anything more than he wants Alice。〃
I felt my mouth fall open； remembering the nightmarish pictures I had imagined long ago： Edward and
Alice in black cloaks with bloodred eyes； their faces cold and remote as they stood close as shadows；
Aro's hands on theirs。。。。 Had Alice seen this more recently？ Had she seen Chelsea trying to strip away
her love for us； to bind her to Aro and Caius and Marcus？
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〃Is that why Alice left？〃 I asked； my voice breaking on her name。
Edward put his hand against my cheek。 〃I think it must be。 To keep Aro from gaining the thing he wants
most of all。 To keep her power out of his hands。〃
I heard Tanya and Kate murmuring in disturbed voices and remembered that they hadn't known about
Alice。
〃He wants you； too；〃 I whispered。
Edward shrugged； his face suddenly a little too posed。 〃Not nearly as much。 I can't really give him
anything more than he already has。 And of course that's dependent on his finding a way to force me to do
his will。 He knows me； and he knows how unlikely that is。〃 He raised one eyebrow sardonically。
Eleazar frowned at Edward's nonchalance。 〃He also knows your weaknesses；〃 Eleazar pointed out； and
then he looked at me。
〃It's nothing we need to discuss now；〃 Edward said quickly。
Eleazar ignored the hint and continued。 〃He probably wants your mate； too； regardless。 He must have
been intrigued by a talent that could defy him in its human incarnation。〃
Edward was unfortable with this topic。 I didn't like it； either。 If Aro wanted me to do something
—anything—all he had to do was threaten Edward and I would ply。 And vice versa。
Was death the lesser concern？ Was it really capture we should fear？
Edward changed the subject。 〃I think the Volturi were waiting for this—for some pretext。 They couldn't
know what form their excuse would e in； but the plan was already in place for when it did e。
That's why Alice saw their decision before Irina triggered it。 The decision was already made； just waiting
for the pretense of a justification。〃
〃If the Volturi are abusing the trust all immortals have placed in them。。。；〃 Carmen murmured。
〃Does it matter？〃 Eleazar asked。 〃Who would believe it？ And even if others could be convinced that the
Volturi are exploiting their power； how would it make any difference？ No one can stand against them。〃
〃Though some of us are apparently insane enough to try；〃 Kate muttered。
Edward shook his head。 〃You're only here to witness； Kate。 Whatever Aro's goal； I don't think he's
ready to
tarnish the Volturi's reputation for it。 If we can take away his argument against us； he'll be forced to leave
us in peace。〃
〃Of course；〃 Tanya murmured。
No one looked convinced。 For a few long minutes； nobody said anything。
Then Iheard the sound of tires turning off the highway pavement onto the Cullens' dirt drive。
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〃Oh crap； Charlie；〃 I muttered。 〃Maybe the Denalis could hang out upstairs until—〃
〃No；〃 Edward said in a distant voice。 His eyes were far away； staring blankly at the door。 〃It's not your
father。〃 His gaze focused on me。 〃Alice sent Peter and Charlotte； afterall。 Time to get ready for the next
round。〃
32。 PANY
The Cullens' enormous house was more crowded with guests than anyone would assume could possibly
be fortable。 It only worked out because none of the visitors slept。 Mealtimes were dicey； though。
Our pany cooperated as best they could。 They gave Forks and La Push a wide berth； only hunting
out of state； Edward was a gracious host； lending out his cars as needed without so much as a wince。
The promise made me very unfortable； though I tried to tell myself that they'd all be hunting
somewhere in the world； regardless。
Jacob was even more upset。 The werewolves existed to prevent the loss of human life； and here was
rampant murder being condoned barely outside the packs' borders。 But under these circumstances； with
Renesmee in acute danger； he kept his mouth shut and glared at the floor rather than the vampires。
I was amazed at the easy acceptance the visiting vampires had for Jacob； the problems Edward had
anticipated had never materialized。 Jacob seemed more or less invisible to them； not quite a person； but
also not food； either。 They treated him the way people who are not animallovers treat the pets of their
friends。
Leah； Seth； Quil； and Embry were assigned to run with Sam for now； and Jacob would have happily
joined them； except that he couldn't stand to be away from Renesmee； and Renesmee was busy
fascinating the strange collection of Carlisle's friends。
We'd replayed the scene of Renesmee's introduction to the Denali coven a half dozen times。 First for
Peter and Charlotte； whom Alice and Jasper had sent our way without giving them any explanation at all；
like most people who knew Alice； they trusted her instructions despite the lack of information。 Alice had
told them nothing about which direction she and Jasper were heading。 She'd made no promise to ever
see them again in the future。
Neither Peter nor Charlotte had ever seen an immortal child。 Though they knew the rule； their negative
reaction was not as powerful as the Denali vampires' had been at first。 Curiosity had driven them to allow
Renesmee's 〃explanation。〃 And that was it。 Now they were as mitted to witnessing as Tanya's family。
Carlisle had sent friends from Ireland and Egypt。
The Irish clan arrived first； and they were surprisingly easy to convince。 Siobhan—a woman of immense
presence whose huge body was both beautiful and mesmerizing as it moved in smooth undulations—was
the leader； but she and her hardfaced mate； Liam； were long used to trusting the judgment of their
newest coven member。 Little Maggie； with her bouncy red curls； was not physically imposing like the
other two； but she had a gift for knowing when she was being lied to； and her verdicts were never
contested。 Maggie declared that Edward spoke the truth； and so Siobhan and Liam accepted our story
absolutely before even touching Renesmee。
Amun and the other Egyptian vampires were another story。 Even after two younger members of his
coven； Benjamin and Tia； had been convinced by Renesmee's explanation； Amun refused to touch her
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and ordered his coven to leave。 Benjamin—an oddly cheerful vampire who looked barely older than a
boy and seemed both utterly confident and utterly careless at the same time—persuaded Amun to stay
with a few subtle threats about disbanding their alliance。 Amun stayed； but continued to refuse to touch
Renesmee； and would not allow his mate； Kebi； to touch her； either。 It seemed an unlikely
grouping—though the Egyptians all looked so alike； with their midnight hair and olivetoned pallor； that
they easily could have passed for a biological family。 Amun was the senior member and the outspoken
leader。 Kebi never strayed farther away from Amun than his shadow； and I never heard her speak a
single word。 Tia； Benjamin's mate； was a quiet woman as well； though when she did speak there was
great insight and gravity to everything she said。 Still； it was Benjamin whom they all seemed to revolve
around； as if he had some invisible magism the others depended upon for their balance。 I saw Eleazar
staring at the boy with wide eyes and assumed Benjamin had a talent that drew the others to him。
〃It's not that；〃 Edward told me when we were alone that night。 〃His gift is so singular that Amun is
terrified of losing him。 Much like we had planned to keep Renesmee from Aro's knowledge〃—he
sighed—〃Amun has been keeping Benjamin from Aro's attention。 Amun created Benjamin； knowing he
would be special。〃
〃What can he do？〃
〃Something Eleazar's never seen before。 Something I've never heard of。 Something that even your shield
would do nothing against。〃 He grinned his crooked smile at me。 〃He can actually influence the elements
—earth； wind； water； and fire。 True physical manipulation； no illusion of the mind。 Benjamin's still
experimenting with it； and Amun tries to mold him into a weapon。 But you see how independent
Benjamin is。 He won't be used。〃
〃You like him；〃 I surmised from the tone of his voice。
〃He has a very clear sense of right and wrong。 I like his attitude。〃
Amun's attitude was something else； and he and Kebi kept to themselves； though Benjamin and Tia were
well on their way to being fast friends with both the Denali and the Irish covens。 We hoped that Carlisle's
return would ease the remaining tension with Amun。
Emmett and Rose sent individuals—any nomad friends of Carlisle's that they could track down。
Garrett came first—a tall； rangy vampire with eager ruby eyes and long sandy hair he kept tied back
with a leather thong—and it was apparent immediately that he was an adventurer。 I imagined that we
could have presented
him with any challenge and he would have accepted； ju