Dante dragged Ginevra out of the hall, gripping her wrist as he pushed in between the guests. Muffled whispers surrounded them, curious eyes watching the sobbing girl as she stumbled after him, clutching two masks.

They reached the empty cloak room and Dante slammed the door, throwing her to the floor. White feathers fluttered around them as the wing hanging from her wrist snapped.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" He roared, standing over her.

Ginevra cowered, sniffing, trying to stop crying. All she could see was L'Aquila's face, any feelings that he had towards her was gone, replaced with a furious hatred that would probably get her killed.

When she didn't answer, Dante pressed his hands into his face, groaning.

"If he had gotten any information-"

"I didn't tell him anything." She sniffed.

"At least you did something right." He spat.

He turned, pacing as Ginevra crawled to the wall, making herself as small as possible, wincing every time he spun on his heel and headed towards her. When he stopped, she held her breath.

"I know you're a spy."

In her fear, she feigned surprise. Even in difficult situations, she could lie.

"What? I would never-"

"I have spies too! I have someone working with me among the Assassins. They told me you've been working for them, stealing documents. And I know you can easily break into my cabinet."

She bowed her head. She knew when the game was up.

As Dante stormed towards her, she flinched, making a sound belonging to a wounded animal. He grabbed her neck and snatched the necklace, tearing it from her.

"I'll take this." He said, pocketing the Shard of Eden before holding it in front of her face.

"Please, don't-!" she started.

Dante gave a dark smile as he stood and left her in the dark. With a slight click of the lock, Ginevra hung her head and gazed at the two masks in her hands.

"I'm so sorry, Luca." She sobbed.

As he was tossed into the cell, L'Aquila winced, his side slamming against the cold, stone floor. Brown feathers fluttered into the air as they came loose on his sleeve, billowing around him. The Templar soldier spat on him and locked the door, muttering curses as he walked away. His hands were bound behind his back, so it was a struggle for him to stand, but he managed. L'Aquila took a deep breath and stared out of the small, barred window. He could see the two constellations above him, the eagle and the swan. Him and Ginevra.

At the thought of her, he cursed aloud, damning himself for falling for her. For so long, he had thought her allegiance was with the Brotherhood and his feelings were justified. But knowing that she had double crossed them, every smile he had in her presence, every heartbeat that quickened when he saw her, it felt wrong. Now, all that was left, was pain. She'd been playing him for a fool.

How could she do this? He thought, kicking the wall. What did the Templars have for her? What couldn't the Brotherhood offer? Did he mean nothing to her?

"Luca?" A voice whispered and L'Aquila growled.

"If you have any sanity, you will leave right this second." He snarled quietly, turning his head towards the figure standing at the cell door.

"You need to listen-" Ginevra pleaded but she was cut off.

"No, there's nothing to listen to. I had a feeling that the Templars had a spy, and God knows I wish it wasn't you, but here we are, you the spy and me locked up, waiting for my execution in the morning."

"I'm not the spy!" Ginevra cried, gripping the bars. After being locked in the cloak room, she had used her skills by picking the door and stealing a cloak, disguising herself as she left the mansion, almost turning invisible when stealing past the guards to get to the prison. She knew they would kill him and she had to break him out, no matter how much he hated her.

"Of course you are!"

"I'm not!" Ginevra insisted, pulling pins from her hair as she started to work on the door. "Dante told me there was someone working for him, among the Brotherhood. They told him I'd been stealing the documents, that you would be at the ball tonight! Luca-"

"Don't call me that." He growled.

"L'Aquila," she corrected, brushing her hair out of her eyes, now loose that the pins were out. "You have to believe me. Please."

"How can I!" He cried. "The only three that knew that I would be there tonight was me, you-"

"And me." Said a voice, approaching from the shadows.

"Il Serpente?" Ginevra spun and dropped the pins, kicking them under the door, her surprise masking its sound.

She smiled, pulling her brown hood back as she approached them.

"You?!" L'Aquila's voice nearly broke. "You're the traitor?!" This much betrayal could not be good for a man.

"Sì."

"Why?"

"You want the full story?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I think I deserve that much."

She sighed.

"I suppose it started with sibling rivalry. You were the favourite. You were the gifted one who was destined to become the Master Assassin while I became the Master Thief, after years of Assassin training, just to give you a place."

"Is being the Master Thief not good enough for you?" L'Aquila scoffed, trying to hide his pain.

"Simply enough, no. But that's not the point. Too late did I discover the aims of the Templars. I was already the Master Thief before I found that they strived for peace, for order, everything that the Brotherhood didn't have. So, I joined them the only way I could, through treachery. And it proved surprisingly easy."

"What about me, your brother?"

"I wanted you to join me, but you would never understand. And you being the leader of all the Assassins across Rome, I could hardly take that risk to ask you. I must admit, it's a shame it has to end this way but the Templars need control of all of Rome if they are to succeed. We can't have you getting in the way."

L'Aquila squeezed his eyes shut, as if to blank out all of her words. His own sister, whom he had loved, had betrayed him, sentenced him to death and sided with the enemy. Not only that, but he was lead to believe it was Ginevra. Those harsh words he had said to her, he didn't mean it...

"So I joined with Dante," she continued. "And I've told him all about your little exploits." Il Serpente gave a wicked smile in Ginevra's direction.

"Why did you need me then?" She asked, stepping away from the dangerous woman.

"I needed a scape goat, in case I was discovered. And evidently, it's proved useful." She said, snatching Ginevra's arm.

"What are you going to do?" Ginevra winced as she was pulled away from the cell.

"I'm going to do nothing. But all the Assassins across Roma will be most upset that their beloved leader has been captured, and they're going to have to take it out on somebody." Il Serpente smirked. "Told you that you'd be useful."

"Wait!" L'Aquila cried and his sister stopped.

"Sì, dear brother?"

"You told me she was an Auditore, the bloodline of Ezio, the previous Master Assassin. Does that mean nothing to you?"

She tilted her head.

"Well, the Auditores do have the worst luck." She said and dragged the girl away, the Master Assassin screaming in their wake.