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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。 There are many choices before you。 Consider them。〃
Chelsea's attempt to sway us fluttered impotently against my shield。 Aro's gaze swept across our hard
eyes； looking for any indication of hesitation。 From his expression； he found none。
I knew he was desperate to keep Edward and me； to imprison us the way he had hoped to enslave
Alice。 But this fight was too big。 He would not win if I lived。 I was fiercely glad to be so powerful that I
left him no way not to kill me。
〃Let us vote； then；〃 he said with apparent reluctance。
Caius spoke with eager haste。 〃The child is an unknown quantity。 There is no reasonto allow sucha risk
to exist。 It must be destroyed； along with all who protect it。〃 He smiled in expectation。
I fought back a shriek of defiance to answer his cruel smirk。
Marcus lifted his uncaring eyes； seeming to look through us as he voted。
〃I see no immediate danger。 The child is safe enough for now。 We can always reevaluate later。 Let us
leave in peace。〃 His voice was even fainter than his brothers' feathery sighs。
None of the guard relaxed their ready positions at his disagreeing words。 Caius's anticipatory grin did
not falter。 It was as if Marcus hadn't spoken atall。
〃I must make the deciding vote； it seems；〃 Aro mused。
Suddenly； Edward stiffened at my side。 〃Yes！〃 he hissed。
I risked a glance at him。 His face glowed with an expression of triumph that I didn't understand—it was
the expression an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned。 Beautiful and terrifying。
There was a low reaction from the guard； an uneasy murmur。
〃Aro？〃 Edward called； nearly shouted； undisguised victory in his voice。
Aro hesitated fora second； assessing this new mood warily before he answered。 〃Yes； Edward？ You
have something further。。。 ？〃
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〃Perhaps；〃 Edward said pleasantly； controlling his unexplained excitement。 〃First； if I could clarify one
point？〃
〃Certainly；〃 Aro said； raising his eyebrows； nothing now but polite interest in his tone。 My teeth ground
together； Aro was never more dangerous than when he was gracious。
〃The danger you foresee from my daughter—this stems entirely from our inability to guess how she will
develop？ That is the crux of the matter？〃
〃Yes； friend Edward；〃 Aro agreed。 〃If we could but be positive。。。 be sure that； as she grows； she will be
able to stay concealed from the human world—not endanger the safety of our obscurity 。。。〃 He trailed
off； shrugging。
〃So； if we could only know for sure；〃 Edward suggested； 〃exactly what she will bee。。。 then there
would be no need for a council at all？〃
〃If there was some way to be absolutely sure；〃 Aro agreed； his feathery voice slightly more shrill。 He
couldn't see where Edward was leading him。 Neither could I。 〃Then； yes； there would be no question to
debate。〃
〃And we would part in peace； good friends once