Chapter 121: Jane’s Job Offer

Siobhan had long heard terrifying stories about the blonde captain of the Volturi Guard, so it was only natural that she felt a measure of apprehension in Jane's presence. Being drawn into an enormous family like the Volturi without any real choice was a fate whose blessings and burdens were difficult to judge. 

She was grateful that Jane had chosen to overlook the Irish Coven's quiet interactions with humans, and she answered with equal sincerity. "Very well. I'll picture the future you described, Jane. I hope the two of you remain as close as you are now, and I hope you always continue looking after her and caring for her."

"Naturally."

Before the conversation ended, Siobhan emphasized one last time, "There is no such supernatural gift as making wishes come true. No matter how things unfold, the final outcome still depends on the efforts of those involved."

The full moon would arrive the very next night.

Sophie' anxiety became visible to everyone. The treehouses and marshlands distracted her only briefly before she hurried back to Siobhan, repeatedly asking her to imagine that happy ending again and again, afraid that a single lapse in concentration might somehow change fate. Ironically, Jane appeared to be in much better spirits. She calmly ordered Sophie to carry her all over the Irish territory, using sightseeing as a way to keep the younger vampire's mind occupied.

Maggie tried joining their little excursion, but one sharp glance from Jane was enough to make the timid young vampire retreat. Although Jane possessed breathtaking beauty, Maggie's instincts warned her to stay well away from the dangerous Volturi captain.

The daylight faded quickly, and the moment of truth drew near.

Sophie and Jane sat together atop one of the wooden treehouses.

The sun had yet to fully disappear beneath the horizon, while on the opposite side of the sky the full moon had already risen impatiently, waiting to take center stage. Neither of them moved. They resembled two exquisitely carved statues. The golden-haired girl remained graceful and composed, while the one beside her radiated unmistakable nervousness.

"No matter what happens," Jane said quietly, "your gift still counts." She acknowledged the journey Sophie had planned for her. "You don't actually have to find a room that grants every wish."

Sophie forced a small smile. "Then... I guess we're even now."

"Actually," Jane revealed, exposing a secret she had guarded for a very long time, "this should be considered your second gift to me. Our previous agreement was fulfilled a long time ago."

"What?" Sophie stared at her in genuine surprise. "Felix only told me that I still owed you a gift... Forget it." She sighed helplessly before giving Jane an aggrieved look. "You really could've told me sooner."

A moment later, however, she talked herself into accepting it. "Then I suppose the gift was just an excuse all along. Everyone wanted you to cheer up. The Guard has far too much work to deal with, and someone as idle as me just happened to be useful."

Taking shameless advantage of Sophie' missing memories, Jane mixed truth with fabrication.

"I'm very satisfied with both gifts. As promised, I'll reward you with a position in the Volturi Guard, along with treatment second only to my own."

Sophie felt as though the sky had collapsed over her head.

"You mean... I voluntarily asked to join the Guard... and even bribed you with gifts?"

Good heavens...I spent my entire life being an honest person. I never cheated on exams. The worst thing I'd ever done was copy someone else's homework a few times. Yet after becoming a vampire, I somehow mastered corruption without anyone teaching me!

Night swallowed the wilderness with astonishing speed.

Resting her cheek against one hand with her elbow propped upon her knee, Jane leisurely admired every expression that crossed Sophie' face before correcting her with complete seriousness. "Bribery? You should feel honored, Sophie. You've earned my approval."

How is exchanging two gifts for the recognition of an important figure not bribery?

Sophie nearly burst into tears. For the first time, she realized Jane possessed an astonishing talent for twisting black into white.

"Then what was my first gift?" Sophie asked insistently. She simply could not imagine having given something valuable enough to earn a place within the Volturi Guard. Looking at herself now, she hardly appeared to own anything of worth.

Jane froze.

Why?

Why is she still thinking about the first gift?

She's unbelievably perceptive...

Jane silently scolded herself for acting on impulse. She had underestimated Sophie completely. Losing part of her memory had not dulled either her intelligence or her relentless curiosity.

The silence that followed was unnatural.

Far too guilty.

Before long, suspicion surfaced in Sophie' eyes.

She narrowed them slightly, carefully studying every subtle change in Jane's expression, searching for the smallest crack in her composure.

"So..." Sophie said slowly, "what exactly was the first gift I gave you? Is that really such a difficult question to answer, Jane?"

Jane had never expected deception to rebound upon her with such perfect timing, striking her squarely between the eyes.

Strictly speaking, she had not lied entirely.

The item she herself had torn neatly in half before throwing into the river... she had later dragged Demetri along in the middle of the night to retrieve it. They searched through darkness until they found the soaked remains, dried them carefully, and stored them away forever in a place where sunlight would never reach.

Yet because of everything unpleasant that had happened afterward, Jane had never found the courage to tell Sophie the truth openly.

She had originally intended to reward Sophie by exploiting her lost memories, weaving together half-truths and harmless lies.

Instead, she had only succeeded in throwing a stone at her own feet.

Her agitation made it impossible to invent a convincing excuse.

Jane had always relied upon strength rather than clever words. Had anyone else cornered her like this, she would already have burned them senseless with her Gift until they could no longer think clearly.

"You forgot it yourself," Jane replied at last, choosing the shameless strategy of accusing her first. "And now you're asking me?"

She brushed the matter aside with practiced indifference.

Unwilling to expose her unease, she turned her head toward the horizon as though all of her attention were focused on searching for the rising full moon.

"Enough. Let's just wait for the moon."

The full moon arrived exactly as expected beneath clear skies.

Once the sun disappeared below the horizon, the wind gradually picked up, shaking the fragile branches atop the trees until they swayed wildly.

Sophie still could not stop wondering about the mysterious "first gift" Jane stubbornly refused to discuss. Strangely enough, the mystery dulled much of her earlier anxiety. Instead, her thoughts shifted toward whether she could drive Jane back to Italy before Aro returned to the palace.

At the same time, the burning thirst in her throat became increasingly noticeable. She had consumed far too much blood over the past two days, and the hunger was beginning to return with alarming speed. She was no longer entirely confident she could remain rational throughout the long drive home.

Well past midnight, clouds slowly gathered overhead.

Tiny droplets began falling from the sky.

"It's raining!"

Sophie immediately scooped Jane into her arms and leaped down from the rooftop, hurrying beneath the elevated treehouse for shelter.

Maggie emerged carrying dry towels, but Sophie had reacted quickly enough that not even a single strand of Jane's golden hair had become wet.

Then Sophie' expression changed dramatically.

"Felix's sports car is still a convertible!" she exclaimed in horror. "I have to go check on it!"

Who could possibly have predicted rain in the middle of the night?

When they first arrived at the Irish Coven's territory, Sophie had lowered both the roof and the windows to make getting in and out easier. If the interior had been left exposed to the rain all night, not only would the drive back be miserable for both her and Jane, she would also have absolutely no way to explain herself to Felix afterward.