A week later, Caius walked into Marcus' study for the first time since their last encounter.

 "Good morning, Caius," Marcus said without looking up at him. "I suppose this is something important?"

 "Yes. I would like to apologize for the last time we spoke."

 "You already apologized for that."

 "I did, but I think I should. I am truly sorry for what I said about you and Didyme, and for underestimating you. I never should have done either."

 Marcus looked up at him, and Caius thought he could see some sort of emotion in those eyes of his.

 "Thank you, Caius," Marcus said with a slight nod. "Though it may not seem so, I do appreciate this from you." He looked down at his work again and grew silent.

 Caius brought a chair over and sat down next to him. "You were right, Marcus. I can keeping secrets. I am trying to protect Amalia. You don't know what Aro will do to her if-"

 "As a matter of fact, I do. He will kill her, which what I would expect of you. That is why you have baffled me so recently, Caius."

 "Well, it's-I-" He sighed. "I'm not the same. I haven't been myself since all this happened."

 "Perhaps you have changed for good."

 "But I don't want to be changed for good, Marcus. I want to be able to hold onto something of my old self."

 Marcus closed his book, and gave Caius a very serious look.

 "Look what happened to me," he said. "Do you remember what I was like before I lost my wife? Compare that Marcus with the one you know now. Did I ever stay the same? Am I the Marcus I once used to be?"

 Caius shook his head. "No. I understand what you mean, Marcus. I didn't know losing your mate...I saw what happened to you. I just didn't think it would ever happen to me."

 "Of course you didn't. I suppose you could kill Athenodora and move on with your life. At least you know who is responsible for her death. I never caught Didyme's killer. I don't know who did it or why they did it. I have to live with the fact that I will never know anything. At least you know something."

 "Yes, and I am trying to move past it. At least I haven't-" Caius stopped himself. He was going to say 'At least I didn't try to kill myself', but he didn't want to go down that road. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. Amalia was close with Amara. They were both turned by a vampire named Octavius. After he was murdered by none other than us, Amara wanted revenge. You know about that already. After Athenodora and Amara fled, they went to Amalia. She had had no idea what Amara was planning, and only stayed with them for a few short days before leaving. She didn't want anything to do with it. She begged Amara to stop obsessing over destroying the Volturi, but she never listened."

 "Do you believe everything Amalia told you?" Marcus asked.

 "Yes, I actually do. She seems so sincere, and she showed me memories. She really didn't know the extent of what Amara was doing."

 "And why did she ever come here? To finish her sister's plans?"

 "No. To see what the Volturi is really like, what I'm really like."

 "And did she find what she was looking for?"

 "I don't know. We haven't been discussing it. She didn't understand why I was protecting her."

 "She was most likely expecting something completely different," Marcus suggested. "Besides, I imagine she has been concentrating on something else about you lately."

 "What do you mean?" Caius asked.

 "You know what I mean, Caius. What have you been doing with Amalia for the past week? There is no point in trying to hide it."

 "I am not doing anything with her."

 He thought he heard Marcus scoff. "And you apologized for underestimating me."

 "Well, what do you think we're doing?"

 "It is true I don't know for certain, but I have suspicions. You forget I can sense the bonds between individuals. If you think she'll give you comfort, it won't be enough comfort. Nothing truly comforts the pain of losing your mate. All of her visits to your chamber are not unsuspicious, brother."

 Caius sighed. "Has anyone else noticed?"

 "I don't know. I hope not, for your sake and hers." He paused. "Do you know, when Aro first introduced us, I didn't like you. I didn't know what he saw in you. But...my opinion is changing. I understand what are you suffering through, because I have been through the same. And I know you want to confide in me, but I wouldn't. You know that after Didyme was murdered, Aro had Chelsea bind me to him so tightly that I can't leave him. Everything you're hiding, he could discover it from me."

 Caius nodded. "You may be right. Well, I still trust you, Marcus, and I do not think Aro suspects anything of me. But I suppose I will have to warn Amalia. We shall have to discuss what can be done for her safety."