Clairaudience / / F. Volturi

{29}

Lilith Swan

So much had happened by the time the snow arrived, Dorothea had greatly improved her shield breaking abilities, now able to easily break a shield for as long as she could concentrate. My shield too had developed, though not as easily. I could hold it briefly but it took great concentration, it was a surprise gift and a lot harder to develop than my clairaudience.

Felix and I had a tough choice to make, Aro expected us to join him at the trial, he made that clear in the letter he sent. But I can't ask Felix to betray his family, but I also couldn't just leave Rose, Emmett and Dorothea like they meant nothing. The trial would be tomorrow, and no one would rest well with the uncertain future ahead of us. The weight of the metal around my neck had never felt heavier.

Everyone was getting ready to spend the night in the woods near the clearing, the small covens cherishing each moment they had left together. Rose and Emmett came to join Felix and I as Emse and Alice fawned over Dorothea in her tent.

"Look we appreciate everything that you two have done for us, especially you Felix while you've been sent here and we have something to ask of you if that's okay?" Emmetts usually happy go lucky tone was unusually sombre and I've come to realise that it's something I don't like. Emmett is much better and more himself as a man-child. Nodding, we wanted to know what the couple wanted.

"At the trial tomorrow, if for whatever reason things go south we want you both to take Dorothea and run, it doesn't matter where or how far, just enough that she won't get involved in a fight, we know we can't ask you to leave or betray the Volturi, so maybe if you two just leave with her the results won't be as bad for you" Rose continued, venom tears that would never drop pooling in her eyes. She was nervously fiddling with her hands as she spoke and I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must have been for her, to finally have a child only to be threatened to have her killed.

"Of course we can, we'll keep her safe to the best of our ability" Felix replied, putting the pair at ease. Tomorrow couldn't come and slower.

The snow on the ground was thick and unending as we were all waiting for the Volturi. Felix, Rose Emmett, Dorothea and I were directly at the front of our group, the other Cullens were close behind us with the witnesses at the very back. Garrett's leg was shaking against the crunching snow as the nerves took over him.

"The red cloaks are coming, the red cloaks are coming" He teased trying to cheer himself up. However, his ramblings were interrupted by the Volturi finally arriving in the field, the three kings were at the front, with the elite guard close behind. The rest of the coven were filed out behind them. I could feel the trio next to me tense at the sight of Bella looking smug in the middle of the black cloaks, she was noticeable by her still golden eyes and white attire. But she was slowly brought forward as the accuser of the Cullens.

"Aro's looking for Felix, Lilith and Alice" Edward whispered from off to my left causing the already existing knots in my stomach to twist. As if feeling my unease Felix's arm around my waist tightened in comfort.

"Young Lilith, I must say immortality suits you" and I nodded my head with a smile to politely thank him for his compliment. Aro turned to us before sweeping his arms to invite us over to the Volturi, taking one last look at Emmett and Rose, with a quick nod of affirmation of our plan, we made our way over, joining Demetri with the guard. Carlisle took it upon himself as the patriarch of the Cullens to step forward and greet Aro.

"Aro, let us discuss things as we used to, in a civilised manner" Carlisle began.

"Fair words Carlisle, but a little out of place given the battalion you've assembled against us" Aro was as controlled and as calm as ever.

"I can promise you, that was never my intent. No laws have been broken" The blonde patriarch continued, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"We see the child. Do not treat us as fools" Caius spat.

"She is not an immortal, these witnesses can attest to that, or you can look, see the flush of human blood in her cheeks" Carlisle almost sounded desperate in his reasoning.

"Artifice" Caius called.

"They are lying" Bella seethed, still trying to play the victim.

Aro held out his hand to silence that pair. "I will collect every facet of the truth, besides I only see one child present, we received Felix and Lilith's letter notifying us of Dorothea, now unless you wish to accuse my wards as lying about her status as a dhampir dear Isabella, I would like to gather information from someone more central to the story...Emmett, as the child clings to your mate, I would assume that you're involved" Preparing himself, Emmett soon walked over to the inky haired vampire offering his hand, surrendering his memories to the king.

"I'd like to meet her and Lilith if you wouldn't mind" Rose and Dorothea made their way over to Aro as did I, lowering my shield and allowing him to access my most of memories, I chose to shield particular ones. Aro's eyes slowly lit up in childlike glee, before turning his sights on the blondes now stood before him. "Well she is certainly a dhampir no mistake about that" he laughed with an almost childlike delight. "Would you mind my dear?" He lowered his voice as not to disturb Dorothea too much before extending his hand.

"How extraordinary, but now what is there to do about dear Isabella?" Aro questioned with false pitty, with her shield it was impossible to prove her guilty of anything, until now that is.

"But what if you could see her memories, and we could prove that Bella knew she wasn't an immortal child?" I asked, wanting this to be over. Aro tilted his head in question asking me to continue. "Dorothea's gift would allow you to see into Bella's mind, if you'll let her" Aro seemed excited at the possibility and summoned Bella forward. She struggled against the grip of Felix and Demetri, her newborn strength no match for my mate.

Aro Volturi

The vampire king was never one to turn down a display of someone's gift, especially not by someone so extraordinary. He quickly called the newborn to be brought over for questioning. Being held down by the guards with one of her hands held out by Felix, Dorothea turned to look at her, brows furrowed in concentration as she broke her shield. He quickly and with great interest took Bella's hand now having unrestrained access to her mind. A great many emotions flashed across his milky red eyes as he looked further and further into her plot. He saw everything.

Bella forcing her way into the Cullen's lives, Her trying to get turned by James and almost dying, her stunt with Victoria on the mountain, every argument that she had with Lilith. Then and more prominently he saw her prying about immortal children and her petty, self-entitled thoughts, how she would traitor the Cullens, and more importantly how she would accuse Felix and Lilith of knowingly helping the Cullen's create an immortal child. However, one thing that Bella didn't consider was how quickly the child would grow.

Although in her memories Dorothea looked around five years old, now she looked around twelve, unfortunately, she didn't have a plan for them getting into her mind despite the incident in the living room.

What a foolish girl she was.

He spoke his next few words with such unabashed confidence "So it is treason then"

Thank you for reading~

This book isn't too far from being over now, and although I would like to write more Felix content in the future and I definitely will. I have two story ideas that I am fleshing out a bit more, one for Jasper and one for Caius, which would you like to see next?