until　it　became　a　spoken　conversation。
  〃Can　you　think　of　even　one　exception；　though？〃　Edward　asked。
  I　looked　over　to　make　sense　of　his　comment　and　realized　that　everyone　else　was　already　staring　at　the
  two　men。　They　were　leaning　toward　each　other　intently；　Edward's　expression　tight　with　suspicion；
  Eleazar's　unhappy　and　reluctant。
  〃I　don't　want　to　think　of　them　that　way；〃　Eleazar　said　through　his　teeth。　I　was　surprised　at　the　sudden
  change　in　the　atmosphere。
  〃If　you're　right—；〃　Eleazar　began　again。
  Edward　cut　him　off。　〃The　thought　was　yours；　not　mine。〃
  〃If　I'm　right。。。　I　can't　even　grasp　what　that　would　mean。　It　would　change　everything　about　the　world
  we've　created。　It　would　change　the　meaning　of　my　life。　What　I　have　been　a　part　of。〃
  〃Your　intentions　were　always　the　best；　Eleazar。〃
  〃Would　that　even　matter？　What　have　I　done？　How　many　lives　。。。〃
  Tanya　put　her　hand　on　Eleazar's　shoulder　in　a　comforting　gesture。　〃What　did　we　miss；　my　friend？　I　want
  to　know　so　that　I　can　argue　with　these　thoughts。　You've　never　done　anything　worth　castigating　yourself
  this　way。〃
  〃Oh；　haven't　I？〃　Eleazar　muttered。　Then　he　shrugged　out　from　under　her　hand　and　began　his　pacing
  again；　faster　even　than　before。
  Tanya　watched　him　for　half　a　second　and　then　focused　on　Edward。　〃Explain。〃
  Edward　nodded；　his　tense　eyes　following　Eleazar　as　he　spoke。　〃He　was　trying　to　understand　why　so
  many　of
  the　Volturi　would　come　to　punish　us。　It's　not　the　way　they　do　things。　Certainly；　we　are　the　biggest　mature
  coven　they've　dealt　with；　but　in　the　past　other　covens　have　joined　to　protect　themselves；　and　they　never
  presented　much　of　a　challenge　despite　their　numbers。　We　are　more　closely　bonded；　and　that's　a　factor；
  but　not　a　huge　one。
  〃He　was　remembering　other　times　that　covens　have　been　punished；　for　one　thing　or　the　other；　and　a
  pattern　occurred　to　him。　It　was　a　pattern　that　the　rest　of　the　guard　would　never　have　noticed；　since
  Eleazar　was　the　one　passing　the　pertinent　intelligence　privately　to　Aro。　A　pattern　that　only　repeated　every
  other　century　or　so。〃
  〃What　was　this　pattern？〃　Carmen　asked；　watching　Eleazar　as　Edward　was。
  〃Aro　does　not　often　personally　attend　a　punishing　expedition；〃　Edward　said。　〃But　in　the　past；　when　Aro
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  wanted　something　in　particular；　it　was　never　long　before　evidence　turned　up　proving　that　this　coven　or
  that　coven　had　committed　some　unpardonable　crime。　The　ancients　would　decide　to　go　along　to　watch　the
  guard　administer　justice。　And　then；　once　the　coven　was　all　but　destroyed；　Aro　would　grant　a　pardon　to
  one　member　whose　thoughts；　he　would　claim；　were　particularly　repentant。　Always；　it　would　turn　out　that
  this　vampire　had　the　gift　Aro　had　admired。　Always；　this　person　was　given　a　place　with　the　guard。　The
  gifted　vampire　was　won　over　quickly；　always　so　grateful　for　the　honor。　There　were　no　exceptions。〃
  〃It　must　be　a　heady　thing　to　be　chosen；〃　Kate　suggested。
  〃Ha！〃　Eleazar　snarled；　still　in　motion。
  〃There　is　one　among　the　guard；〃　Edward　said；　explaining　Eleazar's　angry　reaction。　〃Her　name　is　Chelsea。
  She　has　influence　over　the　emotional　ties　between　people。　She　can　both　loosen　and　secure　these　ties。　She
  could　make　someone　feel　bonded　to　the　Volturi；　to　want　to　belong；　to　want　to　please　them___〃
  Eleazar　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。　〃We　all　understood　why　Chelsea　was　important。　In　a　fight；　if　we　could
  separate　allegiances　between　allied　covens；　we　could　defeat　them　that　much　more　easily。　If　we　could
  distance　the　innocent　members　of　a　coven　emotionally　from　the　guilty；　justice　could　be　done　without
  unnecessary　brutality—the　guilty　could　be　punished　without　interference；　and　the　innocent　could　be
  spared。　Otherwise；　it　was　impossible　to　keep　the　coven　from　fighting　as　a　whole。　So　Chelsea　would
  break　the　ties　that　bound　them　together。　It　seemed　a　great　kindness　to　me；　evidence　of　Aro's　mercy。　I
  did　suspect　that　Chelsea　kept　our　own　band　more　tightly　knit；　but　that；　too；　was　a　good　thing。　It　made　us
  more　effective。　It　helped　us　coexist　more　easily。〃
  This　clarified　old　memories　for　me。　It　had　not　made　sense　to　me　before　how　the　guard　obeyed　their
  masters　so　gladly；　with　almost　lover…like　devotion。
  〃How　strong　is　her　gift？〃　Tanya　asked　with　an　edge　to　her　voice。　Her　gaze　quickly　touched　on　each
  member　of　her　family。
  Eleazar　shrugged。　〃I　was　able　to　leave　with　Carmen。〃　And　then　he　shook　his　head。　〃But　anything　weaker
  than　the　bond　between　partners　is　in　danger。　In　a　normal　coven；　at　least。　Those　are　weaker　bonds　than
  those　in　our　family；　though。　Abstaining　from　human　blood　makes　us　more　civilized—lets　us　form　true
  bonds　of　love。　I　doubt　she　could　turn　our　allegiances；　Tanya。〃
  Tanya　nodded；　seeming　reassured；　while　Eleazar　continued　with　his　analysis。
  〃I　could　only　think　that　the　reason　Aro　had　decided　to　come　himself；　to　bring　so　many　with　him；　is
  because　his　goal　is　not　punishment　but　acquisition；〃　Eleazar　said。　〃He　needs　to　be　there　to　control　the
  situation。　But　he　needs　the　entire　guard　for　protection　from　such　a　large；　gifted　coven。　On　the　other　hand；
  that　leaves　the　other　ancients　unprotected　in　Volterra。　Too　risky—someone　might　try　to　take　advantage。
  So　they　all　come　together。　How　else　could　he　be　sure　to　preserve　the　gifts　that　he　wants？　He　must　want
  them　very　badly；〃　Eleazar　mused。
  Edward's　voice　was　low　as　a　breath。　〃From　what　I　saw　of　his　thoughts　last　spring；　Aro's　never　wanted
  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　composed。　〃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　uncomfortable　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　comply。　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　come　in；　but　the　plan　was　already　in　place　for　when　it　did　come。
  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