Penance ↠ Volturi Kings {2} ✓

015

"Listen carefully, boy," Stefan said, his dangerous tone causing me to reluctantly pull my gaze away from Felix and towards Stefan, who even though not overly tall himself still towered over Hugo. "Your role is quite simple. When we give the signal, you light this scum on fire."

"What?" Hugo stammered, eyes wide. "I won't- you said I wouldn't have to kill anyone!"

"I lied," Stefan growled, grabbing his arm. "And he is the enemy. This is your assignment. You use your gift, no questions asked. Or else you will regret it."

Hugo's voice was a little more forceful this time. "No! I won't do it. I don't want to kill anyone."

"Foolish boy!" Stefan snarled and cast him aside. "Stay where you are, we'll deal with you later."

"Where is Caesar? I want him here for this," Vladimir said, looking down at Felix in disdain.

I felt like I was going to be sick. I couldn't just stand here and let Felix die. Even if it meant showing my hand to the enemy. Felix was my friend. The shadows swirled at my feet in the dim room, more than willing to act against the coven I loathed.

A hand closed around my upper arm and drew me back several paces into the crowd. Caesar murmured harshly in my ear. "Don't be a fool. You reveal yourself now and we all three die. There is nothing you can do. In the grand scheme he is nothing. This is what it means to be at war."

He released me and shouldered his way through the crowd. "I'm here, masters. Apologies for the wait, my duties took me elsewhere on the grounds and it took some time for Adrian to find me."

"Not to worry. Look at what we found." I pushed my way back to the front as Stefan seized Felix's crest and snapped it off his neck. "A Volturi guard, their most revered brute. There were two, but unfortunately this one held back our forces so that his companion could escape."

"Has a party been sent out after the second vampire?" Caesar asked.

Stefan waved a hand. "There's no point in it, he's long gone. No matter, however, as this one is more than enough to send a message."

"Though perhaps, Felix," Sulpicia purred, circling around him, "we would be willing to be more... lenient should you give more information about your new queen."

Felix snarled and surged against his captors despite Xander's gift stealing his sight. Athenodora tutted. "Now that's no way to act, is it? It's quite simple, Felix, really. Give us information and we let you live."

"Never," Felix snarled. "I will never betray my queen."

"She's just a human, Felix," Sulpicia said, scoffing. "Humans are nothing. Is she truly worth your life?"

"Yes," he replied instantly. "I would die for her. Without question. My loyalty is to the Volturi, but it is my choice to follow her, to trust her. To die for her."

"You're a fool, then. More of a fool than we thought," Vladimir spat, grabbing a torch off the wall. "Your death accomplishes nothing for your side. However, we appreciate your most noble sacrifice."

"It wasn't completely in vain," Felix said, eyes searching for me as if his sight hadn't been stolen. "We got your sensor."

"I hope it's worth the price you're paying for it," Stefan snarled.

Felix chuckled lowly. "Oh, it is. We will win. You will burn. Just how it was always meant to be. Everything will be okay."

"Shame you won't be around to see it," Vladimir jeered, motioning with a hand.