No one is on to you, you saw through it all. 

"Ah yes, my dear Cecilia," Aro said excitedly, clapping his hands together. He was standing in front of his throne, flanked by Marcus and Caius sitting in theirs, both wearing their own infamous facial expressions. There was a fourth person standing in the room as well, close to the stairs that led to the thrones. It was Charles, wearing a smug smile that was identical to the one Alec had been wearing earlier.

She remembered Alec's words, about the Masters wanting to test her and her loyalty. She would pass their test with flying colours and leave the room with them not remembering a single thing about either her or her soulmate. That was how it was going to be. 

"I asked Jane to retrieve you from the dungeons, after a rather interesting conversation with our new prisoner from Germany," Aro continued. He pretended to look through the room before his milky red eyes landed on Cecilia again, a hint of question in them. "If you don't mind me asking, where is Jane?"

"There was some unexpected trouble with our grande red princess and Jane wanted to take care of it," Cecilia lied smoothly. She watched Aro's face carefully, the way his muscles tensed and relaxed and how that continuously resulted in new masks. It was a skill she wanted to master as well. 

"Ah yes, Vasilisa," Aro said, trying the name in his mouth. He looked over his shoulders to his brothers, who didn't appear to be bothered by the news. "Now that she isn't causing a half-hearted rebellion in Russia one could almost forget her presence entirely. We must get rid of her one of these days, preferably publically."

"It could be part of an unforgettable wedding," Cecilia suggested, watching Charles from the corners of her eyes. Some of the smugness had disappeared from his face, replaced by impatience. She thought he would do well not to show it. After all, the Ancient Ones and specifically Aro decided what the topic of conversation was and how long it lasted. 

"Yes, that would be just delightful," Aro said, nodding in approval. Suddenly, the muscles in his face twitched and a second later his face had fallen, looking like a man in deep grief. "That is, if the wedding is still to be held in Volterra, because I am afraid I've heard terrible things from our prisoner."

Cecilia didn't allow her posture to falter, kept a straight face as she tried hard not to think about what was going on in the dungeons. For all she knew Jane had turned into a mighty ninja who would come racing up to the throne room any minute now, telling her of her true betrayal. "Might I know the content of these terrible things?"

"Of course," Aro said, nodding immediately. He turned their back on them, walking at an excruciatingly slow pace to his throne and lowering himself in it gracefully. He looked down at Cecilia sympathetically. "Please do not be insulted that we have called you to us on what might be the futile, desperate lies of a prisoner fearing execution, but as the guardians of the supernatural, we have to examine each and every testament."

Cecilia nodded politely, silently willing the vampire to get on with his story already. "I completely understand."

"Now if I understand correctly, and please do interrupt me, Charles, whenever I make a mistake, it was Cecilia who offered you a deal, isn't that correct?" Aro said, looking at Charles, who nodded in confirmation. Cecilia resisted the urge to send the slimy bastard a glare. "In exchange for an audience with us, you would use your gift and make up some elaborate lie about why Cecilia and Demetri would be gone. It would be your own ticket to freedom, and yet you have come forth to us to tell us this." Aro's eyes snapped at Cecilia, observing her with a look that wasn't too unkindly. "Now, what am I to make of that?"