The Forgotten Sister 6

“We haven’t been able to find any sign of the coven, Bella or the queen, your majesty.”Aro held back a sigh hearing Jane’s report.He and Marcus had sent Jane and some of the more prominent gifted royal guard members to collect the Denali coven and bring them back to the castle.It was their hope that once they had them they would be able to control Bella again.He hadn’t been worried about Bella being able to overpower those guards because with all gifts combined Bella was no match for them.The problem was by the time they had sent the guard after the coven they were already gone.If that wasn’t enough to be concerned about someone had managed to kill Caius and kidnap Athenodora.There was no proof Bella did it but she was the one who held the biggest grudge against him.The only thing that made him reluctant to believe it was Bella was the killer left no traces behind not even their scent and he knew Bella couldn’t mask her scent or she would have escaped a long time ago.

“Has Dimitri been able to pick up their trail?”Marcus asked.

“No, he believes that his gift is somehow being blocked.”Jane said.

“I see.”Aro tried to think about how they could flush the Denali out of hiding.

“What would you have us do now?”Jane asked.

“Visit the Cullens.Once there kidnap the child and it’s mother.Tell them that the only way they will be released is if they turn over either Bella or the sisters.”Aro knew that would get their attention.

“If that is what you want it will be done.”Jane said.

“Let us know when you have them.”Aro told her.

“Of course your majesty.”Jane replied.

Aro disconnected the call.”I think that by taking the child and its mother will make at least the Cullens act.”

“I agree.The problem is not knowing what they are going to do.”Marcus didn’t think the Cullens would just hand over Bella or the Denali.

“Remember Edward has already been in contact with us promising to get their location.Not only would he tell us right away where they are because he wants the royal advisor position but he will have the added incentive of wanting his mate and child back.”Aro knew that Edward wouldn’t hesitate to turn them over no matter what anyone else said.

“Do you think they will actually care about them being kidnapped?”Marcus asked.

Aro nodded.”The Denali would never allow a child to be punished because of them.They would act even if Bella didn’t.”

“That would make it a lot easier to capture them.”Marcus knew that the Denali weren’t any kind of threat to the guard.Kate may have a gift but it was weak compared to someone like Jane.

“Having Chelsea be one of the guards involved will make it easier.”Aro said.

“True once they are bound to us they will happily hand Bella over.”Marcus predicted that they would be able to fracture the coven quite easily.

“I still wonder why she took Athenodora.”Aro couldn’t figure that part out.

“I don’t know either.I have never seen the two of them exchange words let alone have any kind of friendship.”Marcus couldn’t think of a reason Bella would take Athenodora.It didn’t make any kind of sense.

“I would say she was getting back at Caius but Athenodora would have probably told her they weren’t really mates.”Aro and the other kings and queens all knew that Caius was gay and simply kept Athenodora around as a way to mask it.It wasn’t something anyone talked about because it worked for the two of them.At least Athenodora never complained to anyone about it.

“She truly did hate the man with a passion.”Marcus had witnessed the many instances that Bella lashed out against his brother.He never understood why she hated him so much but she never missed the opportunity to attack him verbally.

“Hated him enough to kill him.”Aro said.

“We don’t know if it was really her.”Marcus reminded him.

“Who else would it be?”Aro asked.

Marcus shrugged.”I don’t know but if was Bella someone would have noticed her in the castle.She isn’t as stealthy as she thinks she is.I mean think about how many times we caught her trying to spy on us.”

“You’re right.Even with her capabilities she wouldn’t have been able to pull something like this off.”Aro knew Bella wasn’t skilled enough to make into the castle without anyone knowing.She definitely wasn’t skill enough to kill Caius, kidnapped Athenodora and escape without being caught.

“That means the killer is a complete unknown.”Marcus concluded.

“And Athenodora is most likely no longer living.”Aro figured they just hadn’t found her ashes yet.

“With Dimitri not being able to track her it leads me to believe she is dead.”Marcus couldn’t think of a reason someone would kidnap Athenodora so they probably had killed the queen.

“Sulpicia is going to be very upset when we find her ashes.”Aro’s mate had been distraught when she learned of Athenodora’s disappearance.The three queens had been very close having lived together in the castle for thousands of years.

“Didyme will as well.”Marcus had tried to console his mate but hadn’t had much luck.She had been too overwhelmed with grief and worry to be able to take comfort from him.

“Who do think the killer is?”Aro asked.

“I’m not sure but maybe it would a good idea for us to start questioning all the guards that were supposed to be guarding his wing of the castle.”Marcus suggested.

“The ones outside his bedroom door saw nothing.Do you think that the others did?”Aro had already used his gift on the guards that were stationed outside Caius’ bedroom door and the pair had seen and heard nothing.

“Someone had to have seen something.I mean there is no way that a vampire would be able to get around all those guards and kill Caius without someone knowing.”Marcus was sure that someone had witnessed the killer moving around the castle.

“I think maybe we should start with the Caius’ personal guards then question the rest of the castle before we release them from lock down.That way if someone knows something we will find out because their is no way that someone could plan this by themselves without help from others.”Aro knew that a single vampire wouldn’t be able to pull it off without at least getting information from one of the castle staff.

“You believed they had help?”Marcus asked.

“Initially no I didn’t but now that I’ve had time to think about it I realize it would be impossible for one vampire to be able to get around the guards, break into Caius’ room, kill him and then escape without being seen if they weren’t being helped in some way.”Aro said.

“Well since we both think the killer has already left what’s to say the accomplices haven’t as well.”Marcus and Aro both decided that the killer wouldn’t stick around to get caught.

“Because it would make them obvious suspects.Think about it.If someone randomly went missing after Caius was found dead wouldn’t you think they were involved somehow?”They would be the first person Aro investigated.

“Yes I would.”Marcus said.

“Then we have a plan.Let’s call a roll call of everyone in the castle then start bringing them to the throne room one by one.It may take us a long time to find the culprit but we will.”Aro was sure of it.

“Good I will feel a lot safer once this person or persons are caught.”Marcus told him.

“Me too.”Aro didn’t like admitting it but he was very worried.He dare admit that he was even afraid of whoever killed Caius.The fact that they were able to do it without anyone seeing them made that fear grow.Caius had many enemies so he didn’t think he and Marcus were going to be targeted.The problem was they didn’t know for sure.That was the reason that their personal guard details had been doubled.He wasn’t going to take a chance.Even his mate’s detail was increased.He also had her confined to their wing of the castle until they figured out who did it.Aro just hoped that capturing Edward’s child and mate would lead to the kings getting Bella back.She would be able to protect them from whoever the assassin was.Once he had her he was going to kill one of her sisters to prove to her that he would follow through on his threat.Then he was going to throw the other two in the dungeon and keep them their for the rest of their lives.He was never going to give Bella the chance to get away from him again.The girl was to valuable of a prize to let slip through his fingers.That fact that she had guaranteed that when he got his hands on her the punishment was going to be severe.Aro smiled just thinking about it.Isabella would be his again and he was going to make sure she regretted even thinking of leaving.