army you've assembled to kill me； and to kill my dear ones。〃
Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred
yards
between them。 〃You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent。〃
Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed。 〃But how can your intent possibly matter； dear Carlisle； in the face of what
you have done？〃 He frowned； and a shadow of sadness crossed his features—whether it was genuine or
not； I could not tell。
〃I have not mitted the crime you are here to punish me for。〃
〃Then step aside and let us punish those responsible。 Truly； Carlisle； nothing would please me more than
to preserve your life today。〃
〃No one has broken the law； Aro。 Let me explain。〃 Again； Carlisle offered his hand。
Before Aro could answer； Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side。
〃So many pointless rules； so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself； Carlisle；〃 the whitehaired
ancient hissed。 〃How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters？〃
〃The law is not broken。 If you would listen—〃
〃We see the child； Carlisle；〃 Caius snarled。 〃Do not treat us as fools。〃
〃She is not an immortal。 She is not a vampire。 I can easily prove this with just a few moments—〃
Caius cut him off。 〃If she is not one of the forbidden； then why have you massed a battalion to protect
her？〃
〃Witnesses； Caius； just as you have brought。〃 Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the
woods； some of them growled in response。 〃Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the
child。 Or you could just look at her； Caius。 See the flush of human blood in her cheeks。〃
〃Artifice！〃 Caius snapped。 〃Where is the informer？ Let her e forward！〃 He craned his neck around
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until he spotted Irina lingering behind the wives。 〃You！ e！〃
Irina stared at him unprehendingly； her face like that of someone who has not entirely awakened
from a hideous nightmare。 Impatiently； Caius snapped his fingers。 One of the wives' huge bodyguards
moved to Irina's side and prodded her roughly in the back。 Irina blinked twice and then walked slowly
toward Caius in a daze。 She stopped several yards short； her eyes still on her sisters。
Caius closed the distance between them and slapped her across the face。
It couldn't have hurt； but there was something terribly degrading about the action。 It was like watching
someone kick a dog。 Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization。
Irina's body went rigid and her eyes finally focused on Caius。 He pointed one clawed finger at
Renesmee； where she clung to my back； her fingers still tangled in Jacob's fur。 Caius turned entirely red in
my furious view。 A growl rumbled through Jacob's chest。
〃This is the child you saw？〃 Caius demanded。 〃The one that was obviously more than human？〃
Irina peered at us； examining Renesmee for the first time since entering the clearing。 Her head tilted to
the side； confusion crossed her features。
〃Well？〃 Caius snarled。
〃I。。。 I'm not sure；〃 she said； her tone perplexed。
Caius's hand twitched as if he wanted to slap her again。 〃What do you mean？〃 he said in a steely
whisper。
〃She's not the same； but I think it's the same child。 What I mean is； she's changed。 This child is bigger
than the one I saw； but—〃
Caius's furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth； and Irina broke off without finishing。 Aro
flitted to Caius's side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder。
〃Be posed； brother。 We have time to sort this out。 No need to be hasty。〃
With a sullen expression； Caius turned his back on Irina。
〃Now； sweetling；〃 Aro said in a warm； sugary murmur。 〃Show me what you're trying to say。〃 He held his
hand out to the bewildered vampire。
Uncertainly； Irina took his hand。 He held hers for only five seconds。
〃You see； Caius？〃 he said。 〃It's a simple matter to get what we need。〃
Caius didn't answer him。 From the corner of his eye； Aro glanced once at his audience； his mob； and
then turned back to Carlisle。
〃And so we have a mystery on our hands； it seems。 It would appear the child has grown。 Yet Irina's first
memory was clearly that of an immortal child。 Curious。〃
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〃That's exactly what I'm trying to explain；〃 Carlisle said； and from the change in his voice； I could guess
at his relief。 This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopeson。
I feltno relief。 I waited； almost numb with rage； for the layers of strategy Edward had promised。
Carlisle held out his hand again。
Aro hesitated for a moment。 〃I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the
story； my friend。 Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making？〃
〃Therewas no breach。〃
〃Be that as it may； I will have every facet of the truth。〃 Aro's feathery voice hardened。 〃And the best
way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son。〃 He inclined his head in Edward's
direction。 〃As the child clings to his newborn mate； I'm assuming Edward is involved。〃
Of course he wanted Edward。 Once he could see into Edward's mind； he would know all our thoughts。
Except mine。
Edward turned to quickly kiss my forehead and Renesmee's； not meeting my eyes。 Then he strode
across the snowy field； clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed。 I heard a low whimper from
behind me—Esme's terror breaking through。
The red haze I saw around the Volturi army flamed brighter than before； i could not bear to watch
Edward cross the empty white spacealone—but I alsocould not endure to have Renesmee one step
closer to our adversaries。 The opposing needs tore at me； I was frozen so tightly it felt like my bones
might shatter from the pressure of it。
I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us； when he was closer to
them than he was to us。
That smug little smile did it。 My fury peaked； higher even than the raging bloodlust I'd felt the moment the
wolves had mitted to this doomed fight。 I could taste madness on my tongue—I felt it flow through
me like a tidal wave of pure power。 My muscles tightened； and I acted automatically。 I threw my shield
with all the force in my mind； flung it across the impossible expanse of the field—ten times my best
distance—like a javelin。 My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion。
The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy； a mushroom cloud of liquid steel。 It pulsed like
alivingthing—I could feel it； from the apex to the edges。
There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now； in that instant of raw force； I saw that the backlash I'd felt
before was of my own making—I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in selfdefense；
subconsciously unwilling to let it go。 Now I set it free； and my shield exploded a good fifty yards out from
me effortlessly； taking only a fraction of my concentration。 I could feel it flex like just another muscle；
obedi