✧

Mia's left completely speechless at the sight in front.

The castle reminds her of museums with its architectural style and tan coloring. Pillars run down from the ground all the way up, but stop before reaching the dome shaped ceiling. Toward the back, a set of steps hold three chairs that resemble a king's throne. Sitting down are the three leaders of the Volturi, each of their expressions reflecting their different personas, but the one in the middle seems to be the most unnerving one.

With his smile and bloodthirsty eyes, it's undeniable how much he's trying to maintain a facade of being friendly just to obtain trust. The others are only glaring at them stoically, not bothering to follow their leader's attempts of deception.

"Sister. They send you out to get one and you bring back two," one of the guards greets Jane, but senses the lack of vampirism in Mia. "And a half. Such a clever girl."

"What a happy surprise!" The vampire with a wide smile and dark hair addresses them and walks in their direction with open arms. "Mia is alive after all. Isn't that wonderful? I love a happy ending. They are so rare."

Mia gasps in fear once he reaches for Edward's hand. From the story he told her about the Volturi, she knows how horrible they truly are. If every vampire fears them, it's obvious their methods of ruling are the most gruesome and unjust.

Sensing her unease, Edward glances toward her and offers a nod of reassurance, letting her know nothing is wrong and she shouldn't have to worry. Still, she remains cautious and despite knowing it will only weaken her, she runs through every possible spell that could protect them. It might give her more enemies, but it's not anything new anyway.

Aro gasps in delight and looks toward her with amazement, "Fascinating. She is remarkably talented and a powerful witch."

She narrows her eyes, wondering how he learned about her gift.

"Aro can read every thought I've ever had with one touch," Edward explains and Mia internally curses at what this means. His earlier attempt to expose vampires' existence to the humans is already known and this meeting is about to become a possible war zone. "And now you know everything. So get on with it."

Aro gives a small smirk, "You are quite the soul reader yourself, Edward. Though, you can't read Mia's thoughts because of her magic. Fascinating." He takes a couple steps back, his gaze continuously switching between them, "Like her, you once were a bearer of these powers, which is how you acquired your gift. Your past memories have returned, so I can see why this connection between you two is strong."

Past memories?

Edward never told her about getting his memories back. She had offered to open her mind and let him see what he used to be like, but he always denied as he claimed he wanted to live in the present and not dwell on the past. Did he get his memories back when he left or before?

"I would love to see if you are an exception to my gifts, as well," Aro holds his hand out, the friendliness in his eyes disappearing and expressing her lack of choice. "Would you do me the honor?"

Mia approaches him, knowing it's of no use denying when he's bound to acquire what he wants. She's never opened her mind to anyone before, but she's willing to do so just this time with only the thoughts she wants him to see. Anything about Bella, Jackson, or the pack, he won't know about. They will be her secret to keep.

His cold hand meets hers and his eyes stare ahead as he runs through her thoughts. Starting with her reason for moving to Forks, meeting Edward, the van accident, Dimitri's visits, James' attack, and so on. Admiration courses through his face as he sees her performing magic and how happy she and Edward used to be, but his fascinated smile fades once seeing the months after his departure.

"Interesting," Aro releases her hand and stares at her with intrigue. "You are quite extraordinary, Mia. At such a young age, you are one of the most powerful witches to exist. You have faced countless attacks and have survived each of them. How exceptional."

She remains quiet.

Aro turns back and paces toward the middle, "It's truly a shame that you lost your powers to the curse."

Edward looks toward her in concern, afraid of what more this curse can do besides taking her magic. He knows she won't tell him what happened these past few months, so he focuses on Aro's thoughts for answers. It's then when he learns about the attack on Halloween. How she was ambushed by death eaters, who placed a curse on her to take her magic every time she used it. Her power disappeared when Laurent attacked, because he came due to... Victoria.

God, how could he have been such a fool? How could he have left her without considering that Victoria would go after her and not him anymore?

He continues reading Aro's mind, his fears and worries intensifying when learning about her father's visits and how she's struggled to separate what's real and what's not. She has been tormented by Dimitri all this time and having left her had been his most grave mistake. Instead of abandoning her, he should have stayed and been there to protect her.

"It hasn't been easy," Mia glares at Edward so heavily, blaming him for being the cause of everything.

"Using the few magic you have left is weakening you, isn't it?" Aro narrows his eyes at her, his question sounding like he already knows the answer.

Once again, she doesn't say anything. He's already aware of her predicament and confirming it out loud sounds more like a mock, as if he wants her to hear how weak she's become and how she has no chance of defending herself against them.

Aro tilts his head at her, "From the looks of it, you are unaware of the true meaning of this curse."

Mia wonders what Aro means by this. The only knowledge she has is that this curse was created to take her power away when she uses it. She never considered there was a possibility there could be some hidden truth behind it, but then again, what if he's lying?

"Ahh, you have been kept from the truth," Aro holds his hands together, the ghost of a smile tracing his lips. "I would like to help you, Mia. If you stay with us, we could help you reach your full potential and you will finally be given the answers you seek."

"No," Edward pushes her behind him and impulsively heads to Aro with means to attack. Knowing how much Aro loves exploiting witches, letting Mia stay with him would only make everything worse as she would be controlled and forced into doing their bidding.

"Pain," Jane declares, her duty in protecting her leaders causing her to use her power on Edward. She smiles when he becomes paralyzed and groans of agony escape him.

Mia's eyes widen as she witnesses him experiencing the worst pain imaginable, "Stop!" She tries reaching him, but Alec prevents her from getting within a foot of him. His cold arms hold her captive and no matter how much she begs Jane to stop, she's ignored as if she weren't present. "Please stop!" Nothing she says matters. She's simply human and a powerless witch dying by the minute. She doesn't have a chance against these vampires, but it doesn't mean she's not going to try.

Edward's painful groans fill her ears, adding to her wave of panic and heartbreak. Seeing him in this much agony makes her forget everything he put her through. The betrayal, the anger, the resentment, none of those things matter. Like the promise they made to each other months ago, they would keep each other safe for as long as they live.

Mia glares at Jane and focuses on the one spell that will reciprocate the torture she's giving him. She's casted it before and only one time has meant it. Now, she means it more than anything and cherishes it. With a low yet powerful voice, she says, "Crucio."

Jane's smile disappears and painful screams emerge. The most agonizing feeling ricochets through her system, causing her to crumble to the ground and writhe uncontrollably. Her red eyes, once full of enjoyment, were now covered with sheer terror.

Aro and the rest of the guards stare in alarm and realize this is linked to Mia. Before Alec can attempt hurting her, she extends her arms and releases a surge of power. Jane and Alec are slammed against the walls and held captive like she once was. She can feel her magic start to claw at her and the blood from her nose fall, but it doesn't stop her from continuing. Jane caused Edward pain and Alec was preventing her from reaching him. It's the least they deserve.

Edward recovers from the pain and wastes no time in reaching her. He can see how much her magic is hurting her and knowing how stubborn she is, he knows she's not willing to stop for anything. "Mia, stop. You can let them go now."

Mia glares at Jane so heavily and returns the same smile she had given Edward while torturing him. Her brave yet reckless behavior impresses Aro, who laughs maniacally and applauds her. She maintains the curse on Jane for a few more seconds before dropping her and Alec to the ground, making the pair exchange angered yet troubled looks.

"Remarkable!" Aro's smile is unnerving as he stares with admiration at the pair. "You used your magic to protect him knowing it would hurt you. Your souls call for the other and in spite of anything, you are willing to give yourselves without worry of the consequences. How beautiful!"

Mia falls against Edward's chest. Using her powers weakened her and as much as she wants to create distance between them, she no longer has the strength to do so. She makes sure to keep her expression neutral as she knows the Volturi will use it against her. If she needs to use her magic, she will gladly do so without a second thought, but she just needs to remain afloat just a little longer.

"But what shall we do with you now?" Aro admires her loyalty, but having used her powers against his coven leaves him questioning on whether or not keeping her alive is the proper thing.

From behind him, Marcus speaks up, "You already know what you're going to do, Aro."

"She went against us," Caius adds more fuel to the fire, his voice and expression remaining stoic despite the disdain in his eyes. "If we do not take care of the issue, she will become a liability."

The Volturi love witches in a way a child loves a toy for their abilities. To them, witches are meant to serve a higher power. Vampires are considered to be at the top of the supernatural food chain while the rest are far below. The Volturi view themselves as their God and like all followers are meant to follow His word, the Volturi expect the same. If a witch dares defy their orders, they're discarded without remorse. Having witnessed Mia attack two of their own, it unsettles them knowing they have a defiant witch in front.

"That's true," Aro sighs in disappointment before glancing at one of his guards. "Felix."

Edward's eyes widen in panic as he pushes Mia behind him. She looks back and is faced by the sight of him tackling Felix to the ground, his impact creating a large crack on the marble ground and momentarily shocking the other vampire.

Alice storms toward her brother to help him, but is prevented from reaching him when Demetri grasps onto her throat and holds her captive. Felix growls as he shoves Edward to the opposite side, sending him crashing to the floor and damaging his exterior. He pins him to the ground and relishes at the sight of the fallen vampire before looking away and heading towards Mia.

Extending her hand forward, Mia twists her fingers as if she were grasping onto Felix's throat. His eyes widen at the suffocating sensation keeping him paralyzed and waiting like a lamb up for slaughter. With her other hand, she gestures toward her and drags him closer. Her hands shake as she protrudes her power, causing him to gasp for air and attempt to reach her to stop the spell.

Jane and Alec dash to her, but she's able to sense their attack in an instant. She glares at them, but maintains Felix trapped, and paralyzes the pair before throwing them against the pillars. Edward springs up and regains control of Felix by tackling him to the ground, but Felix manages to throw him near a stone bench. Before Edward is able to dodge the attack, the bench is shattered into him and Felix raises him in the air by the throat.

Mia tries offering Edward help, but the sudden feeling of pain expanding throughout her body sends her falling to the ground. From the opposite side, Jane has acquired the upper hand by using her gift against her, but the lingering effect of the torture curse has diminished her strength. Mia takes advantage of her momentary weakness and sends the remaining shards of the bench against her, forming the smallest cracks to appear on her porcelain skin.

Edward and Felix continue tackling the other. Their movements resemble an intricate dance, each of them managing to acquire control of the other in turns. Despite how much larger and stronger Felix is, Edward is able to put up a fight and prevent him from reaching Mia. However, he's running high with emotions and the need to keep her safe that his fighting strategies start failing, resulting in Felix acquiring ahold of his throat once more and leading him to slam Edward against the steps in front of the Volturi.

Mia's focus disappears when seeing Felix place Edward on his knees and raise his jaw to rip his head off. Consumed with fear, she uses the last remaining of her strength to ignite the worst possible pain that would resemble his insides starting to boil. Felix loosens his hold on him and falls to the ground, glaring at her so intensely but also begging her to stop.

Edward stands in front of her protectively, "Stay the hell away from her."

Aro watches Felix writhe in agony before asking her to stop with his hand. It's only when she cuts the spell short when he finally turns to the pair. Slowly, he walks down the set of steps in their direction, his gaze setting strictly on her with amazement. "How extraordinary. Your magic is destroying you and you are willing to give up your life for someone like us."

Mia holds onto Edward's arm for stability and tries ignoring the intense headache, but this pain has become worse. She no longer can pretend the curse isn't killing her and Aro is well aware of it.

"Seeing how strong you are in spite of this makes me willing to offer you my help," Aro's sentence takes them by surprise, even his court, who exchange confused looks as to why their leader is willing to pardon her after what occurred. "It would be a shame losing a powerful witch to something that can be easily remedied."

"How?" Mia questions, wondering if he's telling the truth or not. She knows better than to trust his word, but she has nothing left to lose. Either way, she's dying. If he has the answers that will save her, she's willing to take a leap of faith if it means there's a chance she can survive.

"When I held your hand, I felt as if the curse were a part of me," Aro begins explaining. "You see, this curse isn't new. It's only known by the most powerful and purposely kept from the world. My dear Mia, it is not meant to take your power, but it's meant to transfer it to another."

Edward reads into his mind and is surprised to learn that he's telling the truth. Aro has faced this curse before and was able to help a witch, but it didn't prevent him from discarding her once they decided on leaving the coven. He worries that offering this solution will put Mia in his debt and knowing how much she hates leaving loose ends, he's aware she will pay her debt to him in some way.

"So that means that I'm linked to someone," Mia states and Aro nods.

He walks closer to her and Edward continues to shield her protectively. Aro softly smirks at his resilience before looking back at her, "You are bonded to the person that has haunted your dreams and brought you to the darkness."

Dimitri Grey.

He's the person that's used her dreams to torment her and has fractured her mind. Her father is the one that insists on dragging her to the darkness and wants to shape her into a version of him.

"To unlink yourself, you must offer what connects you to him," Aro glances down at her wrist and Edward automatically shakes his head when learning what he's referring to.

"Her blood. That's what you want," Edward checks his mind to ensure he's continuing to be honest and he's shocked that he is. Offering her blood is a way to unlink her from her father, seeing as they're biologically connected.

"Precisely," Aro glances past his shoulder to one of the guards, who hands him a blade with a red handle that has the Volturi's crest imprinted on it. "A blood offering must be done while reciting the curse." He's aware she doesn't have the words, but luckily for her, Alec hands him the scripture from one of the most powerful books.

The Book of the Damned – a relic so ancient that has been around for centuries. During their rise to power, the Volturi encountered a group of witches who were loyal to vampires from the Romanian Coven. Despite their large numbers, the Volturi weren't satisfied knowing their rivals had such power at their hands. Having witches on their side would prevent their descent, which is the reason why they attacked the Romanians and stole the book.

With ancient magic, the Volturi became the most feared coven. The few witches they held captive were forced into doing their bidding, which is when the curse became known. To prevent dark forces from controlling a witch, this curse was placed on them as a way to transfer their power to the closest relative. That way, the most abominable acts would be prevented and the good would triumph over evil.

However, the Volturi utilized it for control. If a witch dared defy their orders, the curse would be placed as a punishment. Slowly, the guilty party would begin losing their strength while the other acquires it. Once all the power was transferred, the Volturi would discard both witches to prevent their potency from taking over their rule.

The Book of the Damned has remained in Italy for centuries and it isn't until now that it's spoken of again.

"Should I do the honors?" Aro caresses the sharp edge, glancing in between the weapon and her.

Mia approaches him and takes the blade into her hand. Her ticket to survival is at her fingertips, and yet, she can't prevent being terrified. Having her magic back has been the one thing she's wanted for so long, but it frightens her knowing it would make her more susceptible to becoming a dark witch. In her heart, she knows she's not capable of becoming one, but she's terrified of being forced into it.

"Mia, are you sure about this?" Edward whispers to her, holding onto her shoulder to keep her steady.

"I need to be whole again," she tells him. "You should probably stay away."

He refuses, "Not a chance."

Mia closes her eyes for a brief moment before the sharp edge runs down her wrist. Blood pours mercilessly as if a faucet had been opened. The vampires hold their breath out of Aro's orders and glance away, only listening to the words being recited like a prayer. When the last word is said, she feels nothing for a second, but it isn't until feeling a large pressure in her chest that she starts regaining the strength she had lost.

The link between her and Dimitri starts deteriorating. She can feel the chains holding them together start to break. Her headache disappears, her fever lowers until it's gone, the pain in her body is no longer present, and the weakness this bond gave her leaves her system. She trembles at the intense force, her head leaning back and her hands falling to the side as the blood continues pouring.

Edward notices the paleness of her skin and the purple under her eyes vanishing. Her body temperature returns to normal and when she opens her eyes, a golden light shines in them as if the sun had become trapped. Soon, her hazel eyes return and it's then when he realizes this worked. She unliked herself from her father and has regained her full strength and magic back.

The wounds on her wrists disappear once her powers fully return. She gasps, shocked and relieved this wasn't a trick and she's now returned to the witch she used to be. She will no longer be tormented by her father. Nothing will connect her to him and despite continuing to be afraid of becoming like him, Mia decides on not letting her fears control her anymore.

Aro smiles with joy, "I hope you know the kindness I offered won't be one that I'll forget. You owe your life to me."

Mia clenches her jaw and is tempted to lash out on him. She considers him a fool for going against her after she regained her full powers. If she had been able to fight three of his guards weakened, he should know better than to underestimate her now. "I appreciate your help, but just because you granted me this kindness, it does not mean I will be at your service."

Caius rises from his seat and jabs a finger in her direction, "Your loyalty belongs to us. Remember, we have the power to control you-"

Mia wields her hand in his direction and uses her power to sit him down, "And I have my full power to control you. Please, gentlemen, let's not start a war you will lose."

Edward watches her with amazement. He's missed seeing her fearlessness and bravery. These months without her were the most agonizing that he can't imagine staying away from her anymore. Even if it takes the rest of his life, he will plead for forgiveness and show her how much he loves her.

Always and forever.

While the rest of the guards are ready to attack, Aro simply watches her with interest. He knows she can become a liability in the future, but he loves a good challenge and Mia Grey would be the person to grant him that. "Your powers will make for an intriguing immortal one day. I trust you two will make your preparations for it."

Mia has no desire to become a vampire. She was born a witch and intends to die a witch. Becoming immortal sounds like an endless nightmare as she can't imagine seeing her loved ones die while she remains frozen in time. She used to consider becoming one when she and Edward were together, but things are different now. Surrendering her mortality is the last thing she will ever do, so hearing Aro demand this change to occur, it leaves a bitter taste on her tongue.

"How can we trust they will go through with it?" Caius argues, still resentful over their coven having been attacked and Aro deciding on not giving any repercussions.

Aro sighs heavily, "That is a fair question."

"Mia will be one of us!" Alice suddenly calls out, making everyone turn her and wait for further explanation. "I've seen it."

Aro extends his hand, prompting Demetri to release her and allow her to approach his leader. He takes Alice's hand and looks into her mind, soon witnessing the bewitching sight of an immortal Mia sitting in a meadow with Edward embracing her. Both of them are laughing and enjoying their freedom as the sun surrounds them in its warmth. Their crystallized skin becomes noticeable just like her bright golden eyes, revealing vampirism will make its way into her future.

"How mesmerizing," Aro breathes out, amazed at the sight. "To see what you have seen before it has happened." He walks toward Mia and gently raises her chin to stare into her eyes, "Your magic will make you the most gifted immortal, Katerina."

Mia internally winces when he addresses her by her middle name. She takes a step back from him and avoids his unnerving stare.

"Go now. Make your preparations," Aro orders, excited over having someone as powerful as her soon becoming an immortal.

"Let us be done with this," Marcus demands and rises from his seat. "Heidi will arrive any moment. Thank you for your visit."

"We will return the favor," Caius threatens. "I would advise that you follow through on your promise soon. We do not offer second chances."

Edward holds Mia's hand and she doesn't refuse this time. She just wants to leave this place and return home. With everything that's happened, she now feels it's time to head back to London. Her magic is back and there's nothing holding her back anymore. The thing is, how she will tell her mother and say goodbye to her friends, that she doesn't know.

"Goodbye, my young friends," Aro returns to his deceptive friendliness and Mia looks back at him one last time, their gazes lingering a little longer as an indication that this won't be the last time they see each other. Whether she's still human or not, a challenge will be offered and only one will come out unscathed.

Demetri leads them out toward the exit, a group of tourists and an attractive vampire walking by. "Nice fishing, Heidi."

Heidi strides with elegance and smiles with pride, "Yes, they do look rather juicy."

"Save some for me," he whispers and acquires a whiff of the tourists passing by them completely oblivious to what's about to occur.

"This way, please," Heidi orders, her welcoming voice making them much more eager to continue. "Stay together."

Mia glances back past her shoulder, noticing a few children and older people approaching the doors they exited. She wants to warn them and protect them in every possible way, but Edward and Alice hold her back and prevent her from casting an attack.

The last thing she hears before the doors close is their loud screams.