Chapter Twenty One
Aro
I knew there was something going on between Marcus and Edward so I'd tasked Felix with watching them both. I knew he had his spies and his ways of getting information and I wanted to know what they were so busy talking about. Caius was unhappy too, "Marcus is planning something brother and I feel we should be confronting him about it." I nodded, "Yes Caius, but we must have patience. We need to know what he is doing before we ask him about it. I want to know how much he is prepared to lie." Caius wasn't happy but he agreed to keep his peace for now. I knew Marcus was unhappy with the way we were running things but Chelsea had kept him loyal until now at least. So, what had changed?. He was getting impatient with my way of working and I knew I'd have to act sooner or later.
Felix
I'd had to be very careful how I made my inquiries about Marcus, he was suspicious of everyone. I didn't want to go to Aro with only half a story but I was very concerned about what I'd already found out. Marcus was making preparations to go after the warrior and that meant danger for Bella too. I had to get a message to the Guardians before I did anything else. My biggest problem was Edward, he could read thoughts from a distance so I had to be incredibly careful only to think trivial things around him. Jane needed watching too in case she was going to be recruited by Marcus. So far, like me, she was just watching, I didn't know who for though. What Aro wanted to know above everything was why Marcus hated the warrior so much and that I still had to find out. I had finally managed to send my message to the Guardians and just hoped it would give them time to act. Then I found the story behind Marcus hatred, I could go to Aro now.
Aro
I waited impatiently for Felix, watching Edward and Jane talking. An unlikely pairing I thought but they were becoming firm friends. He had finally given in to his true nature and fed on human blood and I knew the anguish this had caused him at first was being eased with her help. My little firebrand had found a soul mate. I turned at his footsteps. "Felix, walk with me" I commanded as I led the way out of the audience chamber and along deserted corridors to a small room I kept as a private area. "Well, what have you learned my friend?" As Felix began to speak I realized things were even more advanced than I had imagined. He wasn't going to wait even the six months I'd given Bella for her transformation. He had heard about their marriage and was going to act within the month.
Felix.
I explained that Marcus intended to kill the warrior and his mate in revenge for a deed he had only recently learned about. I had found one of the human servants willing to spy on his master. Well perhaps willing was too generous a word, it was a case of spy or die and he'd chosen the former. Since Edwards arrival here he had been monitoring everyone's thoughts for Aro, or at least that was the plan. But Edward found out something very interesting that he took to Marcus. He had discovered that Aro was responsible for the murder of Marcus wife Didyme, in order to keep Marcus loyal to him. Marcus was beyond fury and determined to lead a rebellion against Aro, starting with undermining his authority. Aro had spared Bella, Jasper and the other Cullen's so Marcus would destroy them all very publicly leading to suspicion and probably encouraging the Romanian's to rise up again. There would be open warfare in the vampire world.
Aro
This was more serious than I had thought, I'd allowed the couple to leave and given them my protection provided they kept to their word, which it seems they were doing. I couldn't condone Marcus going against my decisions, we had to stand together or we would lose our power. There had to be a way to stop his plans without revealing what I knew. I needed Marcus on my side but I would destroy him before allowing him to destroy all I had built. I decided I needed to talk to Edward so Felix was sent to request he join me before our council meeting later in the day. If he refused then I would have to act immediately. When he returned Felix had Edward with him, I knew I would need to speak to dear Jane too at some point. "Edward. How have you settled in here? I hope you are finding your way around." He nodded to me but his eyes were wary, he knew I was hiding something from him and that made him nervous. "What are you working on at the moment?" I'd give him a chance to admit his part in Marcus plans before calling him an enemy. He shook his head, "Nothing really. I spend most of my time in the library learning the history of the Volturi." "Really?" And have you made any friends here?" He hesitated before answering this question. "I've talked to Jane. Also Marcus has been giving me some lessons on the gifts our group have." I nodded, "Good. What do you see in your future Edward?" Again the hesitation, "Eventually I would like to live out in the world again, find a mate. The usual things we all crave." I nodded "Yes I see.. I hope you are seriously considering your future and how you are going to shape it. There are some things it would be unwise for you to be found doing Edward, I hope you realize that. Think carefully before you make any major decisions. It would be sad to see you standing before me again and I may not be able to save you next time." His eyes narrowed and I knew my message had got through, we would have to wait now to see which way he was going to jump.
Edward
When Felix told me that Aro wanted to talk to me I was worried, did he know about Marcus plan? Did he know I was involved? I soon had the answers to my questions. He knew and he was warning me off. My dilemma now was whether to tell Marcus of Aro's suspicions. Who was the more powerful and who offered me the most? I hated to admit it but Aro held the reins of power here in Volterra, he would ultimately decide whether I lived or died but Marcus was offering me a second chance with Bella. Marcus had sent me to talk to Jane as she had information about Bella. It appeared that she was with Jasper out of fear for what he might do if she tried to leave him, fear of being left human, fear for Charlie's safety if she repulsed the feared warrior.
Jane
I had passed on the lies about Bella and Jasper as Marcus had asked me to do although I didn't know why he wanted Edward to think he still had a chance with her. I considered telling Aro but I thought I needed more information first. Then I saw Felix take Edward off and knew that he had an audience with Aro. I wondered how much Aro knew of Marcus plans regarding Edward, if anything at all. I wasn't sure they'd pull it off but it was interesting to see them plotting together seemingly unaware of all the eyes watching them. I waited until Edward returned and casually ran into him. It was easy to get the truth out of him, Aro had warned him that he knew about Marcus plotting. The million dollar question was what would Aro do? And knowing that Aro was aware of his machinations what would Marcus do? Which way to jump? I had the same dilemma as Edward.