〃So　many　pointless　rules；　so　many　unnecessary　laws　you　create　for　yourself；　Carlisle；〃　the　white…haired
  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　come　forward！〃　He　craned　his　neck　around
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  until　he　spotted　Irina　lingering　behind　the　wives。　〃You！　Come！〃
  Irina　stared　at　him　uncomprehendingly；　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　composed；　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　committed　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　self…defense；
  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；
  obedient　to　my　will。　I　pushed　it；　shaped　it　to　a　long；　pointed　oval。　Everything　underneath　the　flexible　iron
  shield　was　suddenly　a　part　of　me—I　could　feel　the　life　force　of　everything　it　covered　like　points　of　bright
  heat；　dazzling　sparks　of　light　surrounding　me。　I　thrust　the　shield　forward　the　length　of　the　clearing；　and
  exhaled　in　relief　when　I　felt　Edward's　brilliant　light　within　my　protection。　I　held　there；　contracting　this　new
  muscle　so　that　it　closely　surrounded　Edward；　a　thin　but　unbreakable　sheet　between　his　body　and　our
  enemies。
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  Barely　a　second　had　passed。　Edward　was　still　walking　to　Aro。　Everything　had　changed　absolutely；　but
  no　one　had　noticed　the　explosion　except　for　me。　A　startled　laugh　burst　through　my　lips。　I　felt　the　others
  glancing　at　me　and　saw　Jacob's　big　black　eye　roll　down　to　stare　at　me　like　I'd　lost　my　mind。
  Edward　stopped　a　few　steps　away　from　Aro；　and　I　realized　with　some　chagrin　that　though　I　certainly
  could；　I　should　not　prevent　this　exchange　from　happening。　This　was　the　point　of　all　our　preparations：
  getting　Aro　to　hear　our　side　of　the　story。　It　was　almost　physically　painful　to　do　it；　but　reluctantly　I　pulled
  my　shield　back　and　left　Edward　exposed　again。　The　laughing　mood　had　vanished。　I　focused　totally　on
  Edward；　ready　to　shield　him　instantly　if　something　went　wrong。
  Edward's　chin　came　up　arrogantly；　and　he　held　his　hand　out　to　Aro　as　if　he　were　conferring　a　great
  honor。　Aro　seemed　only　delighted　with　his　attitude；　but　his　delight　was　not　universal。　Renata　fluttered
  nervously　in　Aro：s　shadow。　Caius's　scowl　was　so　deep　it　looked　like　his　papery；　translucent　skin　would
  crease　permanently。　Little　Jane　showed　her　teeth；　and　beside　her　Alec's　eyes　narrowed　in　concentration。
  I　guessed　that　he　was　ready；　like　me；　to　act　at　a　second's　notice。
  Aro　closed　the　distance　without　pause—and　really；　what　did　he　have　to　fear？　The　hulking　shadows　of
  the　lighter　gray　cloaks—the　brawny　fighters　like　Felix—were　but　a　few　yards　away。　Jane　and　her　burning
  gift　could　throw　Edward　on　the　ground；　writhing　in　agony。　Alec　could　blind　and　deafen　him　before　he
  could　take　a　step　in　Aro's　direction。　No　one　knew　that　I　had　the　power　to　stop　them；　not　even　Edward。
  With　an　untroubled　smile；　Aro　took　Edward's　hand。　His　eyes　snapped　shut　at　once；　and　then　his
  shoulders　hunched　under　the　onslaught　of　information。
  Every　secret　thought；　every　strategy；　eve