enough to make up for their frustration。
Benjamin and Tia were quick to follow after Amun and Kebi； anxious to let them know the oute of
the conflict； I was sure we would see them again—Benjamin and Tia； at least。 None of the nomads
lingered。 Peter and Charlotte had a short conversation with Jasper； and then they were gone； too。
The reunited Amazons had been anxious to return home as well—they had a difficult time being away
from their beloved rain forest—though they were more reluctant to leave than some of the others。
〃You must bring the child to see me；〃 Zafrina had insisted。 〃Promise me； young one。〃
Nessie had pressed her hand to my neck； pleading as well。
〃Of course； Zafrina；〃 I'd agreed。
〃We shall be great friends； my Nessie；〃 the wild woman had declared before leaving with her sisters。
The Irish coven continued the exodus。
〃Well done； Siobhan；〃 Carlisle plimented her as they said goodbye。
〃Ah； the power of wishful thinking；〃 she answered sarcastically； rolling her eyes。 And then she was
serious。 〃Of course； this isn't over。 The Volturi won't forgive what happened here。〃
Edward was the one to answer that。 〃They've been seriously shaken； their confidence is shattered。 But；
yes； I'm sure they'll recover from the blow someday。 And then 。 。 。〃 His eyes tightened。 〃I imagine they'll
try to pick us off
separately。〃
〃Alice will warn us when they intend to strike；〃 Siobhan said in a sure voice。 〃And we'll gather again。
Perhaps the time will e when our world is ready to be free of the Volturi altogether。〃
〃That time may e；〃 Carlisle replied。 〃If it does； we'll stand together。〃
〃Yes； my friend； we will；〃 Siobhan agreed。 〃And how can we fail； when will it otherwise？〃 She let out a
great peal of laughter。
〃Exactly；〃 Carlisle said。 He and Siobhan embraced； and then he shook Liam's hand。 〃Try to find Alistair
and tell him what happened。 I'd hate to think of him hiding under a rock for the next decade。〃
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Siobhan laughed again。 Maggie hugged both Nessie and me； and then the Irish coven was gone。
The Denalis were the last to leave； Garrett with them—as he would be from now on； I was fairly sure。
The atmosphere of celebration was too much for Tanya and Kate。 They needed time to grieve for their
lost sister。
Huilen and Nahuel were the ones who stayed； though I had expected those last two to go back with the
Amazons。 Carlisle was deep in fascinated conversation with Huilen； Nahuel sat close beside her； listening
while Edward told the rest of us the story of the conflict as only he knew it。
〃Alice gave Aro the excuse he needed to get out of the fight。 If he hadn't been so terrified of Bella； he
probably would have gone ahead with their original plan。〃
〃Terrified？〃 I said skeptically。 〃Of me？〃
He smiled at me with a look I didn't entirely recognize—it was tender； but also awed and even
exasperated。 〃When will you ever see yourself clearly？〃 he said softly。 Then he spoke louder； to the
others as well as to me。 〃The Volturi haven't fought a fair fight in about twentyfive hundred years。 And
they've never； never fought one where they were at a disadvantage。 Especially since they gained Jane and
Alec； they've only been involved with unopposed slaughterings。
〃You should have seen how we looked to them！ Usually； Alec cuts off all sense and feeling from their
victims while they go through the charade of a counsel。 That way； no one can run when the verdict is
given。 But there we stood； ready； waiting； outnumbering them； with gifts of our own while their gifts were
rendered useless by Bella。 Aro knew that with Zafrina on our side； they would be the blind ones when
the battle menced。 I'm sure our numbers would have been pretty severely decimated； but they were
sure that theirs would be； too。 There was even a good possibility that they would lose。 They've never
dealt with that possibility before。 They didn't deal with it well today。〃
〃Hard to feel confident when you're surrounded by horsesized wolves；〃 Emmett laughed； poking
Jacob's arm。
Jacob flashed a grin at him。
〃It was the wolves that stopped them in the first place；〃 I said。
〃Sure was；〃 Jacob agreed。
〃Absolutely；〃 Edward agreed。 〃That was another sight they've never seen。 The true Children of the
Moon rarely move in packs； and they are never much in control of themselves。 Sixteen enormous
regimented wolves was a surprise they weren't prepared for。 Caius is actually terrified of werewolves。 He
almost lost a fight with one a few
thousand years ago and never got over it。〃
〃So there are real werewolves？〃 I asked。 〃With the full moon and silver bullets and all that？〃
Jacob snorted。 〃Real。 Does that make me imaginary？〃
〃You know what I mean。〃
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〃Full moon； yes；〃 Edward said。 〃Silver bullets； no—that was just another one of those myths to make
humans feel like they had a sporting chance。 There aren't very many of them left。 Caius has had them
hunted into near extinction。〃
〃And you never mentioned this because。。。 ？〃
〃It never came up。〃
I rolled my eyes； and Alice laughed； leaning forward—she was tucked under Edward's other arm—to
wink at me。
I glared back。
I loved her insanely； of course。 But now that I'd had a chance to realize that she was really home； that
her defection was only a ruse because Edward had to believe that she'd abandoned us； I was beginning
to feel pretty irritated with her。 Alice had some explaining to do。
Alice sighed。 〃Just get it off your chest； Bella。〃
〃How could you do that to me； Alice？〃
〃It was necessary。〃
〃Necessary！〃 I exploded。 〃You had me totally convinced that we were all going to die！ I've been a
wreck for weeks。〃
〃It might have gone that way；〃 she said calmly。 〃In which case you needed to be prepared to save
Nessie。〃
Instinctively； I held Nessie—asleep now on my lap—tighter in my arms。
〃But you knew there were other ways； too；〃 I accused。 〃You knew there was hope。 Did it ever occur to
you that you could have told me everything？ I know Edward had to think we were at a dead end for
Aro's sake； but you could have told me。〃
She looked at me speculatively for a moment。 〃I don't think so；〃 she said。 〃You're just not that good an
actress。〃
〃This was about my acting skills？〃
〃Oh； take it down an octave； Bella。 Do you have any idea how plicated Ms was to set up？ I
couldn't even be sure that someone like Nahuel existed—all I knew was that I would be looking for
something I couldn't see！ Try to imagine searching for a blind spot—not the easiest thing I've ever done。
Plus we had to send back the key witnesses； like we weren't in enough of a hurry。 And then keeping my
eyes open all the time in case you decided to throw me any more instructions。 At some point you're going
to have to tell me what exactly is in Rio。 Before any of that； I had to try to see every trick the Volturi
might e in with and give you what few clues I could so you would be ready for their strategy； and I
only had just a few hours to trace out all the possibilities。 Most of all； I had to make sure you'd all believe
that I was ditching out on you； because Aro had to be positive that you had nothing left up your sleeves
or he never would have mitted to an out the way he did。 And if you think I didn't feel like a
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schmuck—〃
〃Okay； okay！〃 I interrupted。 〃Sorry！ I know it was rough for you； too。 It's just that。。。 well； I missed you
like crazy； Alice。 Don't do that to me again。〃
Alice's trilling laugh rang through the room； and we all smiled to hear that music once more。 〃I missed
you； too； Bella。 So forgive me； and try to be satisfied with being the superhero of the day。〃
Everyone else laughed now； and I ducked my face into Nessie's hair； embarrassed。
Edward went back to analyzing every shift of intention and control that had happened in the meadow
today； declaring that it was my shield that had made the Volturi run away with their tails between their
legs。 The way everyone looked at me made me unfortable。 Even Edward。 It was like I had grown a
hundred feet during the course of the morning。 I tried to ignore the impressed looks； mostly keeping my
eyes on Nessie's sleeping face and Jacob's unchanged expression。 I would always be just Bella to him；
and that was a relief。
The hardest stare to ignore was also the most confusing one。
It wasn't like this halfhuman； halfvampire Nahuel was used to thinking of me in a certain way。 For all he
knew； I went around routing attacking vampires every day and the scene in the meadow had been
nothing unusual at all。 But the boy never took his eyes off me。 Or maybe he was looking at Nessie。 That
made me unfortable； too。
He couldn't be oblivious to the fact that Nessie was the only female of his kind that wasn't his halfsister。
I didn't think this idea had occurred to Jacob yet。 I kind of