Diamond Legacies: Part 25

And so the story comes full circle. Thank you SO SO much for all the support on this story.

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Chicago, January 2227

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Eden Balev

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I stood in the room I knew so well. The room I played in as a child, learnt to dance in, learnt the basics of court and politics. The room that I felt safe in. The room where the walls would be lined with people there to protect me. The room I did my first double pirouette at eight years old.

Staring at me was my cousin. I didn’t necessarily call him my cousin, after all, he was two hundred years my elder. But by marriage he was. He was my uncle’s child, my grandfather’s grandson. He was Pancrazio Cullen. Leader and protector of the supernatural world and he was staring me down like I was no one more than a subject.

I suppose, technically at this moment, I was just that.

“Eden Balev, you have been called to the Volturi court to answer your crime of coercive disclosure of our kind to a human of influence without attending to the proper channels for such an admission. Do you accept this accusation?” He asked standing in front of his throne.

His eyes fell on Nicholas at my side, and I felt him squeeze my hand in response.

“Yes” I said, and I was surprised at how strong my voice sounded in response to him.

“Pancrazio” my mother’s voice radiated through the room before he could respond to my admission. The guard members stood to attention at her voice. She walked past me, her dark Volturi robe swaying in the wind of her movements.

“I’m sorry Ivana but I need answers. We need to fix this problem your daughter has created. Come join me on the stage” Zio said almost sweetly.

“Like hell I will. You want to trial my daughter? I will stand by her side. What the hell do you think you’re doing? She’s a Cullen. She’s your cousin. The grandchild of Carlisle!” my mother argued.

“She broke the rules. Cullen or not. They exist for a reason.” He responded to her. His eyes fell back to focus on myself and Nicholas.

“she’s in love” my mother said emphasising the word.

“With the most powerful man in the world. she must have known that” Asta spoke standing from her throne to join her grandfather at the front of the stage.

“He is not the kind of man we want knowing our secret. It’s dangerous. Far more dangerous than any other human.” He reasoned agreeing with his granddaughter.

“Why? What makes being the descendant of a cartoon artist a threat?” Ivana asked mockingly. My mother was playing Zio well, both she and I knew why. We had expected this, Nova had expected this too, but she wanted to hear him say it. She wanted him to lay it all out on the table so there was no miscommunication or misunderstanding. She wanted him to say it in front of the guard, in front of people who helped raise me, who loved me. She wanted to expose his distrust.

“One word from him and it’s on every press channel in the world. he has influence, he has money, he has power. His family name controls all of the world media. It could be all over the internet in seconds. His father is manipulative. His father is a mogul. That man can’t leave this building with the knowledge he has. I won’t allow it. I won’t risk it.” He ordered and I saw my mother flare in response. I felt Nicholas tense. I knew he was nothing like his father but all Zio knew was the small research he had done from the moment he found out who Nicholas was. He was looking for a reason not to trust him.  To protect himself. Just as we expected.

The main doors to the court room swung open and I span around hoping it was my father.

Everything had happened so fast when I woke up that morning. I had called my mother back and she had cried on the phone. My father had left for a business trip halfway across the world just a few hours before Zio found out about myself and Nicholas. It was a cruel twist of fate. My mother had already messaged him a few hours ago and he was on his way home, but it would be another few hours before he returned home. He was my only hope now, him and Eddie Cullen who had just walked in the room.

“And do you think you would be standing here right now if we all made a habit of judging others on who their father is? Would you have murdered the six-year-old boy because of the sins of his father? Would you have killed him alongside his manipulators if he had fell at your feet in remorse as you once did?” My uncle Eddies voice radiated through the room. The tone of his voice reminded me of my grandmother. He was using her techniques, her method of reasoning and persuasion. In this moment my uncle was channelling every part of himself he had learnt and assimilated from Esther.

“No, that was diff-“ Zio began but Eddie cut him off.

“Different? Let’s be blunt here. Your father was much worse than Nicholas’ and yet you turned out different right? You were taught right and raised by people that loved you. Why can’t you consider the same thing for him? Why can’t you consider that this man saw the cruel and fear surrounding his father and only wanted to be better? Don’t punish the child for the sins of the parent. He deserves a chance.”

“a chance is too much. Wiping his memory is one thing, but if he lets the secret out, we can’t change the mind of the whole world. We can’t remove the evidence once it’s out.” Asta argued before her grandfather could answer.

“You wouldn’t be here right now if chances weren’t given to people with power. Do you think the original Cullen’s didn’t wonder about the risk of having Aro’s son under their roof? Do you not think that they considered one day he would become his father too?” Eddie asked Asta but turned to Zio at the last question. “This is Aro," he said pointing at the leader on the stage. "The man standing before me is not the boy I grew up with, not the child I loved as a little brother.”

The words stung Zio. I saw him flinch. There was no mask, there wasn’t a Volturi leader on the stage, there was a child. A child that loved Eddie Cullen as a big brother. Asta spoke. Her fieriness and her emotionlessness reigned through her grandfather’s falter.

“And you wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for us! My father took up the mantle that was crushing the supernatural world. He saved us all! He took the pressure of the world on his shoulders as a child, and you didn’t protect him. You all failed him! And you have the audacity to stand there and judge my grandfather for doing what needs to be done to keep our world, your world, your family and descendants safe?” she yelled, her hand gesturing to the room.

“Asta” Matthew’s voice cut through her anger.

“they’re standing there treating your father, the leader of the supernatural world, like a child. Reminding him of his broken past and you’re just sitting there without defending your co-leader. We’re meant to rule the Volturi together father, and subjects are being insubordinate. Do something about it.” she said, and I shivered at her words. I had never liked my cousin. Sometimes I could barely believe she was the daughter of my aunt Lidiya. Lidiya was so caring and sweet, Asta was born of magic and blood and death.

“Enough” the voice of my grandfather echoed through the throne room as he entered from one of the doors on the stage.

Carlisle never wore a robe. Even when the Volturi leaders insisted he should to show the symbol of who he was.

“Dismiss your guard Pancrazio” Carlisle said as he came up to his grandson. “Please son” he added softly. Carlisle stared into the eyes of Pancrazio for a moment. The pair looked at each other. It felt like hours, but it was merely only a few seconds before Zio broke under the gaze of the man who raised him. Zio gave a defeated nod and turned to the court room.

“Court is dismissed until this evening. Please retire to the guard room” he said to the guard. Everyone around us nodded in response and filed out orderly.

Wont they think Zio is weak for doing that? I asked turning to my uncle at my side. He shook his head before projecting his thoughts into my head.

The guard are Zio’s family. They’re your family. They didn’t want to be here anymore than you did. This is a very hard situation for everyone. They wont judge him for this.

I responded with a nod of my own before turning back to my grandfather.

“Thank you,” Carlisle said, and his hand went to Zio’s shoulder. “Remember who you are Zio. Remember you’re here to give chances. To make the world a better place. By taking this man from Eden, you are making her world a worse place. You’re taking a chance of love away from her. You’re taking away her freedom to be who she wants to be.”

“But…” Zio looked up at his grandfather with soft eyes, the eyes of a grandson needing his grandfather to tell him everything would be okay.

“Carlisle…” Asta said from Zio’s side. “I respect that you feel the need to break your oath. I understand the personal stake in this issue, but we need to be subjective here. I am not saying this to be cruel to my cousin. But we have to do our jobs. Everything you’ve ever built, everything my father and grandfather have built will crash and burn if this goes wrong. Its not a risk the Volturi can make.” She continued and I was surprised at her own softness towards her patriarchal ancestor.

“Then we find a solution together, as a family.” Carlisle says with a nod and gestures to the large meeting room joined to the throne room.

Zio finally nods in agreement and then turns back to us in the centre of the court room.

“You have been given a recess in your trial until I can discuss further with my advisors and until Micah Cullen returns for a full empathic report. Until then you will be shown to a visiting quarter where you will be provided with a bed, food and anything you shall need to remain comfortable during your time here. Your phone and any communication devices will be taken from you, and you will not be allowed to leave until a decision has been made over your fate. If you fail to follow my rules in this building you will be detained and your memory immediately wiped, do you understand?” Zio said emotionless as he faced Nicholas at my side.

“And me? What about me?” I asked Zio.

“You can stay with him” he said.

“I understand” Nicholas said with a bow of his head in respect. He raised his head after a moment and added one more thing as he stared into the eyes of Pancrazio. One powerful man to another.

“Sir, I am not my father.” He said with an equally strong and power demanding voice as Zio’s.

“I look forward to finding that out myself” he said with a nod as the Volturi leaders filed into the meeting room to deliberate the fate of my boyfriend. Carlisle was the last one to leave. He paused and looked at me across the room.

There were so many things I wanted to say to my grandfather in that moment but all I could do was nod. The tear fell from my eye and onto my cheek and he gave me his usual loving smile before he disappeared too.

This was my fault. It was all my fault. Not only had I risked Nicholas’ life, I made my mother challenge Pancrazio, I made my grandfather break his century long oath not to get involved in Volturi business.

“Come on” my mother said taking my hand and leading me back towards the guest area of the Volturi mansion. Eddie came with us, and Nicholas still hadn’t dropped my hand.

“I can’t believe Carlisle did that” I said my voice breaking, the emotions I had been holding back were threatening to explode from within. I felt myself starting to shake.

“you’re his granddaughter.” Eddie said as he and my mother led us to the Volturi guest apartments. I had never been in this part of the Volturi mansion. It had been forbidden as a child. Nova and I were always told to avoid this wing of the large mansion. It was unsafe for us; we couldn’t risk running into anyone we weren’t supposed to.

“And Pancrazio is his grandson.” I stated as we reached a door. Eddie lifted his hand for the code to recognise his handprint and the door opened. We all entered the room, and I dropped the hands of my mother and Nicholas. My hands went to my head as I tried to contain myself from exploding.

“Eden calm down” Eddie said, and I could see his concern rolling off him in waves.

“it’s going to be okay” Nicholas tried to comfort me, but he had no idea. No idea at all what kind of danger we were in.

“You don’t understand” I said to him, I looked up at him at my side, tears were filling my eyes fast, but I wouldn’t let them fall yet. My voice broke as I said the next words to him. “I’m going to lose you”

“No, you’re not” he said as a reflex, but he couldn’t promise that he knew that.

“they’re going to destroy every memory, every moment, every touch. They’re going to rewrite your mind and your life. They’re going to make you forget I ever existed, forget everything we ever shared. They’re going to kill me from your mind. They’re going to send you back to your life and have me watch them do it. If they’re kind they’ll do the same to me, but just to be sure fate doesn’t push us back together they’ll probably leave me with it all and force me to live the rest of my very long life with the memory of you.” the tears were streaming down my face as I said the words. Nicholas looked to my mother at his side for support. He was lost in what to say, he didn’t know how to take this pain from me. He didn’t know how to fix this.

If I had just been strong enough to stay away from him. If I had just listened to my head and not my heart, we wouldn’t be here right now. He’d be living his life as it was before, he’d have avoided all this pain. I would have avoided this pain.

“Listen to me Eden-Luna. You are the grandchild of Carlisle Cullen and Esther Josephson. You are my child. Micah Cullen’s child. There isn’t a person in this world we will not face to protect you. There isn’t anything we won’t do to keep you happy and safe. I do not have the gift of true sight as you or your father, but I know with all my heart that this man is your true love, and I will fight to the ends of the earth to make sure you experience what you deserve.” She said and I took in a deep breath hearing my mother’s words.

I knew I loved my mother but, in that moment, she was everything I ever needed her to be. Moments later a knock came from the door.

“It’s your grandmother” Eddie said and for a moment, a brief, heart-breaking moment my mind went to Esther.

My Nonna.

The most powerful person in the world.

My biggest supporter, my teacher, my grandmother, my best friend and my role model and hero.

But it wasn’t her and I felt the guilt seep into my veins as I realised it was Esme and she was all those things too. She just didn’t have the power I needed right now to protect Nicholas.

Esme entered the room, and I was in her arms before I could even blink.

“It’s going to be okay. Your father just landed, he’s on his way. We’re going to sort this out. Carlisle has already persuaded the Volturi to have Micah and Edward examine him. They’ll see his love for you, and everything will be okay. Pancrazio will understand it all soon.” her motherly voice filled my ear as I let out the breath I was holding and relaxed into the iron grip of my grandmother. Her scent, her voice and her presence surrounded me, and I felt safe. For the first time in the past few hours, I felt safe again.

Her words themselves worried me though. He was going to be subjected to my father and uncles mind games? I knew they worked together to inspect and challenge a person’s intentions and mind. They used their abilities together to fully understand a person’s motives and thoughts. It used to be done by Esther, it was a simple head dive for her, but she wasn’t here anymore. It wasn’t as simple now.

As we parted there was another knock on the door. Edward was standing with my father. Zio and Chantelle behind them.

“what’s going to happen?” Nicholas asked, I never really got around to telling him exactly how abilities worked. I knew he thought my mother was a miracle worker, but I didn’t ask him exactly how he thought she did what she did.

I guess he was about to find out.

“Come sit Nicholas” Edward said softly motioning for the sitting area. Chantelle and Zio remained standing near the wall, watching the situation. My father had his eyes scanning Nicholas already as the two brothers sat opposite him on the couch. My father and his brother worked well together. It was amazing to watch. Just not to watch them study my boyfriend.

“My name is Edward Cullen, this is my brother, Micah. As you are aware, he is the father of Eden.” Edward introduced himself.

“you’re Carlisle’s oldest son” he responded with a smile. “The one that started the Cullen family dynasty” Nicholas said impressing me with his memory. Edward frowned as he realised how much the man knew about his family. I squeezed my grandmother’s hand nervously.

“I am” Edward mused. “I have a series of questions I need you to answer. My brother and I have a unique set of gifts that read a person’s thoughts and intentions. I’m not sure how much Eden told you about the supernatural but some of us are blessed with sets of abilities. I can read your thoughts. Micah can read your soul.” He explained and Nicholas was good at keeping any kind of reaction from showing on his face.

“You can repair people, like you did with Gabby.” He said looking up at my mother across the room. She gave him a small nod and a smile.

“it’s a bit more complicated than that” my father answered but my uncle lifted his hand towards his brother as if to stop him from continuing.

“My brother and I have been tasked with finding out more about you, to see if you are trustworthy enough with the secret. To see if you truly love my niece” he said, and Nicholas turned back to Edward with a thoughtful gaze.

“I am ready” he said confidently.

“Some of these questions are going to seem silly and pointless, whereas some will be overly personal and intrusive. For your best chance you need to answer these with complete candour. If you don’t, we’ll know, and you will fail the test. Because of the nature of this, it is your right to request others to leave the room.” Edward continued and Nicholas looked up at the people in the room.

“Eden can stay” he said his eyes landing on me.

“I must warn you we will be digging into your past and your raw emotions. Are you sure you're ready for her to see that side of you?” my father asked now, and Nicholas gave a nod.

“She deserves to know every single part of me.” He said and my father smiled at my boyfriend.

“You passed your first test” he said with a fatherly tone as others in the room began to leave. My grandmother kissed my temple as she dropped my hand. I watched as she and my mother left me with them.

“Can I sit with him?” I asked my uncle and father and they both nodded in sync.

Nicholas’ hand grasped mine as I sat next to him on the couch.

“Okay, we’re going to begin.” Edward said as he exchanged a look with Micah and nodded. “As we ask the questions your thought process and your soul’s response will tell us the kind of person you are and whether you can be trusted. Should you fail the questions, you are aware of what will happen yes?” he asked softly. My uncle had such a calming voice, it was such a fatherly voice he had unknowingly adapted over the years. He made any situation less stressful.

“I understand” Nicholas answered, he eyed my father who was studying him.

“What is your full name? and your parents’ names” Edward began.

“My name is Nicholas Walter Disney. My mother is Amelia Rose Disney, and my father is William Disney.”

“Your age?”

“Twenty-nine”

“What would you say your job is?”

“a philanthropist.”

“Not a businessman?”

“no. I try to distance myself from the family business as much as possible.”

“But you are named as the heir to the Disney empire are you not?”

“I am but I am trying to balance my time and enjoy my freedom before I am forced to fulfil a legacy I never wanted.” He answered and I squeezed his hand at his words.

“You do not want to lead your family dynasty?”

“I do not. I have never wanted it. I am not who my father thinks I am. I wanted to hand the job to my sister before she died. She lived and breathed Disney. Her death meant I had to become who I didn’t want to be. I hope I can change the future of Disney in her name. She had plans to make the world better with our power. I hope to live up to that.” He explained.

“Great leaders do not seek the role but are called to it.”  my father said. Nicholas didn’t respond but Edward turned to my father to nod at something else in response to Micah’s thoughts.

There was a sudden change of tone for the next question.

“Have you ever killed anyone or ever ordered the death of another living thing with the power of your family name?” Edward continued

“What kind of question is that? No, I have not. I have never or would ever hurt anyone intentionally.” Nicholas responded strongly.

“Are you in love with Eden Cullen?” he asked flipping the subject on its head. My heart began to pick up.

“Yes.” The answer was strong and steady. I saw his essence flutter with love and my father turned to look at me in response to the glow. I let out a small smile, but his face remained passive. He turned back to Nicholas.

“Do you love your father?” Edward asked next. I saw Nichola’s aura falter at these words. He did, what child didn’t love their parent in some capacity, but I knew he didn’t like to admit it. He knew what a terrible man his father was, to say he loved him was an insult to the person Nicholas wanted to be.

“In the way a son loves the parent that gave them life, yes.” He said choosing his words very carefully. “As a person? No.” he added after a moment. My father and uncle were very good at keeping their faces and emotions passive after responses and it angered me slightly. Was this the right answer?

“Do you love your mother?” Edward asked next.

“Yes. She wasn’t always around but she was there more than my father. She didn’t really raise us, but she loved us and would tuck us into bed. She would tell us a story every night.” he said, and I noticed his aura surge with nostalgia at the words.

“Your sisters. What are their names?” Edward asked next.

“Jasmine, Laurel and Teresa” he said, and I saw his aura flicker with grief at the mention of Laurel's name.

“Laurel.” Edward repeated and the grief flickered again. “How did she die?” he asked, and I squeezed Nichola’s hand in my own. He had been warned they were going to dig into his past, I just hoped he was strong enough to talk about this.

“A deadly virus she got from travelling” he answered, and my father and uncle exchanged a concerned look. They couldn’t keep this look from me.

“Where did she die?” Micah asked before Edward could.

“Cullen Paris hospital” he said and swallowed back the emotion. I gasped at the words and turned to look at Nicholas’ aura. Grief. So much grief.

“Do you blame the doctors for not saving her?” Edward asked as he held his hand up to Micah to silence his thoughts, I’m sure.

Nicholas waited to answer the question. He took a deep breath, and I knew this was the deciding moment. If he lied it would be over. If he said yes. It would also be over. If Nicholas blamed a Cullen hospital for the death of his sister the incentive to bring down the Cullen name would be there. The risk would be too high for Zio to accept.

“No, I didn’t” he answered, and I noticed the past tense of his answer.

“didn’t?” Edward asked curiously.

“Seeing the way Ivana healed gabby, it made me wonder if my sister could have been saved if I had known about the supernatural sooner, or if she had been at the same hospital as Ivana” he answered, and I had never made this connection before. I felt like kicking myself.

“Do you blame Ivana Balev indirectly for the death of your sister?” My father asked and I saw the look of annoyance from Edward at my father.

“That would be entirely unreasonable” Nicholas answered but I saw a flicker of disbelief in his own words. I dropped his hand and rested my forehead in my palms over my knees.

Shit.

“But not out of the realms of possibility of a grieving brother” Edward answered.

“I suppose not but no matter what a part of me feels. In my mind I know it is in the past, it is only a thought I had in grief and desperation. I know enough about Eden and Ivana through her daughter to know that had I asked, had I known, Ivana would have saved my sister. But I cannot change the past. I cannot bring my sister back. It is pointless to simmer on the ‘what if’s in life. My sister is gone. I’ve accepted that.” He said and I looked up to see Edward and Micah’s reaction. They gave nothing away.

He didn’t even know about my aunts. He didn’t know that my family controlled life and death easily with the snap of their fingers. A part of him was upset that my mother could have saved his sister? Wait till he found out my aunts could have brought her back from the dead. A crushing weight enclosed on my heart at the thought. I had so much to tell him if he made it through this. Would he still want to be with me knowing there were several people in my family that could have saved his sister?

“Your other sister, Tessa” Edward said, and I noticed he must have plucked Teresa’s nickname from Nicholas’ head. “You recently saw her get married.”

Nicholas nodded in acknowledgement.

“Are you happy for her?” he asked, and I saw Nicholas’ aura surge with pride.

“I am. She got everything she ever wanted.” He said with a smile at the mention of his little sister.

“She didn’t want to be part of the Disney empire either?” Edward asked for clarification of his thoughts. I frowned. What did he mean?

“When she and her fiancé announced their engagement, my father was quick to cut her out of the Disney inheritance. He didn’t want our money getting into the wrong hands. I tried to fight for her, I tried to tell him it wasn’t fair, and she deserved at least some help to start her new life. When my sister found out she told me to stop. She said she wanted one last day with her family at the wedding and then she wanted to start a new life. A life away from the toxicity and curse of money. She was happy for the prenup agreement, she was happy to give up her inheritance for the man she loved” he answered, and I couldn’t help my jaw as it swung open at this answer.

I had heard Lara’s side of this story. I had heard her say it was Nicholas who had cut Tessa and her brother off from money, but it hadn’t been him at all. He wanted to help them. It had been Tessa and her father.

The questioning went on for another hour. Edward delved in and out of Nichola’s past and present and his views on the future. I thought it might never end honestly.

“We have concluded the invasive questions. For the last question, the leaders of the Volturi must be present.” Edward said and the door opened moments later as Zio, and Chantelle stepped into the room.

Edward turned to Nicholas.

“Do you promise to never tell another living soul the secret of the supernatural world?”

“I promise.” He said instantly. Micah relaxed on the couch and turned to look at me to smile.

Micah then looked at Zio.

“He is a good man Zio. I don’t believe he would hurt my daughter. He won’t reveal the secret.” Micah announced.

“And him and Eden?” Chantelle asked looking between us. He didn’t say it out loud, but my father nodded. What did that mean?

“Very well. Nicholas Disney.” Zio said turning to him on the couch. “The Volturi wish for you to consider a proposal”

“I think it’s a bit soon” Nicholas said, and I saw the emotion of guilt cloud his soul. We hadn’t had any kind of conversation of marriage. It wasn’t a good idea to mix Cullen and Disney financially. We both knew that. Marriage wasn’t on the cards for us, I didn’t care for a piece of paper. I was very much the same as my parents in that respect. Paper didn’t tell me I loved him and I wasn't sure why Zio needed it either.

“Not of marriage” Zio smirked. “Of vampirism” he added.

“What?!” I shouted in unison with my father and Chantelle.

“The one true way to make sure you never reveal our secret is for you to become part of our world.” Zio explained. That entire conversation between Nicholas and my father and uncle, the line of questioning was for nothing? Was Zio going to do this no matter what?

“Zio, no. We don’t force vampirism on anyone!” Chanti raised her voice at her husband. She obviously didn’t expect this offer either.

“Whose idea was this?” my father asked sceptically.

“It doesn’t matter. It solves the problems we have.” Zio mused.

“I’ve just told you that he’s a good man. I’ve just told you he is my daughter’s mate. He’s not going to do anything to hurt her. He won’t reveal our secret Zio. I know he won’t. I would bet my children’s life on it” Micah stood, confrontational with Zio. I raised my eyebrows at my father jumping at the defence of Nicholas.

“Mate?” Nick whispered to me. I smiled at him for a moment. that’s what the nod to Chantelle was about. He was my vampire mate. It had been confirmed by my father who knew how to read our souls perfectly. I had been right. I wanted to be happy, I wanted to be smug, but we were still in a very bad situation. Nicholas deserved more than to have vampirism pushed on him. He deserved a choice.

“I’ll explain after” I responded.

“Zio you need to offer him a choice. Vampirism isn’t an ultimatum” Edward said eying Zio carefully.

“Then your choice is this, you will be forced to forget Eden, forget your time together and how you feel about her, you will forget everything you ever did together, and you can return to your human life as it was before without any knowledge of our world… or you can join it. Become immortal and stand by Eden’s side. If you both hope for any future, it is your only endgame anyway. May as well get it over with.” Zio announced and Chantelle was fuming at his side. If she was her granddaughter right now, I’d have expected the curtains to be in flame.

“There is a third option!” she almost yelled as she pivoted from staring at her husband to look more softly at Nicholas.

“Which is?” I asked and my hand entwined with Nicholas’ as we stood to face the leaders of the Volturi together.

“You give up your name, your birth right. You can stay human, for now, until you make the decision yourself to join our world. You give up your power and influence as a Disney heir. You hand the keys to the empire to one of your sisters. You willingly succumb to a minor form of mind control so that we trust you with the information as you hand over the keys to your kingdom. After the successful transfer of power to your sister. You change your name and you become someone else. You become a nobody and you and Eden explore the relationship you have until eventually you are ready to become part of her world.” Chantelle explained and I could see Zio did not like this option. Neither did I really, being a willing recipient of mind control, and Chantelle’s mind control at that, wasn’t something to take lightly.

“that’s a violation of his mind. to control him to stop him speaking about the supernatural” I almost growled.

“it’s that or my husband’s ultimatum. We’ll give you time to decide” Chantelle nodded to me and almost dragged her husband out of the room. Chantelle was a leader in almost equal right to zio and I was grateful for the third option, but I hated the thought of her controlling his mind.

“Pancrazio Cullen what the hell was that?!” I heard her frustration escape after they left the room. As they left my mother re-entered.

“Business Chantelle.”

“Screw business Pancrazio. She is family. She’s the granddaughter of the man that helped raise you. Helped raise us! Carlisle is going to be so disappointed in you.” Chantelle answered and the volume of their conversation lowered as they walked away from us. I had never heard Chantelle call Zio by his full name, nor him call her anything other than Chanti. I turned to look at Edward for a moment and he responded with a small sad smile.

“Sometimes he forgets he’s not his father’s son.” He answered.

“he’s not?” Nick asked confused.

“Zio is, well he was adopted into the Cullen family as a child. Before becoming a Cullen, he was born into a family that was very different to ours. His father was a tyrant, an evil, narcissistic man that had the power in the supernatural world that Zio has now. He came after our family many times, trying to murder or kidnap my eldest daughter on more than one occasion. Eventually we decided enough was enough and we joined an army. To end it all once and for all. To our surprise, Aro, the leader had fathered a child. He had purposely picked Zio’s mother for her nature so that he would guarantee a powerful offspring. Zio was conditioned and raised by this man for several years before the war ended. Carlisle refused for anything to happen to the child and so we brought him home with us. He was a kind boy, despite being conditioned the way he was, and he fit in well as a child. He and Chantelle grew up together and she was one of the only people that understood him fully. He hated his father and what he stood for and pushed against his heritage for a very long time. Chantelle and Pancrazio grew up and married and had children. During this time an uprising started, they were vampires’ adamant to bring back the glory of the Volturi empire and they wanted a descendant of Aro to lead them. Long story short, Zio and Chanti’s son ended up becoming the leader of the new Volturi. For decades he led the Volturi with partnership with the Cullen’s. That was until someone murdered his daughter Allesandra. With the death of his daughter Matthew could no longer control or lead the supernatural world and with the threat of another uprising and outright war, Zio took over from his son as the leader of the Volturi. The pair now lead together, with Matthew’s second daughter Asta but it’s been decades now, centuries almost that Zio has been in power. Sometimes, just sometimes, he needs to be reminded that he is still a Cullen. Luckily he has a wonderful wife who was always raised Cullen to remind him who he is.”

“that’s what the conversation in the throne room was about. The sins of the father.” He said with realisation. “That could be made into a Disney movie” he said as a joke turning to me. I laughed in response, but my laugh dropped at his facial expression just a few minutes later.

“You have a lot to think about” My uncle said placing his hand on my boyfriend’s shoulder. Nicholas nodded but didn’t say anything.

“We should give him some space” my mother said as her hand reached for my father. He walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t expect it, but I appreciated it. I stood there hugging my father and watched as Nicholas began pacing the room.

“what’s it like?” Nicholas asked turning to my parents.

“they’re not vampires. Not in the way that you will become” Edward answered his thoughts and question.

“And you are?” he asked. Edward gave a slow nod as a response.

“It’s not like that” Edward said after a moment in response to another thought. “I could explain it with words but there’s someone that can help me show you it another way. I’ve been in your mind and experienced your life, its now time for you to experience mine.” He said and I turned to see my uncle Eddie walk in the room and walk straight over to his father.

“This is my son, he can join our minds, open my memories so you can witness them. You will see what it’s like to be what I am. You will see the strength and the joys of vampirism, but you will see the bloodlust and the terror of it too.” Edward explained and Nicholas paused for a moment before he took Eddie’s outstretched hand. Edward took Eddie’s other hand and the three of them closed their eyes as their minds merged and my uncle opened his life to my boyfriend. I waited and noticed as Nicholas’ aura flickered in various emotions. I didn’t know what Edward was showing him, but I could see the conflicting emotions he shared over his vampirism. Even though he was happy, a curse was still a curse.

“Do you have any more questions?” Edward asked as Eddie dropped their connection and Nicholas stood stunned.

“no.” he said in a whisper.

“Micah we should go, give him some space to process all of this” my mother said reaching for my father’s hand. He nodded and turned to look at me.

“we’ll be outside” my father said into my hair as he kissed me. I nodded and he went to leave with my mother. Edward and Eddie stepped away from Nicholas to leave as well.

Nicholas’ head shot up in response to the movement in the room. He hadn’t looked at me since being in my uncle’s mind. What ever he had worked out himself before now, I was sure it was nothing compared to fully knowing the truth and weight of immortality.

 “Can I go on a walk?” Nicholas asked. He pivoted to watch them leave.

“I’m afraid you’re not allowed to leave the grounds, not until an agreement has been met. But there is a secure garden for guests. Its enclosed but its outside if that’s enough” my father answered him, and he nodded.

“I just need to see the sky, get some perspective” he explained heading towards the door to follow my father. He didn’t look at me as he left. I tried to not let this get to me as my father and mother escorted us to the guest garden.

“we’ll leave you to it. We’ll be around” my mother said with a nod and a kiss on my forehead. I nodded back and my parents disappeared back into the Volturi mansion.

“Nick?” I asked as I turned to look at him standing on the grass, his head was tilted up to the sun and his eyes were closed. “Do you want me to leave?” I asked not sure what he wanted at this moment. He turned to look at me and I knew what the answer was before he could say it.

“Yes, I just need some time with my thoughts. Don’t go far though” he said he looked like every word hurt him to say but I understood. It was a lot to think about. This was a big deal. We hadn’t expected the ultimatum at all, he had only found out about the supernatural a week ago and now he had to make the decision to be a part of it or not. He had just had the experience of vampirism crammed into his head. He’d seen hundreds of years of immortality my uncle had experienced and now he had to process it all.

I walked back to the door to leave him.

I felt like I was walking away forever.  I knew it was his decision and his decision alone and I had to accept that. I had to accept what he chose.

I knew he was too noble to give up his responsibility. As much as he wanted to walk away from the Disney empire he wouldn’t. He wouldn't leave that burden on Jasmine. She was the only one left in his family to take the role after his father retired. He wouldn't throw everything he had been trained to do on her, not after she lost her twin only a year ago. I knew him well enough to know he wanted to do good in this world. He wanted to change the narrative of his family’s legacy. He deserved to do that, he had the power to make the world a better place and he would be insane to give all that up for a girl.

And yet, as that girl, I could feel my heart crushing under the weight of his decision.

A human life with me and no purpose.

An immortal life of bloodlust and temptations whilst he juggled his legacy and a relationship with me.

Or a human life fulfilling his destiny, without me.

What would he choose?

“Eden” he called, and I stopped to look at him. “I love you” he said, and he managed a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He looked tormented.

“I’ll be inside” I said and left him alone even though every single part of me was screaming to stay with him.

He had to process and deal with this. He had to make his decision to give up everything he’s ever known or forget me.

“Eden” my sisters voice came through the hall as I paced waiting for Nicholas to return.

I hadn’t considered up to this point how the Volturi had found out about Nicholas. I had just assumed my mother had let it slip, or they had seen me with him somehow, or I had thought about him when I was here over Christmas.

As I stared at my sister coming towards me, as I saw the waves of guilt and apprehension flood the space between us, I knew.

And I couldn’t help the pure anger that consumed me. I was already on edge at the mere thought of losing Nicholas. To find out that my sister broke my trust destroyed any control I had left on my emotions.

“You?” I asked my voice broke. My sister. My twin. My other half. My soul mate. She was the reason behind my pain. She was the reason the love of my life was contemplating ending his career or life to be with me?

As children we had vowed to protect each other. We had laid on the floor of our childhood bedroom, in a little den we had made from our bed sheets and held hands as we promised things to each other in the quiet of the night. It had been a memory I cherished and thought of any time I missed my sister, how no matter what, we’d have each other’s backs. Even when we didn’t agree on something, the only person that mattered was each other.

All her interference with myself and Nicholas up to this point had been in the name of protecting me from this very moment. I knew that. I understood that and I still loved her because of it.

But now I learn she had broken that trust? That promise and that vow?

I felt myself shatter, the core of who I was, was built on Nova, on our bond.

The heartbreak I was feeling over Nicholas, over the whole situation was nothing compared to what I felt now in the face of my sister who had broken that bond.

My heart felt like it was being crushed in my chest.

This was the worst pain I had ever experienced and the pain fuelled my anger.

“You told them?” I asked and my voice broke in several places as I struggled to get the words out. I saw as Amirah Cullen, of all people, appeared behind my sister.

“she’s out of control Nova” her words set my anger on edge. Why was she even here?

“I didn’t mean to Eden. I saw your reunion with him, last night at your party. Your mind was open. I tried to shut it off, but it was too late. Uncle Jasper knew something was wrong, Uncle Eddie and Uncle Edward had already seen it in my mind” she tried to reason but she was emotional too, her fear and her sorrow escaped her and mingled with my anger between us. Our essences were mixing in the space. It wasn’t something I had ever seen before.

“You betrayed me.” I sobbed unable to stop her sorrow joining my own emotions.

“I didn’t mean to” she said as her tears matched mine.

“you’ve always had everything you ever wanted, you have always been happy with who you were, you had an imprint and a purpose. I finally found it for myself, I finally made a choice to be close to someone, to give everything I am to someone else and you take it away? You have no idea how it feels to have that freedom taken away.” I said venom coating my voice. I hated my sister in this very moment. I hated that she had done this to me, even if it wasn’t intentional. She had destroyed my only happiness.

“Freedom? I was told as a child that I was forever tied with a man I didn’t know. I was handed off to him without a blink of an eye because our family just assume an imprint is the best thing that could happen to someone. I couldn’t even control my own emotions as I fell for him. I questioned every day what he felt and why he felt it. I have always questioned why I did everything I ever did. Then when Nonna went away I thought the one thing I had left was my sister. That my twin and I would get through the grief and pain together, that we could support our mother as she went through the hardest years of her life. I thought I would have my best friend and my soul mate by my side because who would leave when the family was so irrevocably fractured? But you did. You left me. I did everything I ever did because I had to. Because you weren’t by my side, you weren’t my partner. I was left to put on a show for my imprint, for our mother and for our family. I couldn’t run away like you did. I would never have got over the guilt. I had to stay and pick up the pieces all alone. I have never been free” She ranted and both our anger and sorrow were merging and mixing between us in a battle. As our emotions merged, pain replaced it. Not just the emotional pain of our outbursts but physical pain too. What was happening to us?

“I’m sorry that everything that was handed to you wasn’t what you expected Nova. But some of us had to live in the shadow of their perfect sister their entire lives. I just wanted to be free. It wasn’t from you; it was never from you. It was from this life. It was from how everyone else viewed me. I didn’t belong here. I didn’t want this life. I wanted something else. You can’t blame me for trying to find my own happiness.” I said as our souls continued to battle in between us.

Were we sharing emotions now? Literally? Or was she giving me sorrow to match her own?

I watched in fascination as the clouds and sparks between us mixed and combined. She was noticing it too. The pain was gradually getting worse, and I saw her flinch across the hall. She was feeling it too.

“what’s going on?” she asked her words shaking.

“I don’t know” I mumbled. My anger had disappeared as I watched the phenomenon in front of me.

“You both need to calm down” Amirah said as she stepped to Nova’s side. She looked between us in confusion.

“Get my father” Nova gasped in pain as I watched the mess of auras amongst us collide violently. She could feel the effects just as I could. It felt like my insides were being ripped out of me. Amirah was gone faster than I could blink.

“Eden?” Nicholas’ voice entered the hall from the door to the garden.

“Stay away” I barely managed to say as I fell to my knees. Nova mirrored me unintentionally.

“what’s going on?” he asked looking between us both and back to me, concern flooded his aura and he reached for me. He seemed to focus on the battle between us, could he see it? could he see what I could see?

“Nicholas don’t!” my fathers voice called as he ran to us in the hall. My mother and Amirah were following. “don’t touch them” he said with a gasp as he observed what was happening.

“Papa?” I asked my voice breaking, he was going to fix this right? What was even happening? He watched between us, his eyes scanning and trying to make sense of what was going on.

“Micah what’s happening? What is going on between them?” my mother asked standing side by side with Amirah Cullen.

“I don’t know. Their emotions, their souls, their auras are dancing, they’re colliding and fighting between them. I’ve never seen anything like it. You can see it?” he asked, his eyes were still dancing over the mess in front of him.

“Yes, we can see it” my mother said in shock.

“they’re manifesting their abilities.” My father said in awe as he walked around us to examine what was happening in front of him. “How did this happen?” he asked turning to Amirah.

“They were arguing, Eden found out Nova was the one who told the Volturi. They were yelling and gradually the colours began to appear. As they continued it got stronger and then suddenly, they were both in pain.” She explained and she watched us both with equal concern as my parents. It was only moments after that, that Nova collapsed to the floor in front of me. Our auras continued to merge and dance in between us.

“you’ve lost your balance. Your trust in Nova has shattered. Your abilities feed off your own emotions, your own control. Without your trust in your sister, you can’t control your power. Eden. You’re sucking the life out of your sister.” My father said, his voice strained as he watched his daughter fall to the ground.

“Nova!” my mother called and went to run to Nova on the floor.

“no” Amirah said, and she caught Ivana in her grasp.

“Let go of me” Ivy turned to glare at Amirah.

“no” she repeated, and I saw tears on Amirah’s face as she held back one of the most powerful people on the planet. “You run to her, and you’ll be next” she added, and her fingers went to my mother’s forehead. Seconds later Ivana fell under unconsciousness and Amirah caught her and gently lay her on the floor. She quickly and angrily wiped the tears from her face as she looked down at Nova on the floor.

“She won’t be happy you did that.” Micah said to Amirah.

“at least she’ll still be her” she said, and Micah gave a small nod of thanks before turning back to me.

I was trying to stop. My hands were outstretched, and my tears were flooding down my cheeks as I tried to control the power in the room.

“I’m trying to stop papa” I said but the words came out in large sobs.

“what’s going on?” more voices entered the hall and Pancrazio and Chantelle along with a dozen or so guard members stopped at the sight of my mother and sister on the ground and me crying in the middle of the hall.

“don’t come any closer” Amirah said stopping them from reaching my sister on the ground.

“Nova!” the distraught voice that came next sent shivers down my spine. Lucan came running ignoring the line of people waiting to talk to us and walking right past to reach for Nova on the ground. The look on his face was gut wrenching.

“Lucan” Amirah said, and her hand landed on his chest, with just her palm she stopped the shapeshifter in his tracks. He tried to move past her, but she wasn’t letting him.

“Mia please” he was crying to his alpha to let him past.

“This isn’t something you can help with right now” she said as she stared at him in the eyes. “You will not touch Nova. You will step back.” She added and I knew from the look on his face it had been an alpha order.

“Eden, Eden.” My fathers panicked voice grabbed my attention away from watching the others in the hall. “Listen to me,” he said, and he knelt next to me, but he was careful not to touch me.

“Papa I don’t know how to make it stop” I sobbed as I watched my aura continue to fight Nova’s.

“you’re going to consume her; her body will still be living but everything about her will be gone. Every trait every emotion every part of her. You must find the will to stop Eden. You’re going to kill your sister and we won’t be able to reverse it.” he said urgently.

“I don’t want to kill her” I said as the tears streamed from my face. My vision was blurring as the emotions overwhelmed me.

“you’re consuming her emotions, you’re not just taking them, they’re being added to your own. Eden you’re feeling double the amount of grief, double the amount of anger, double everything. You need to remember your training, remember what Esther taught you. Remember your grandmother.” He said and there was desperation in every word.

“I can’t. She left me. She left us. She’s gone.  She’s been gone for so long. I can’t remember her anymore. I can’t remember why. I can’t remember where she is. I can’t remember what she feels like or what she smells like. I can’t remember. I can’t.” I said between sobs. I saw as my father looked up at Matthew Cullen standing by his father. Did he have something to do with this? Did he do something to my mind, my memories of my grandmother?

“She never left you Eden.” Amirah was suddenly at my side. “Esther loves you more than you can ever imagine, she is right here” she said, and her palm touched my collarbone right above my heart. I gasped at her contact and others around us watched curiously. I looked to see my mother sit up from her sleep just in time to observe as Amirah pulled me into her arms and into a hug.

How was she touching me?

I didn’t know why I was comforted by Amirah, but my sobs stopped, my headache, the pain, suddenly stopped and as she held me, for the first time in my life everything was silent. My mind was blank, my power no longer radiated through me. I couldn’t see the auras in the room anymore, everyone, for that brief moment looked normal and I let out the breath I was holding and relaxed into her embrace.

“What are you doing to her?” My father asked.

“Giving her a little bit of a break. Abilities don’t work on me, and I can omit a dampening field that extends that ability to someone close to me. She needs to stop draining Nova, I can keep her from doing exactly that.” She said.

“Thank you” I heard my mothers voice as it came closer.

“Mia?” I heard Nova’s voice and I jerked away from Amirah’s hug to see Nova sitting up in front of me.

“Nova” my mother gasped as she moved to pull her child into her arms.

“I think I’m okay now” I said as my body settled down from the extreme emotions I had been feeling. I turned to Amirah at my side. She was still close to me, her hand was still on my arm, keeping me under the dampening effect, I was sure. “Thank you” I echoed my mothers’ words with true sincerity.

“you’re welcome” she said with a friendly smile and with the link restored with my sister, she showed me everything she had done with the tribrid the past few months, how they both had a friendship now I was completely unaware of. I realised in that moment, that was why I was comforted by her. I had absorbed Nova’s attachment and feelings for Mia. Amirah’s embrace comforted me because she was my twin’s best friend and I had been feeding on Nova’s emotions. Mia just saved Nova’s life and quite possibly many others in this room. I didn’t want to think about what I would have done with so little control after killing my twin.

“I don’t mean to be insensitive at a time like this, but do you realise that if you take away the love of her life, we may very well get a repeat of what just happened?” Mia asked standing at my side to face the Volturi.

“she’s not going to lose me” Nicholas said from behind us before any of the Volturi answered. I turned my head around to face him. I had almost forgot he was here.

What did he mean by that? Had he made his decision?

My heart slammed in my chest at his next words.

“I accept your proposal of immortality.”