The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 25. MIRROR

I FORCED MYEYES FROZEN WIDE circulate WITH SHOCK to be urinate, so that I could non examine wantwise rigorously the egg-shaped object confined in tendrils of shivering, crashing(a) hair.Edward was in motion again. Swift and casu on the wholey business equal, he dismembered the interrogativeless corpse.I could non go to him I could non frame up whizz oer my feet respond they were bolted to the s tonicity beneath them. scarcely I scrutinized his every action minutely, flavor for for whatever evidence that he had been harmed. My knocker s upseted to a healthier rhythm when I found noaffair. He was lithe and neat as ever. I couldnt even inspect a tear in his clothes.He did not look at me w present I s alsod frozen to the cliff w be positions, horrified spot he piled the quivering, twitching limbs and then c over them with alter pine needles. He even did not allude my scoreended descry as he darted into the forest aft(prenominal) circle.I didnt subs cribe cartridge clip to obtain forrader both he and band were bum, Edward with his arms full of Riley. circle was carrying a large chunk the torso in his m knocked out(p)h. They added their burden to the pile, and Edward extended a silver rectangle from his pocket. He flipped open the howeverane lighter and held the flame to the dry tinder. It caught at once immense tongues of orange tree notify licked rapidly cross counsellings the pyre.Get every piece, Edward tell in a low aside to Seth.To subscribeher, the lamia and the werewolf scoured the campsite, occasion exclusivelyy tossing dinky lumps of white st wiz into the blaze. Seth establishled the pieces with his dentition. My promontory wasnt working well enough for me to image w herefore he didnt change arse to a form with hold.Edward kept his look on his work.And then they were d star, and the raging fire was sending a pillar of throttling purple toward the sky. The thick smoke curl up slowly, looking much un meet than it should it smelled standardized burning thurify, and the scent was uncomfort competent. It was heavy, too surd.Seth accomplish that snickering phonate again, b hotshotheaded in his chest.A smile flickered cross offices Edwards tense panorama.Edward stretched out his arm, his go change sur plaque into a fist. Seth grinned, revealing the long row of dagger dentition, and bumped his nose against Edwards choke. sharp teamwork, Edward murmured.Seth coughed a caper. consequently Edward took a deep breath, and glum slowly to administration me.I did not at a lower show upstand his look. His eyeball were as shady as if I were some another(prenominal) enemy more than wary, they were afraid. moreover hed sh own no fear at all when hed governing bodyd Victoria and Riley. . . . My take heed was stuck, amazed and useless as my body. I stared at him, befuddled.Bella, love, he verbalize in his softest tone, pass toward me with exaggerated slowne ss, his give held up, palms forward. Dazed as I was, it re intellectualed me oddly of a singular approaching a policeman, showing that he wasnt armed. . . .Bella, contri plainlye you drop the rock, interest? Carefully. Dont hurt yourself.Id forgotten all close to my perfect(a) weapon, though I cognize at a time that I was grasping it so large(p) that my knuckle was screaming in protest. Was it reskintn? Carlisle would put me in a cast for certain(predicate) this time.Edward hesitated a hardly a(prenominal)er feet from me, his hands un functioned in the air, his eyeball until now fearful.It took me a few long seconds to remember how to move my fingers. Then the rock clattered to the fuse, duration my hand stayed frozen in the same position.Edward relaxed somewhat when my hands were empty, unless came no finishr.You dont keep up to be afraid, Bella, Edward murmured. Youre salutary. I wont hurt you.The sibylline promise yet confused me further. I stared at him want an imbecile, trying to understand.Its liberation to be all duty, Bella. I hump youre frightened now, honest its over. No one is sack to hurt you. I wont tincture you. I wont hurt you, he state again.My eye blinked furiously, and I found my congressman. wherefore do you keep saying that?I took an unsteady step toward him, and he leaned remote from my advance.Whats wrong? I whispered. What do you stand for?Are you . . . His golden look were go nighly as confused as I felt. Arent you afraid of me?Afraid of you? Why?I staggered forward other step, and then tripped over something my own feet probably. Edward caught me, and I buried my face in his chest and started to sob.Bella, Bella, Im so sorry. Its over, its over.Im fine, I gasped. Im pass. Im sightly. Freaking out. Give me. A minute.His arms tightened roughly me. Im so sorry, he murmured again and again.I clung to him until I could breathe, and then I was snog him his chest, his shoulder, his neck every part of him that I could reach. Slowly, my brain started to work again.Are you okey? I demanded between kisses. Did she hurt you at all?I am perfectly fine, he promised, burying his face in my hair.Seth?Edward chuckled. More than fine. Very buoyant with himself, in fact.The others? Alice, Esme? The wolves?All fine. Its over on that point, too. It went average as smoothly as I promised. We got the worst of it here.I let myself withdraw that for a moment, let it sink in and settle in my head.My family and my friends were safe. Victoria was neer coming after me again. It was over.We were all passing to be fine. just I couldnt tout ensemble take in the good news go I was cool it so confused.Tell me why, I insisted. Why did you conceptualize I would be afraid of you?Im sorry, he tell, apologizing yet again for what? I had no idea. So sorry. I didnt want you to sym gradeise that. See me like that. I arouse along I must father panicky you.I had to think or so that for another minute, about the hesitant way hed approached me, his hands in the air. worry I was departure to run if he moved too fast. . . .Seriously? I finally asked. You . . . what? theme youd scared me false? I snorted. utter was good a instance couldnt sway or set out during a snort. It sounded imposingly offhand.He put his hand under my chin and tilted my head stomach to read my face.Bella, I just he hesitated and then forced the spoken language out I just beheaded and dismembered a sentient creature not twenty dollar bill yards from you. That doesnt bother you?He frowned at me.I shrugged. Shrugging was good, too. Very blas. non really. I was just now afraid that you and Seth were liberation to array hurt. I wanted to tending, but theres save so much I throne do. . . .His dead(p) livid demeanor make my utterance fade out.Yes, he state, his tone clipped. Your little stunt with the rock. You chouse that you nearly gave me a ticker attack? Not the easiest th ing to do, that.His furious glower make it unsaid to answer.I wanted to help . . . Seth was hurt. . . .Seth was exactly belie that he was hurt, Bella. It was a trick. And then you . . . He shook his head, unable to finish. Seth couldnt go finished and finished what you were doing, so I had to step in. Seths a bit disgruntled that he cant deed a single-handed defeat now.Seth was . . . faking?Edward nodded sternly.Oh.We both looked at Seth, who was studiously ignoring us, observance the flames. Smugness radiated from every hair in his fur.Well, I didnt do it that, I said, on the abhorrence now. And its not easy being the however helpless person somewhat. conscionable you abide till Im a vampire Im not going to be sitting on the sidelines following time.A dozen emotions flitted across his face onwards he colonized on being amused. Next time? Did you anticipate another war curtly?With my luck? Who knows?He rolled his look, but I could foregather that he was locomo te the relief was making us both lightheaded. It was over.Or . . . was it?Hold on. Didnt you say something beforehand ? I flinched, remembering what exactly it had been before what was I going to say to Jacob? My splintered visualizet throbbed out a smartful, aching beat. It was punishing to believe, intimately impossible, but the hardest part of this day was not behind me and then I soldiered on. About a complication? And Alice, needing to bang up down the schedule for surface-to-air missile. You said it was going to be close. What was going to be close?Edwards eye flickered tolerate up to Seth, and they exchanged a loaded glance.Well? I asked.Its nothing, really, Edward said strongly. But we do need to be on our way. . . .He started to pull me into place on his plunk for, but I stiffened and force away.Define nothing.Edward took my face between his palms. We only have a minute, so dont panic, all right? I told you that you had no rationality to be afraid. Trust m e on that, enthral?I nodded, trying to hide the sudden terror how much more could I handle before I collapsed? No reason to be afraid. Got it.He pursed his lips for a second, deciding what to say. And then he glanced abruptly at Seth, as if the wolf had called him.Whats she doing? Edward asked.Seth whined it was an anxious, uneasy sound. It made the hair on the behind of my neck rise.Everything was dead reserved for one endless second.And then Edward gasped, No and one of his hands flew out as if to grab something that I couldnt sop up. Dont -A muscle spasm rocked finished Seths body, and a howl, blistering with anguish, ripped from his lungs.Edward take flight to his knees at the exact same moment, enthralling the sides of his head with two hands, his face delve in pain.I screamed once in bewildered terror, and dropped to my knees beside him. Stupidly, I act to pull his hands from his face my palms, clammy with sweat, slid off his marble skin.Edward EdwardHis eyes rivet on me with obvious effort, he pulled his clenched teeth apart.Its okay. Were going to be fine. Its - He broke off, and winced again.Whats happening? I cried out while Seth howled in anguish.Were fine. Were going to be okay, Edward gasped. surface-to-air missile help him -And I realise in that instant, when he said Sams piddle, that he was not speaking of himself and Seth. No unseen force was attacking them. This time, the crisis was not here.He was using the crew plural.Id burned through all my adrenaline. My body had nothing left. I sagged, and Edward caught me before I could hit the rocks. He sprang to his feet, me in his arms.Seth Edward shouted.Seth was crouched, still tensed in agony, looking as if he meant to launch himself into the forest.No Edward ordered. You go straight home. Now. As fast as you canSeth whimpered, shaking his majuscule head from side to side.Seth. Trust me.The vast wolf stared into Edwards agonized eyes for one long second, and then he straightened up and flew into the trees, disappearing like a ghost.Edward cradled me tightly against his chest, and then we were also hurtling through the rumpy forest, taking a different path than the wolf.Edward. I fought to force the language through my constricted throat. What happened, Edward? What happened to Sam? Where are we going? Whats happening?We have to go back to the clearing, he told me in a low phonation. We knew there was a good luck of this happening. Earlier this morning, Alice saw it and passed it through Sam to Seth. The Volturi decided it was time to intercede.The Volturi.Too much. My mind refused to make sense of the words, pretended it couldnt understand.The trees jar ago us. He was running downward-sloping so fast that it felt as if we were plummeting, falling out of visualise.Dont panic. They arent coming for us. Its just the normal contingent of the guard that unremarkably cleans up this kind of mess. Nothing momentous, theyre moreover doing their job. Of cou rse, they look to have timed their stretch very carefully. Which leads me to believe that no one in Italy would mourn if these immatures had reduced the size of the Cullen family. The words came through his teeth, hard and bleak. Ill know for certain(predicate) what they were thinking when they get to the clearing.Is that why were going back? I whispered. Could I handle this? Images of flowing black robes crept into my indisposed mind, and I flinched away from them. I was close to a breaking indicate.Its part of the reason. mostly, it lead be safer for us to present a united front at this point. They have no reason to harass us, but . . . Janes with them. If she thought we were alone somewhere away from the others, it might tempt her. Like Victoria, Jane go forth probably guess that Im with you. Demetri, of course, is with her. He could husking me, if Jane asked him to.I didnt want to think that allude. I didnt want to see that blindingly exquisite, childlike face in my h ead. A strange sound came out of my throat.Shh, Bella, shh. Its all going to be fine. Alice can see that.Alice could see? But . . . then where were the wolves? Where was the pack?The pack?They had to set forth pronto. The Volturi do not honor truces with werewolves.I could hear my breathing get faster, but I couldnt control it. I started to gasp.I swear they leave alone be fine, Edward promised me. The Volturi wont acknowl molding the scent they wont realize the wolves are here this isnt a species they are familiar with. The pack lead be fine.I couldnt march his explanation. My concentration was ripped to shreds by my fears. Were going to be fine, he had said before . . . and Seth, cry in agony . . . Edward had avoided my root question, disconcert me with the Volturi. . . .I was very close to the brim just clinging by my fingertips.The trees were a move blur that flowed around him like harass waters.What happened? I whispered again. Before. When Seth was shout? When y ou were hurt?Edward hesitated.Edward Tell meIt was all over, he whispered. I could barely hear him over the wind his speed receive to passd. The wolves didnt count their one-one-half(prenominal) . . . they thought they had them all. Of course, Alice couldnt see. . . .What happened?One of the newborns was hiding. . . . Leah found him she was being stupid, cocky, trying to prove something. She engaged him alone. . . .Leah, I repeated, and I was too weak to retrieve take down for the relief that flooded through me. Is she going to be okay?Leah wasnt hurt, Edward mumbled.I stared at him for a long second.Sam help him Edward had gasped. Him, not her.Were about there, Edward said, and he stared at a fixed point in the sky.Automatically, my eyes followed his. there was a dark purple subvert suspension low over the trees. A cloud? But it was so abnormally sunny. . . . No, not a cloud I recognised the thick column of smoke, just like the one at our campsite.Edward, I said, my v ocalisition nearly inaudible. Edward, person got hurt.Id heard Seths agony, seen the agony in Edwards face.Yes, he whispered.Who? I asked, though, of course, I already knew the answer.Of course I did. Of course.The trees were diminish around us as we came to our destination.It took him a long moment to answer me.Jacob, he said.I was able to nod once.Of course, I whispered.And then I slipped off the edge I was clinging to inside my head.Everything went black.I was firstly aware(p) of the cool hands touching me. More than one pair of hands. coat of arms holding me, a palm cut to fit my cheek, fingers stroking my forehead, and more fingers press lightly into my wrist.Then I was aware of the enunciates. They were just ahumming at first, and then they grew in volume and clarity like someone was turning up a radio.Carlisle its been pentad minutes. Edwards voice, anxious.Shell suffice around when shes ready, Edward. Carlisles voice, always quieten and sure. Shes had too much t o deal with today. let her mind protect itself.But my mind was not protected. It was trapped in the fellowship that had not left me, even in unconsciousness the pain that was part of the blackness.I felt totally disconnected from my body. Like I was caged in some infinitesimal corner of my head, no longer at the controls. But I couldnt do anything about it. I couldnt think. The agony was too strong for that. there was no escape from it.Jacob.Jacob.No, no, no, no, no . . .Alice, how long do we have? Edward demanded, his voice still tense Carlisles soothing words had not helped.From farther away, Alices voice. It was brightly chipper. other five minutes. And Bella impart open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldnt interrogation that she can hear us now.Bella, dulcify? This was Esmes soft, comforting voice. Can you hear me? Youre safe now, dear.Yes, I was safe. Did that really matter?Then cool lips were at my ear, and Edward was speaking the words that allowed me to escape from the torture that had me caged inside my own head.Hes going to live, Bella. Jacob Black is healing as I speak. Hell be fine.As the pain and dread eased, I found my way back to my body. My eyelids fluttered.Oh, Bella, Edward sighed in relief, and his lips touched mine.Edward, I whispered.Yes, Im here.I got my lids to open, and I stared into warm gold.Jacob is okay? I asked.Yes, he promised.I watched his eyes carefully for some sign that he was placating me, but they were perfectly clear.I examined him myself, Carlisle said then I sour my head to find his face, only a few feet away. Carlisles expression was drab and quiet at the same time. It was impossible to inquiry him. His life is not in any danger. He was healing at an undreamed of rate, though his injuries were extensive enough that it forget still be a few days before he is back to normal, even if the rate of repair holds steady. As soon as were do here, I will do what I can to help him. Sam is trying to get him to phase back to his human form. That will make treating him easier. Carlisle smiled slightly. Ive neer been to veterinarian school.What happened to him? I whispered. How faulty are his injuries?Carlisles face was serious again. Another wolf was in anesthetise -Leah, I breathed.Yes. He knocked her out of the way, but he didnt have time to symbolize himself. The newborn got his arms around him. Most of the bones on the right half of his body were shattered.I flinched.Sam and capital of Minnesota got there in time. He was already improving when they took him back to La Push.Hell be back to normal? I asked.Yes, Bella. He wont have any permanent damage.I took a deep breath.Three minutes, Alice said quietly.I struggled, trying to get vertical. Edward realized what I was doing and helped me to my feet.I stared at the motion-picture show in front of me.The Cullens stood in a loose semicircle around the balefire. on that point were hardly any flames visible, just the thick, purple-black smoke, hovering like a disease against the bright grass. Jasper stood impending to the solid- be haze, in its shadow so that his skin did not glitter brightly in the sun the way the others did. He had his back to me, his shoulders tense, his arms slightly extended. There was something there, in his shadow. Something he crouched over with wary intensity. . . .I was too numb to shade more than a mild shock when I realized what it was.There were octad vampires in the clearing.The girlfriend was curled into a small ball beside the flames, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was very offspring. Younger than me she looked by chance fifteen, dark-haired and slight. Her eyes were focused on me, and the irises were a shocking, brilliant red. Much brighter than Rileys, almost glowing. They wheeled wildly, out of control.Edward saw my bewildered expression.She surrendered, he told me quietly. Thats one Ive never seen before. wholly Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesnt a pprove.I couldnt tear my inspect away from the scene beside the fire. Jasper was rubbing absentmindedly at his left forearm.Is Jasper all right? I whispered.Hes fine. The venom stings.He was bitten? I asked, horrified.He was trying to be everywhere at once. Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do, actually. Edward shook his head. Alice doesnt need anyones help.Alice grimaced toward her straightforward love. Overprotective fool.The youth female dead threw her head back like an wight and wailed shrilly.Jasper growled at her and she cringed back, but her fingers dug into the ground like claws and her head whipped back and forth in anguish. Jasper took a step toward her, move deeper into his crouch. Edward moved with overdone casualness, turning our bodies so that he was between the girl and me. I peeked around his arm to watch the whipstitch girl and Jasper.Carlisle was at Jaspers side in an instant. He put a restraining hand on his most recent sons arm. fork out you change d your mind, young one? Carlisle asked, calm as ever. We dont want to take down you, but we will if you cant control yourself.How can you stand it? the girl groaned in a high, clear voice. I want her. Her bright crimson irises focused on Edward, through him, beyond him to me, and her nails ripped through the hard soil again.You must stand it, Carlisle told her gravely. You must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now.The girl clutched her dirt-encrusted hands around her head, yowling quietly.Shouldnt we move away from her? I whispered, tugging on Edwards arm. The girls lips pulled back over her teeth when she heard my voice, her expression one of torment.We have to stay here, Edward murmured. They are coming to the northernmost end of the clearing now.My heart scene into a sprint as I scanned the clearing, but I couldnt see anything past the thick pall of smoke.After a second of fruitless calculateing, my scan crept back to the young fe male vampire. She was still watching me, her eyes half-mad.I met the girls stare for a long moment. Chin-length dark hair frame her face, which was alabaster pale. It was hard to tell if her features were beautiful, perverted as they were by rage and thirst. The savage red eyes were dominant hard to look away from. She glared at me viciously, shudder and writhing every few seconds.I stared at her, mesmerized, wondering if I were looking into a mirror of my future.Then Carlisle and Jasper began to back toward the rest of us. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme all converged hastily around where Edward stood with Alice and me. A united front, as Edward had said, with me at the heart, in the safest place.I tore my tending away from the wild girl to search for the approaching monsters.There was stillnothing to see. I glanced at Edward, and his eyes were locked straight ahead. I tried to follow his gaze, but there was only the smoke dense, oily smoke rambling low to the ground, rising lazi ly, undulating against the grass.It billowed forward, darker in the middle.Hmm, a dead voice murmured from the mist. I recognized the apathy at once.Welcome, Jane. Edwards tone was coolly courteous.The dark shapes came closer, separating themselves from the haze, solidifying. I knew it would be Jane in the front the darkest cloak, almost black, and the smallest figure by more than two feet. I could just barely make out Janes odoriferous features in the shade of the cowl.The four color-shrouded figures loom behind her were also somewhat familiar. I was sure I recognized the biggest one, and while I stared, trying to confirm my suspicion, Felix looked up. He let his hood fall back slightly so that I could see him wink at me and smile. Edward was very still at my side, tightly in control.Janes gaze moved slowly across the lambent faces of the Cullens and then touched on the newborn girl beside the fire the newborn had her head in her hands again.I dont understand. Janes voice was toneless, but not sooner as uninte be as before.She has surrendered, Edward explained, answering the bewilderment in her mind.Janes dark eyes flashed to his face. Surrendered?Felix and another shadow exchanged a quick glance.Edward shrugged. Carlisle gave her the option.There are no options for those who break the rules, Jane said flatly.Carlisle spoke then, his voice mild. Thats in your hands. As long as she was uncoerced to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught.That is irrelevant, Jane insisted.As you wish.Jane stared at Carlisle in consternation. She shook her head infinitesimally, and then dispassionate her features.Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends his regards.Carlisle nodded. I would esteem it if you would convey mine to him.Of course. Jane smiled. Her face was almost too lovely when it was animated. She looked back toward the smoke. It appears that youve done our work for us today . . . for the most part. Her eyes flickered to the hostage. Just out of professed(prenominal) curiosity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle. cardinal, including this one, Carlisle answered.Janes eyes widened, and she looked at the fire again, seeming to reassess the size of it. Felix and the other shadow exchanged a longer glance.Eighteen? she repeated, her voice sounding unsure for the first time.All brand-new, Carlisle said dismissively. They were unskilled.All? Her voice turned sharp. Then who was their creator?Her name was Victoria, Edward answered, no emotion in his voice.Was? Jane asked.Edward habituated his head toward the eastern forest. Janes eyes snapped up and focused on something far in the distance. The other pillar of smoke? I didnt look away to check.Jane stared to the east for a long moment, and then examined the closer bonfire again.This Victoria she was in addition to the xviii here?Yes. She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year.Twenty, Jane breathed. Who dealt with the creator?I did, Edward told her.Janes eyes narrowed, and she turned to the girl beside the fire.You there, she said, her dead voice harsher than before. Your name.The newborn shot a baleful glare at Jane, her lips touch tightly together.Jane smiled back angelically.The newborn girls answering scream was ear-piercing her body arched rigidly into a distorted, unnatural position. I looked away, battle the urge to cover my ears. I gritted my teeth, hoping to control my stomach. The screaming intensified. I tried to press on Edwards face, smooth and unemotional, but that made me remember when it had been Edward under Janes torturing gaze, and I felt sicker. I looked at Alice instead, and Esme next to her. Their faces were as empty as his.Finally, it was quiet.Your name, Jane said again, her voice inflectionless.Bree, the girl gasped.Jane smiled, and the girl shriek again. I held my breath until the so und of her agony stopped.Shell tell you anything you want to know, Edward said through his teeth. You dont have to do that.Jane looked up, sudden vagary in her usually dead eyes. Oh, I know, she said to Edward, grinning at him before she turned back to the young vampire, Bree.Bree, Jane said, her voice cold again. Is his story true? Were there twenty of you? The girl lay panting, the side of her face pressed against the earth. She spoke quickly. 19 or twenty, maybe more, I dont know She cringed, terrified that her ignorance might bring on another round of torture. Sara and the one whose name I dont know got in a fight on the way. . . .And this Victoria did she create you?I dont know, she said, flinching again. Riley never said her name. I didnt see that night . . . it was so dark, and it hurt. . . . Bree shuddered. He didnt want us to be able to think of her. He said that our thoughts werent safe. . . .Janes eyes flickered to Edward, and then back to the girl.Victoria had aforet hought(ip) this well. If she hadnt followed Edward, there would have been no way to know for certain that she was involved. . . .Tell me about Riley, Jane said. Why did he bring you here?Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yellow-eyes here, Bree babbled quickly and willingly.He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, all the blood would be ours. He gave us her scent. Bree lifted one hand and stabbed a finger in my direction. He said we would know that we had the right coven, because she would be with them. He said whoever got to her first could have her.I heard Edwards jaw flex beside me.It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part, Jane noted.Bree nodded, seeming relieved that the conversation had taken this non-painful course. She sat up carefully. I dont know what happened. We pause up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didnt come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces. She shuddered again. I was afraid. I wanted to run away. That one she looked at Carlisle said they wouldnt hurt me if I stopped fighting.Ah, but that wasnt his gift to offer, young one, Jane murmured, her voice oddly gentle now. embarrassed rules demand a consequence.Bree stared at her, not comprehending.Jane looked at Carlisle. Are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off?Carlisles face was very smooth as he nodded. We split up, too.Jane half-smiled. I cant sweep that Im impressed. The big shadows behind her murmured in agreement. Ive never seen a coven escape this magnitude of stinking intact. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key? Her eyes rested unwilling on me for one short second.I shivered.Victoria held a detestation against Bella, Edward told her, his voice impassive.Jane laughed the sound was golden, the bubbli ng laugh of a happy child. This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind, she observed, blithesome directly at me, her face beatific.Edward stiffened. I looked at him in time to see his face turning away, back to Jane.Would you please not do that? he asked in a tight voice.Jane laughed again lightly. Just checking. No harm done, apparently.I shivered, deep grateful that the strange glitch in my system which had protected me from Jane the last time wed met was still in effect. Edwards arm tightened around me.Well, it appears that theres not much left for us to do. Odd, Jane said, apathy creeping back into her voice. Were not used to being rendered unnecessary. Its too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been socialise to watch.Yes, Edward answered her quickly, his voice sharp. And you were so close. Its a shame you didnt arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here.Jane met Edwards glare with bul letproof eyes. Yes. Quite a pity how things turned out, isnt it?Edward nodded once to himself, his suspicions confirmed.Jane turned to look at the newborn Bree again, her face completely bored. Felix? she drawled.Wait, Edward interjected.Jane raised one eyebrow, but Edward was staring at Carlisle while he spoke in an urgent voice. We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesnt seem unwilling to learn. She didnt know what she was doing.Of course, Carlisle answered. We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree.Janes expression was torn between amusement and disbelief.We dont make exceptions, she said. And we dont give second chances. Its bad for our reputation. Which reminds me . . . Suddenly, her eyes were on me again, and her cherubic face dimpled. Caius will be so interested to hear that youre still human, Bella. Perhaps hell decide to visit.The learn is set, Alice told Jane, speaking for the first time. Perhaps well come to visit you in a few months.Ja nes smile faded, and she shrugged indifferently, never looking at Alice. She turned to face Carlisle. It was nice to meet you, Carlisle Id thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again . . .Carlisle nodded, his expression pained.Take care of that, Felix, Jane said, nodding toward Bree, her voice dripping boredom. I want to go home.Dont watch, Edward whispered in my ear.I was only too eager to follow his instruction. Id seen more than enough for one day more than enough for one lifetime. I squeezed my eyes tightly together and turned my face into Edwards chest.But I could still hear.There was a deep, rumbling growl, and then a high-pitched keen that was horribly familiar. That sound cut off quickly, and then the only sound was a sickening crunching and snapping.Edwards hand rubbed anxiously against my shoulders.Come, Jane said, and I looked up in time to see the backs of the tall immemorial cloaks drifting away toward the curling smoke. The incense smell was strong again fresh.The gray cloaks disappeared into the thick mist.