Chapter 28 ~ What a Tangled Web We Weave

 My eyes began to flutter open as I felt the plane begin to descend. “Good Morning Sleeping Beauty.” Alec said sarcastically.

I just gave him a roll of the eyes and sat up straight. Moriana was in the same exact position I left her in. I heard a voice from the cockpit, “When we land we will be met.” 

Alec stood up and walked into the cockpit, Moriana moved slightly simply grabbing her dress up exposing only a small bit of her leg. It was scorched beyond belief. I tried not to think anything of it but when she looked at me quickly I knew she had known I saw it. 

So many strange things I have experienced in such a short time. I wished I understood more. When Alec came back he was carrying shackles. He walked toward me. “What the hell do you think you are doing with those?”

 

He took my arm, “What’s the matter princess, you prefer gold?”

“Get the fuck away from me; I am not putting those on.”

He just sighed tossing the shackles to Moriana, “She is your daughter you deal with her.”

It seemed weird how he didn’t fear her as he should have, Moriana jumped when the shackles fell on her lap, just nodded and took them over to me. “Isabella, please just put them on.” 

“Do you think because you said please that I would just say OK?”

She put her fingers to the bridge of her nose; she was full of stress it was like a balloon with too much air, just one strong breeze and, POP! “Why do I need to be shackled?”

She sat back, tossed the shackles to me, “They are scared of you, those are laced with Gypsy dust, you won’t be able to break free of them.”

Jane turned to us, “Moriana, is there a reason you would tell her that?”

Moriana just waved her off, “They can’t tie up your mind Isabella, so just make them happy and do it.”

It felt almost pointless to argue, the whole situation seemed idiotic, so I grabbed the cuffs and put them on, “There, happy?”

She shook her head and returned to her seat. When the Plane touched down I could see what looked like over a hundred figures in perfectly straight lines, still as statues. “Who are they?”

“Everyone,” Jane said as she got up and opened the doors. Alec quickly got out and walked to one of two figures draped in a long black robe. Jane then followed suit.  Moriana turned to me, offered her hand to me.

“It is time my dear.” I hesitantly took her hand, unsure why I would bother, but oddly I didn’t feel safe otherwise.  The shackles were dreadfully loud, we slowly went down the steps of the plane, I looked over the figures, the general sense was terror, I looked at Moriana, and she just nodded and whispered, “They are afraid of what they do not understand.”

We stopped a few feet from the figures in black; they took down their hoods, and before me stood Caius and Marcus. Two of the men I wanted to kill most in this world. “Greetings Isabella, it is so good of you to finally accept your fate.” Caius said with a huge amount of cockiness. 

I glared, “Just the shackles are magical Caius, I can still use my mind.”

He smirked, pleased with my response, “Then by all means, go ahead, light me on fire, turn me to ash, I beg of you Isabella.”

I was so confused, “Are you suicidal?”

He began laughing, “On the contrary, I am enamored by life, I can’t wait to have even more than I do now, but do you think I would bring you here and not take precautions?” 

My eyes surveyed the area, I took in all the figures, I looked at Moriana, and her eyes were downward, absent any eye contact. “Moriana?”

She didn’t look up, she didn’t even speak, I turned to Caius, “What is going on here?”

“Let us get you inside, we have a rather delicious meal planned and then we can discuss the future Isabella and then your questions shall be answered.”

Two lines of guards guided me inside, down the familiar corridors to a circular room. I had never seen this place. I figured it was built after I had left. A large banquet table was in the middle of the room. The walls and the floor were made of marble. There were no windows just the table, chairs and an extravagant chandelier.  “A new addition I see?”

Caius simply nodded once and took his seat at the head of the table, and gestured to the chair next to his. “Do have a seat Isabella.”

I wasn’t sure why he acted like I had a choice but I went as if it was my decision.  Moriana sat across from me, Marcus at the other end of the table. Alec was beside me and Jane sat beside Moriana. There were two empty seats. “Are we expecting more company?” I asked.

Marcus let out an exasperated sigh and waved to one of the servants. “Bring in the food.” She bowed slightly and exited the room.

“Are we not talking? I know you said I would get some answers.” I was using a forceful tone, but it was useless.

I stood up, “ If I am not going to get any answers then I am not staying in this room, just take me to whatever dungeon or whatever you have made for me and let’s get this over with!” 

Caius eyed my stance, took a quick look at Marcus and tapped the table. “Sit down.”

“Not until I understand this strangeness.” 

Caius rose, looked me dead in the eyes, “I said sit down!” 

My body slammed into the chair against my will. I shot a look at Moriana, but she just shook her head at me, as if to tell me it was not her doing. “How the hell did you do that?”

Caius smiled and sat back down, “Precautions, like I had stated earlier.” 

Eight servants entered each holding silver platters. They placed them on the tables in front of each seat.  In unison they lifted the silver domes. Part of me was nervous at what food there would be. But there was just a challis filled with blood.  I heard Alec chuckle, “What did you think there would be severed baby heads?”

“Oh please nothing you all would do would surprise me.”

With that I heard the doors from behind my chair open, Moriana’s gaze lifted to the sounds, and then it was in her face that I saw, the joy and the fear. I slowly turned my head. My heart almost leapt out of my chest. Right there before me stood the two people I never thought I would see. Until I heard the voice I was almost uncertain of what I was seeing. “Hello my daughter.”

My words were strangled in my throat I stared at the woman that my mother continually warned me about, Alice. Beside her confidently stood my father, “ Aro?”