The night was still. It was still chilly, despite the warmer days, and I drew my coat tighter around myself. I crept down the cobblestone roads even while being safely concealed within the shadows, following the dim glow of streetlights in the distance.
"Can't believe the masters are making us wander around out here," said an unfamiliar voice. Just ahead I spotted two of the lower guard, dressed in plainclothes but clearly discernable by their red eyes.
"They didn't win two wars against the Romanians by hiding in the castle and pretending nothing was happening," his companion said. I held my breath, flattening myself against the wall as they passed within inches of me.
"Too true. Doesn't make this job any more exciting, though." Their voices faded as they continued walking down the street.
I continued my trek through the city, pace a little faster than before. I needed to get out of the city before I was discovered, and fast. I had already determined my best bet to get to the airstrip in time would be to hail a taxi, but with the late time - or early, as it was - I had to walk several blocks before I could stop one.
"Where to?" The driver asked gruffly.
"You know the private airstrip a little outside the city?" I asked.
He nodded. "Sure."
I buckled in and made sure to keep low in the seat; I couldn't use my shadows for concealment with the taxi driver in the front seat, so I kept my head ducked and hoped that I wouldn't be recognized by any of the guard currently prowling the streets of Volterra. I didn't let myself breathe a sigh of relief until we were well outside the walls of Volterra.
I checked my watch. 1:42. I leaned forward, knocking against the glass that separated me from the taxi driver. He slid it open. "Sorry to bother, but how much longer?"
"Ten minutes," he said gruffly, and slid the pane shut again.
Ten minutes. That was cutting it a little too close for comfort, but I wouldn't be late. The taxi slowed to a stop and I shoved one of the twenty-euro notes in his hand without waiting to hear the total. "Thanks. Keep the change."
I swung out and sprinted towards the aircraft hanger, ignoring the baffled look the taxi driver gave me before he drove away.
"I'm looking for the pilot Matteo," I said, out of breath, to the first person I came across.
"Scusi?" He asked in Italian. Right. I was in Italy. Not everyone here spoke English.
I was suddenly thankful for the many grueling hours of learning Italian I had spent with Santiago, who was a surprisingly difficult teacher. "Sto cercando il pilota Matteo," I repeated in Italian this time.
"Ah! Proprio laggiù. L'aereo con la striscia blu," he said, pointing towards a white plane with a light blue stripe cutting across the middle.
"Grazie," I said, jogging over to the plane he had pointed out. It wasn't nearly as lavish as the Volturi jet, but still large enough for a party of five or ten to travel comfortably.
"Ciao! You must be signora Rowan. I am Matteo, I will be your pilot. I am finishing checks on the plane. There is a restroom there if you wish to relieve yourself before we embark. I will be but a few more minutes," he said. He was probably in his forties and seemed unduly cheerful for being up at just before two in the morning.
"I will, grazie," I said. Matteo had finished his checks by the time I returned from the bathroom.
"The items you requested are already on the plane," he informed me, boarding the plane with me following shortly after. "This is a two hour flight, the estimated arrival time being 5:05 Romanian time."
Right, the time difference. Romania is an hour ahead of Italy. If I wanted to arrive at the Romanian stronghold while it was still dark, my five mile trek would need to be made at a quick pace.
"Thanks," I said. He nodded and left for the cockpit, leaving me alone. There was no co-pilot, it seemed, but the less people I interacted with on my way, the better. The kings would be on a warpath and I pitied those on whom they inflicted their wrath.
I felt the plane jolt as we began to move. I sat down, familiar enough with plane travel to know that I needed to buckle up until we were safely in the air. As if on cue, the 'Buckle Seatbelts' sign above the entrance to the cockpit turned on, neon like lights in a bar.
I texted Alice of my safe arrival before we lifted off and checked for any new messages. None. So far, no one knew I was missing. I turned the phone into airplane mode and rested my head against the seat as we began our ascent into the air.
This was it; there was no going back. I was going to Romania, for better or worse, in a last-ditch attempt to win the coming war for the sake of my mates, my coven, and the life I had built for myself.
For someone with a good sense of self-preservation, it was safe to say that I had finally lost my damned mind.
When it was safe to unbuckle my seatbelt, I stood and made my way over to the backpack that was sitting in the front row, rifling through it. A burner, a little non-perishable food, some water, and a change of clothes, just as I had asked. I used the plane's tiny restroom to change quickly, hoping that would be enough to rid me of the scent of vampire.
Then, I programmed numbers I thought I'd need into the burner: the kings, of course. Alice, Edward, and my parents. Some members of the guard: the twins, Demetri, Felix, Santiago, and Afton. I wondered if any of them had noticed that I was missing. It wasn't yet three. Afton still believed I was safe in Marcus' quarters and Marcus was too lost in himself to truly recognize my comings and goings.
With nothing left for me to do, I decided to stretch out and try to sleep for the rest of the flight, even though it was probably a pointless endeavor. I managed to snatch a few minutes' sleep here and there, but by the time Matteo's voice came over the speaker to inform me that we had changed time zones, I was filled with too much nervous energy.
This was a mistake. I was going to throw up. My skin crawled and I loathed being separated from my mates. Vulnerable. What the hell was I thinking?
"Touchdown in twenty minutes," Matteo said over the speakers. I carefully removed my Volturi crest, storing it with the burner in the waterproof bag that Alice had been wise enough to request. The burner and my crest would be hidden somewhere within the forest to be retrieved at a later date, after my change. The backpack and the rest of its contents would come with me on my five mile hike to the devil's lair.
The plane touched down with a slight bump, and I took a breath, forcing back nerves. I had to do this. It's the only way. Whatever it takes.
It was still dark when I left the plane. I took a minute to turn off airplane mode on my phone. There was only one message from Alice. I sent her a last text saying I had landed. I wouldn't tell her goodbye. I wouldn't let my last exchange with my sister be through text. I wiped my phone, shut it off, and snapped the SD card before tossing it in the trash. I wouldn't need it where I was going.
As Alice promised, there was a car waiting for me. The back door was open, and I climbed in.
"I was told to give you this," my driver said, and she handed me a sealed envelope as I shut the door.
"Thanks," I said. The car jolted into motion and I ripped open the envelope. Inside were a map and directions to the castle. Even though I had looked at the castle countless times on maps back in Volterra, I was thankful for the directions. If I were to arrive while it was still dark, guaranteeing my best chance of escape if things went sour, I couldn't afford to get lost.
I folded it up and slipped it in the inside pocket of the leather jacket that had been provided for me. Even though I wasn't hungry, I forced myself to nibble on a granola bar. I'd need my strength for the hike. I fiddled with my watch, inputting the correct time. The car slowed to a stop on an empty stretch of road at 5:32. I had a barely over an hour until sunrise.
I pulled out the directions Alice sent, thanked the driver, and climbed out of the car, securing the backpack on my shoulders before I set off into the woods.
Yeah, I had lost my damned mind.
Once I was out of view, I cloaked myself in shadows before moving forward. I after traveling what felt like a mile, I stopped to hide my burner and crest under the exposed roots of a tree. I carved a tiny 'X' above the hiding place just to ensure I could find it again.
I stood, dusted off my knees, and increased my pace. I reluctantly dropped the shadows concealing me after I hid my items. I needed as much of an edge over the Romanians as possible, and that meant ensuring they had no idea I possessed a gift.
I was glad the night was cool, keeping me from overheating. My quick pace ensured I didn't get cold despite the breeze. It was impossible to know how far I had gone, but I kept pace and in the same direction and hoped that I would, at some point, stumble upon the castle before sunrise.
As it turns out, I didn't have to worry about that.
"Well, well, well," came an oily voice behind me. There was a muffled thump, the distinct sound of feet hitting the forest floor. I turned around slowly. "What do we have here?"
He was short and wiry, with greasy, slicked back hair and red eyes that glinted maliciously in the moonlight that trickled through the trees. I swallowed. Guess I had been heading in the right direction after all.
"A itsy human hiker, out here all alone? Should be careful where you venture, little bird. You won't like what you find." He was before me in an instant, ice-cold finger trailing the curve of my cheek. I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to flinch.
"What's the matter, birdie? Cat got your tongue?" The last words curled out from his throat in a growl. "You shall make a lovely meal for me. There is never enough fresh blood around."
I found my voice. "I'm here to speak to the Romanians."
He stilled. "Now, how do you know about that?"
"I, um-" I swallowed again, heart racing. "My name is Rowan Cullen. I want to join your cause."
The vampire licked his lips, looking as if he was mulling over my statement. "Cullen… oh, very well. Perhaps your wish will be granted. But I hope not." He cackled. "We'll see."
He grabbed me and ran. I shut my eyes, nauseated by the sudden movement. It wasn't long before he dropped me again, and I stumbled to regain my footing.
"Wait here, birdie," he ordered, disappearing with a small blast of wind. He had deposited me in a grassy clearing. I rotated slowly. Behind me rose the Romanian castle, cold and foreboding. The hair on the back of my neck prickled, as if I was being watched, and I felt shadows swirling anxiously around my feet.
"My, my, Stefan. A Cullen. What an honor." They appeared so suddenly that I jumped, reacting instinctively to their unexpected appearance. "So jumpy. Antonio says you've come to join our cause."
Vladimir and Stefan were, in a word, unsettling. There was something distinctly ancient about them. Stefan grinned at me, his smile much too wide. "Well?"
"Yes," I said, willing my voice not to tremble. "My name is Rowan Cullen."
"Yes, we've heard of the Cullens. The animal drinkers. The pacifists." Vladimir said all of this with a sneer, prowling around me like a cat. "Why would you want to join us? Certainly your… family doesn't approve?"
"They don't know I'm here. I told them I was done hiding and ran off. The Volturi, they have my family living in fear of if I was discovered. I don't want them or anyone else to live in that fear," I said, inflicting determination and anger into my voice.
"Why didn't the Cullens just change you, then?" Stefan asked, sounding skeptical.
"They wanted me to have my own choice," I said. For good measure, I added, "This is my choice. To help end the Volturi once and for all."
"What an enigma you are, little Rowan Cullen," Vladimir said. I didn't like how my name rolled off his tongue. "What say you, Stefan?"
"Having a Cullen could be quite helpful," Stefan mused. "Your family, they have a seer, do they not? I suppose the seer would know of your death, should we decide to kill you. Perhaps it would be… wisest to allow you entry. With you on our side, who knows? The rest of the Cullens may be shortly to follow."
"There is, of course, one more test for any who wish to join our cause," Vladimir said. The two wove behind me, pushing me towards the entrance of the castle.
"Test?" I asked, my heart speeding up.
Stefan smiled again, though his teeth were bared as if in a snarl instead. "Yes. Of course, you have nothing to worry about, as long as your intentions are true…"
"Don't worry, it is painless." Vladimir rounded me as we entered the dimly lit castle, leading the way down halls that smelled of mildew and death.
Silently, I was panicking. I hadn't considered they may have someone to test the trueness of intentions. I was here to protect my coven. That much was true. It all depended on how much of my true intentions this vampire could read.
Another vampire stood outside two heavy, half-rotted wooden doors, and pushed them open when he saw our approach. Neither Vladimir nor Stefan as much as acknowledged his existence.
"Now, Rowan Cullen," Vladimir said, walking ahead to take a seat on his throne. Stefan did the same. I halted in the middle of the room, uncertain.
"Let us see what it is you are made of," Stefan finished, motioning with a hand.
One of the several vampires who lined the room stepped forward. He had been standing just before the thrones, as if guarding the previously empty seats.
"Tell us, Caesar," Vladimir said, speaking to the vampire who had stepped forward. The vampire's red eyes glimmered in the torchlight, his expression unreadable. "Tell us the intentions of Rowan Cullen."
Caesar stalked forward until he was only a few paces away from me. I wondered if the shadows cloaking my mind would prevent him from reading me. He caught my eye, tilting his head ever-so-slightly as he regarded me. Something flickered behind his eyes and his mouth tightened. He turned to the two Romanians seated haughtily on their thrones. I flexed my fingers, ready to call the shadows to me. In the dimness of the room it would be quite easy.
"Her intentions are true," Caesar spoke, his deep voice holding a peculiar accent that I could not place.
What?
"Good, good," Stefan said idly, waving his hand in clear dismissal. "Go, then. Prepare her for the turn."
"I wish to sire her," Caesar said.
Vladimir leaned forward. "Oh? And why would that be?"
"She intrigues me," he said.
Stefan leered. "If that's what you want. We care not. Go."
Caesar grabbed my arm none-too-gently and escorted me out of the Romanian throne room, away from the hungry eyes of Vladimir, Stefan, and the several other vampires that laid within. Caesar did not speak to me, simply leading me deeper within the bowels of the castle. We passed several vampires. Only one stopped, starting towards me as if to attack until Caesar gave a loud snarl, cowing the other vampire into submission.
Ahead I heard screaming, faintly echoing down the hall. Caesar must have sensed my unease, because he spoke, but what he said did nothing to allay my fears. "You did not think the change was painless, did you?"
I knew the change was painful, incredibly so, but I had never heard anything like the screams of pure agony that ripped through the throats of humans in the throes of the vampiric change.
Caesar towed me into a room that was long and rectangular, with a ceiling so low that he would have to duck if he was any taller. At the far end of the room, a fire roared. Metal bedframes lined the walls, many of which held humans in the midst of the change. They were shackled to the beds, their restraints keeping them in place despite their writhing.
"Tell me," he said finally, his voice low despite the loud screams of the people around us. I had to strain to hear him. "Is it some misguided sense of heroism that brings you to this place, or mere foolishness? For I cannot imagine any other reason for the queen of vampires to venture here."
⊱ ────── {.⋅ V ⋅.} ────── ⊰
So Rowan managed to escape Volterra and, with the help of Alice, make it to the Romanians. It was looking kind of iffy there, wasn't it? But it seems Caesar covered her... why do you think that is? What do you believe his intentions are? Let me know in the comments.
I know a lot of you were shooketh after the past chapter, but you all seem excited for Rowan's journey. I will note that Penance will be written exclusively in Rowan's POV, so I won't be switching back to show you mid-story the reaction of her disappearance back in Volterra. However, after Penance is completed, I will be releasing a yet-undetermined number of bonus chapters that will include the kings reacting to Rowan's disappearance. You'll just have to wait a bit before you see it. I felt like inserting a 3rd person POV shift mid-story, after writing everything to date in 1st, would be too jarring. So for the sake of my sanity and yours, the story will continue to be written in Rowan's POV and you will get 3rd POV bonus chapters at the end.
Kudos to all of you who reviewed last chapter! I really enjoyed reading your reactions to Rowan's decision to become a spy. Hopefully, everything will turn out alright... As always, here are some responses to your lovely reviews:
Guest: It is a major shock, isn't it! I know a couple people realized what was going to happen right before Rowan decided, but even they were still shocked. We haven't seen the former queens yet, but with Rowan's arrival to the Romanian castle, it's only a matter of time... and you were right, she'll be going through the change there rather than at Volterra. I'm totally on a roll and I'm so proud of myself! Social isolation doesn't exactly leave someone with a lot to do, and I've been feeling mega inspired, so I hope you've enjoyed 2 updates in 2 days! Thanks for your review!
Lady-Queen99: It is what I would like to refer to as a necessary evil. You were partly correct, Rowan did see some of the lower guard as she was leaving the city but they didn't see her. And Maxim in the castle, of course, who let her pass. Feel better knowing you're a far cry from the only one shocked by this. Sorry to rip her away from the kings, but as Rowan would say, "it's the only way".
interceptor1997: I'm so glad you enjoyed the past chapter! It was one of my favorites to write so far. Bringing Alice along would have been interesting but it would have taken too much time for her to get there, time that Rowan doesn't believe they have. I hope you enjoyed this update but I know it has done nothing to lessen the suspense. Thank you for reviewing!
That's all I have to say for right now, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please leave a review telling me what you think! Thank you all for reading and I hope you are staying safe and healthy. Catch you in the next update, folks!
Translations (don't yell at me if they're wrong, I used Google Translate):
Scusi - Pardon
Sto cercando il pilota Matteo - I'm looking for the pilot Matteo
Ah! Proprio laggiù. L'aereo a strisce blu. - Ah! Just down there. The plane with the blue stripe.
Grazie - Thanks
Signora - miss