had　legends　about　children　like　Renesmee。。。。　If　other　children　like　her　had　ever　existed；　perhaps　some
  tale　of　the　life　span　of　half…mortal　children　still　lingered___
  The　only　real　question　left　was　exactly　when　we　would　go。
  I　was　the　holdup。　A　small　part　of　it　was　that　I　wanted　to　stay　near　Forks　until　after　the　holidays；　for
  Charlie's
  sake。　But　more　than　that；　there　was　a　different　journey　that　I　knew　had　to　come　first—that　was　the　clear
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  priority。　Also；　it　had　to　be　a　solo　trip。
  This　was　the　only　argument　that　Edward　and　I　had　gotten　in　since　I'd　become　a　vampire。　The　main　point
  of　contention　was　the　〃solo〃　part。　But　the　facts　were　what　they　were；　and　my　plan　was　the　only　one　that
  made　rational　sense。　I　had　to　go　see　the　Volturi；　and　I　had　to　do　it　absolutely　alone。
  Even　freed　from　old　nightmares；　from　any　dreams　at　all；　it　was　impossible　to　forget　the　Volturi。　Nor　did
  they　leave　us　without　reminders。
  Until　the　day　that　Aro's　present　showed　up；　i　didn't　know　that　Alice　had　sent　a　wedding　announcement
  to　the　Volturi　leaders；　we'd　been　far　away　on　Esme's　island　when　she'd　seen　a　vision　of　Volturi　soldiers
  —Jane　and　Alec；　the　devastatingly　powerful　twins；　among　them。　Caius　was　planning　to　send　a　hunting
  party　to　see　if　I　was　still　human；　against　their　edict　（because　I　knew　about　the　secret　vampire　world；　I
  either　must　join　it　or　be　silenced。。。　permanently）。　So　Alice　had　mailed　the　announcement；　seeing　that　this
  would　delay　them　as　they　deciphered　the　meaning　behind　it。　But　they　would　come　eventually。　That　was
  certain。
  The　present　itself　was　not　overtly　threatening。　Extravagant；　yes；　almost　frightening　in　that　very
  extravagance。　The　threat　was　in　the　parting　line　of　Aro's　congratulatory　note；　written　in　black　ink　on　a
  square　of　heavy；　plain　white　paper　in　Aro's　own　hand：
  I　so　look　forward　to　seeing　the　new　Mrs。　Cullen　in　person。
  The　gift　was　presented　in　an　ornately　carved；　ancient　wooden　box　inlaid　with　gold　and　mother…of…pearl；
  ornamented　with　a　rainbow　of　gemstones。　Alice　said　the　box　itself　was　a　priceless　treasure；　that　it　would
  have　outshone　just　about　any　piece　of　jewelry　besides　the　one　inside　it。
  〃I　always　wondered　where　the　crown　jewels　disappeared　to　after　John　of　England　pawned　them　in　the
  thirteenth　century；〃　Carlisle　said。　〃I　suppose　it　doesn't　surprise　me　that　the　Volturi　have　their　share。〃
  The　necklace　was　simple—gold　woven　into　a　thick　rope　of　a　chain；　almost　scaled；　like　a　smooth　snake
  that　would　curl　close　around　the　throat。　One　jewel　hung　suspended　from　the　rope；　a　white　diamond　the
  size　of　a　golf　ball。
  The　unsubtle　reminder　in　Aro's　note　interested　me　more　than　the　jewel。　The　Volturi　needed　to　see　that　I
  was　immortal；　that　the　Cullens　had　been　obedient　to　the　Volturi's　orders；　and　they　needed　to　see　this
  soon。　They　could　not　be　allowed　near　Forks。　There　was　only　one　way　to　keep　our　life　here　safe。
  〃You're　not　going　alone；〃　Edward　had　insisted　through　his　teeth；　his　hands　clenching　into　fists。
  〃They　won't　hurt　me；〃　I'd　said　as　soothingly　as　I　could　manage；　forcing　my　voice　to　sound　sure。　〃They
  have　no　reason　to。　I'm　a　vampire。　Case　closed。〃
  〃No。　Absolutely　no。〃
  〃Edward；　it's　the　only　way　to　protect　her。〃
  And　he　hadn't　been　able　to　argue　with　that。　My　logic　was　watertight。
  Even　in　the　short　time　I'd　known　Aro；　I'd　been　able　to　see　that　he　was　a　collector—and　his　most　prized
  treasures　were　his　living　pieces。　He　coveted　beauty；　talent；　and　rarity　in　his　immortal　followers　more　than
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  any　jewel　locked　in　his　vaults。　It　was　unfortunate　enough　that　he'd　begun　to　covet　Alice's　and　Edward's
  abilities。　I　would　give　him　no　more　reason　to　be　jealous　of　Carlisle's　family。　Renesmee　was　beautiful　and
  gifted　and　unique—she　was　one　of　a　kind。　He　could　not　be　allowed　to　see　her；　not　even　through
  someone's　thoughts。
  And　I　was　the　only　one　whose　thoughts　he　could　not　hear。　Of　course　I　would　go　alone。
  Alice　did　not　see　any　trouble　with　my　trip；　but　she　was　worried　by　the　indistinct　quality　of　her　visions。
  She　said　they　were　sometimes　similarly　hazy　when　there　were　outside　decisions　that　might　conflict　but
  that　had　not　been　solidly　resolved。　This　uncertainty　made　Edward；　already　hesitant；　extremely　opposed
  to　what　I　had　to　do。　He　wanted　to　come　with　me　as　far　as　my　connection　in　London；　but　I　wouldn't　leave
  Renesmee　without　both　her　parents。　Carlisle　was　coming　instead。　It　made　both　Edward　and　me　a　little
  more　relaxed；　knowing　that　Carlisle　would　be　only　a　few　hours　away　from　me。
  Alice　kept　searching　for　the　future；　but　the　things　she　found　were　unrelated　to　what　she　was　looking　for。
  A　new　trend　in　the　stock　market；　a　possible　visit　of　reconciliation　from　Irina；　though　her　decision　was　not
  firm；　a　snowstorm　that　wouldn't　hit　for　another　six　weeks；　a　call　from　Renee　（I　was　practicing　my　〃rough〃
  voice；　and　getting　better　at　it　every　day—to　Renee's　knowledge；　I　was　still　sick；　but　mending）。
  We　bought　the　tickets　for　Italy　the　day　after　Renesmee　turned　three　months。　I　planned　for　it　to　be　a　very
  short　trip；　so　I　hadn't　told　Charlie　about　it。　Jacob　knew；　and　he　took　Edward's　view　on　things。　However；
  today　the　argument　was　about　Brazil。　Jacob　was　determined　to　come　with　us。
  The　three　of　us；　Jacob；　Renesmee；　and　I；　were　hunting　together。　The　diet　of　animal　blood　wasn't
  Renesmee's　favorite　thing—and　that　was　why　Jacob　was　allowed　to　come　along。　Jacob　had　made　it　a
  contest　between　them；　and　that　made　her　more　willing　than　anything　else。
  Renesmee　was　quite　clear　on　the　whole　good　vs。　bad　as　it　applied　to　hunting　humans；　she　just　thought
  that　donated　blood　made　a　nice　compromise。　Human　food　filled　her　and　it　seemed　compatible　with　her
  system；　but　she　reacted　to　all　varieties　of　solid　food　with　the　same　martyred　endurance　I　had　once　given
  cauliflower　and　lima　beans。　Animal　blood　was　better　than　that；　at　least。　She　had　a　competitive　nature；
  and　the　challenge　of　beating　Jacob　made　her　excited　to　hunt。
  〃Jacob；〃　I　said；　trying　to　reason　with　him　again　while　Renesmee　danced　ahead　of　us　into　the　long
  clearing；　searching　for　a　scent　she　liked。　〃You've　got　obligations　here。　Seth；　Leah—〃
  He　snorted。　〃I'm　not　my　pack's　nanny。　They've　all　got　responsibilities　in　La　Push　anyway。〃
  〃Sort　of　like　you？　Are　you　officially　dropping　out　of　high　school；　then？　If　you're　going　to　keep　up　with
  Renesmee；　you're　going　to　have　to　study　a　lot　harder。〃
  〃It's　just　a　sabbatical。　I'll　get　back　to　school　when　things。。。　slow　down。〃
  I　lost　my　concentration　on　my　side　of　the　disagreement　when　he　said　that；　and　we　both　automatically
  looked　at
  Renesmee。　She　was　staring　at　the　snowflakes　fluttering　high　above　her　head；　melting　before　they　could
  stick　to　the　yellowed　grass　in　the　long　arrowhead…shaped　meadow　that　we　were　standing　in。　Her　ruffled
  ivory　dress　was　just　a　shade　darker　than　the　snow；　and　her　reddish…brown　curls　managed　to　shimmer；
  though　the　sun　was　buried　deeply　behind　the　clouds。
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  As　we　watched；　she　crouched　for　an　instant　and　then　sprang　fifteen　feet　up　into　the　air。　Her　little　hands
  closed　around　a　flake；　and　she　dropped　lightly　to　her　feet。
  She　turned　to　us　with　her　shocking　smile—truly；　it　wasn't　something　you　could　get　used　to—and　opened
  her　hands　to　show　us　the　perfectly　formed　eight…pointed　ice　star　in　her　palm　before　it　melted。
  〃Pretty；〃　Jacob　called　to　her　appreciatively。　〃But　I　think　you're　stalling；　Nessie。〃
  She　bounded　back　to　Jacob；　he　held　his　arms　out　at　exactly　the　moment　she　leaped　into　them。　They　had
  the　move　perfectly　synchronized。　She　did　this　when　she　had　something　to　say。　She　still　preferred　not　to
  speak　aloud。
  Renesmee　touched　his　face；　scowling　adorably　as　we　all　listened　to　the　sound　of　a　small　herd　of　elk
  moving　farther　into　the　wood。
  〃Suuuureyou're　not　thirsty；　Nessie；〃　Jacob　answered　a　little　sarcastically；　but　more　indulgently　than
  anything　else。　〃You're　just　afraid　HI　catch　the　biggest　one　again！〃
  She　flipped　backward　out　of　Jacob's　arms；　landing　lightly　on　her　feet；　and　rolled　her　eyes—she　looked
  so　much　like　Edward　when　she　did　that。　Then　she　darted　off　toward　the　trees。
  〃Got　it；〃　Jacob　said　when　I　leaned　as　if　to　follow。　He　yanked　his　t…shirt　off　as　he　charged　after　her　into
  the　forest；　already　trembling。　〃It　doesn't　count　if　you　cheat；〃　he　called　to　Renesmee。
  I　smiled　at　the　leaves　they　left　fluttering　behind　them；　shaking　my　head。　Jacob　was　more　a　child　than
  Renesmee　sometimes。
  I　paused；　giving　my　hunters　a　few　minutes'　head　start。　It　would　be