the dip between his massive shoulder blades。
Jacob turned to me； his expressive eyes full of agony； the rumbling growl still grating through his chest。
〃You're the only one we could ever trust her with；〃 I murmured to him。 〃If you didn't love her so much； I
could never bear this。 I know you can protect her； Jacob。〃
He whined again； and dipped his head to butt it against my shoulder。
〃I know；〃 I whispered。 〃I love you； too； Jake。 You'll always be my best man。〃
A tear the size of a baseball rolled into the russet fur beneath his eye。
Edward leaned his head against the same shoulder where he'd placed Renesmee。 〃Goodbye； Jacob； my
brother。。。 my son。〃
The others were not oblivious to the farewell scene。 Their eyes were locked on the silent black triangle；
but I could tell they were listening。
〃Is there no hope； then？〃 Carlisle whispered。 There was no fear in his voice。 Just determination and
acceptance。
〃There is absolutely hope；〃 I murmured back。 It could be true； I told myself。 〃I only know my own
fate。〃
Edward took my hand。 He knew that he was included。 When I said my fate； there was no question that
I meant the two of us。 We were just halves of the whole。
Esme's breath was ragged behind me。 She moved past us； touching our faces as she passed； to stand
beside Carlisle and hold his hand。
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Suddenly； we were surrounded by murmured goodbyes and I love you's。
〃If we live through this；〃 Garrett whispered to Kate； 〃I'll follow you anywhere； woman。〃
〃Now he tells me；〃 she muttered。
Rosalie and Emmett kissed quickly but passionately。
Tia caressed Benjamin's face。 He smiled back cheerfully； catching her hand and holding it against his
cheek。
I didn't see all the expressions of love and pain。 I was distracted by a sudden fluttering pressure against
the outside of my shield。 I couldn't tell where it came from； but it felt like it was directed at the edges of
our group； Siobhan and Liam particularly。 The pressure did no damage； and then it was gone。
There was no change in the silent； still forms of the counseling ancients。 But perhaps there was some
signal I'd missed。
〃Get ready；〃 I whispered to the others。 〃It's starting。〃
38。 POWER
〃Chelsea is trying to break our bindings；〃 Edward whispered。 〃But she can't find them。 She can't feel us
here。 。 。 。〃 His eyes cut to me。 〃Are you doing that？〃
I smiled grimly at him。 〃I am all over this。〃
Edward lurched away from me suddenly； his hand reaching out toward Carlisle。 At the same time； I felt
a much sharper jab against the shield where it wrapped protectively around Carlisle's light。 It wasn't
painful； but it wasn't pleasant； either。
〃Carlisle？ Are you all right？〃 Edward gasped frantically。
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃Jane；〃 Edward answered。
The moment that he said her name； a dozen pointed attacks hit in a second； stabbing all over the elastic
shield； aimed at twelve different bright spots。 I flexed； making sure the shield was undamaged。 It didn't
seem like Jane had been able to pierce it。 I glanced around quickly； everyone was fine。
〃Incredible；〃 Edward said。
〃Why aren't they waiting for the decision？〃 Tanya hissed。
〃Normal procedure；〃 Edward answered brusquely。 〃They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can't
escape。〃
I looked across at Jane； who was staring at our group with furious disbelief。 I was pretty sure that；
besides me； she'd never seen anyone remain standing through her fiery assault。
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It probably wasn't very mature。 But I figured it would take Aro about half a second to guess—if he
hadn't already—that my shield was more powerful than Edward had known； I already had a big target on
my forehead and there was really no point in trying to keep the extent of what I could do a secret。 So I
grinned a huge； smug smile right
at Jane。
Her eyes narrowed； and I felt another stab of pressure； this time directed at me。
I pulled my lips wider； showing my teeth。
Jane let out a highpitched scream of a snarl。 Everyone jumped； even the disciplined guard。 Everyone
but the ancients； who didn't so much as look up from their conference。 Her twin caught her arm as she
crouched to spring。
The Romanians started chuckling with dark anticipation。
〃I told you this was our time；〃 Vladimir said to Stefan。
〃Just look at the witch's face；〃 Stefan chortled。
Alec patted his sister's shoulder soothingly； then tucked her under his arm。 He turned his face to us；
perfectly smooth； pletely angelic。
I waited for some pressure； some sign of his attack； but I felt nothing。 He continued to stare in our
direction； his pretty face posed。 Was he attacking？ Was he getting through my shield？ Was I the only
one who could still see him？ I clutched at Edward's hand。
〃Are you okay？〃 I choked out。
〃Yes；〃 he whispered。
〃Is Alec trying？〃
Edward nodded。 〃His gift is slower than Jane's。 It creeps。 It will touch us in a few seconds。〃
I saw it then； when I had a clue of what to look for。
A strange clear haze was oozing across the snow； nearly invisible against the white。 It reminded me of a
mirage—a slight warping of the view； a hint of a shimmer。 I pushed my shield out from Carlisle and the
rest of the front line； afraid to have the slinking mist too close when it hit。 What if it stole right through my
intangible protection？ Should we run？
A low rumbling murmured through the ground under our feet； and a gust of wind blew the snow into
sudden flurries between our position and the Voituri's。 Benjamin had seen the creeping threat； too； and
now he tried to blow the mist away from us。 The snow made it easy to see where he threw the wind； but
the mist didn't react in any way。 It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow； the shadow was
immune。
The triangular formation of the ancients finally broke apart when； with a racking groan； a deep； narrow
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fissure opened in a long zigzag across the middle of the clearing。 The earth rocked under my feet for a
moment。 The drifts of snow plummeted into the hole； but the mist skipped right across it； as untouched by
gravity as it had been by wind。
Aro and Caius watched the opening earth with wide eyes。 Marcus looked in the same direction without
emotion。
They didn't speak； they waited； too； as the mist approached us。 The wind shrieked louder but didn't
change the course of the mist。 Jane was smiling now。
And then the mist hit a wall。
I could taste it as soon as it touched my shield—it had a dense； sweet； cloying flavor； it made me
remember dimly the numbness of Novocain on my tongue。
The mist curled upward； seeking a breach； a weakness。 It found none。 The fingers of searching haze
twisted upward and around； trying to find a way in； and in the process illustrating the astonishing size of
the protective screen。
There were gasps on both sides of Benjamin's gorge。
〃Well done； Bella！'7Benjamin cheered in a low voice。
My smile returned。
I could see Alec's narrowed eyes； doubt on his face for the first time as his mist swirled harmlessly
around the edges of my shield。
And then I knew that I could do this。 Obviously； I would be the numberone priority； the first one to die；
but as long as I held； we were on more than equal footing with the Volturi。 We still had Benjamin and
Zafrina； they had no supernatural help at all。 As long as I held。
Tm going to have to concentrate；〃 I whispered to Edward。 〃When it es to hand to hand； it's going to
be harder to keep the shield around the right people。〃
〃I'll keep them off you。〃
〃No。 You have to get to Demetri。 Zafrina will keep them away from me。〃
Zafrina nodded solemnly。 〃No one will touch this young one；〃 she promised Edward。
〃I'd go after Jane and Alec myself； but I can do more good here。〃
〃Jane's mine；〃 Kate hissed。 〃She needs a taste of her own medicine。〃
〃And Alec owes me many lives； but I will settle for his；〃 Vladimir growled from the other side。 〃He's
mine。〃
〃I just want Caius；〃 Tanya said evenly。
The others started divvying up opponents； too； but they were quickly interrupted。
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Aro； staring calmly at Alec's ineffective mist； finally spoke。
〃Before we vote；〃 he began。
I shook my head angrily。 I was tired of this charade。 The bloodlust was igniting in me again； and I was
sorry that I would help the others more by standing still。 I wanted to fight。
〃Let me remind you；〃 Aro continued； 〃whatever the council's decision； there need be no violence here。〃
Edward snarled out a dark laugh。
Aro stared at him sadly。 〃It will be a regrettable waste to our kind to lose any of you。 But you especially；
young Edward； and your newborn mate。 The Volturi would be glad to wele many of you into our
ranks。 Bella； Benjamin； Zafrina； Kate。 Ther