had　been　able　to　contact　the　Amazons。
  〃Carlisle；〃　the　taller　of　the　two　very　tall　feline　women　greeted　him　when　they　arrived。　Both　of　them
  seemed　as　if　they'd　been　stretched—long　arms　and　legs；　long　fingers；　long　black　braids；　and　long　faces
  with　long　noses。　They　wore　nothing　but　animal　skins—hide　vests　and　tight…fitting　pants　that　laced　on　the
  sides　with　leather　ties。　It　wasn't　just　their　eccentric　clothes　that　made　them　seem　wild　but　everything　about
  them；　from　their　restless　crimson　eyes　to　their　sudden；　darting　movements。　I'd　never　met　any　vampires
  less　civilized。
  But　Alice　had　sent　them；　and　that　was　interesting　news；　to　put　it　mildly。　Why　was　Alice　in　South
  America？　Just
  because　she'd　seen　that　no　one　else　would　be　able　to　get　in　touch　with　the　Amazons？
  〃Zafrina　and　Senna！　But　Where's　Kachiri？〃　Carlisle　asked。　Tve　never　seen　you　three　apart。〃
  〃Alice　told　us　we　needed　to　separate；〃　Zafrina　answered　in　the　rough；　deep　voice　that　matched　her　wild
  appearance。　〃It's　uncomfortable　to　be　away　from　each　other；　but　Alice　assured　us　that　you　needed　us
  here；　while　she　very　much　needed　Kachiri　somewhere　else。　That's　all　she　would　tell　us；　except　that　there
  was　a　great　hurry。。。　？〃　Zafrina's　statement　trailed　off　into　a　question；　and—with　the　tremor　of　nerves　that
  never　went　away　no　matter　how　often　I　did　this—I　brought　Renesmee　out　to　meet　them。
  Despite　their　fierce　appearance；　they　listened　very　calmly　to　our　story；　and　then　allowed　Renesmee　to
  prove　the　point。　They　were　every　bit　as　taken　with　Renesmee　as　any　of　the　other　vampires；　but　I　couldn't
  help　worrying　as　I　watched　their　swift；　jerky　movements　so　close　beside　her。　Senna　was　always　near
  Zafrina；　never　speaking；　but　it　wasn't　the　same　as　Amun　and　Kebi。　Kebi's　manner　seemed　obedient；
  Senna　and　Zafrina　were　more　like　two　limbs　of　one　organism—Zafrina　just　happened　to　be　the
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  mouthpiece。
  The　news　about　Alice　was　oddly　comforting。　Clearly；　she　was　on　some　obscure　mission　of　her　own　as
  she　avoided　whatever　Aro　had　planned　for　her。
  Edward　was　thrilled　to　have　the　Amazons　with　us；　because　Zafrina　was　enormously　talented；　her　gift
  could　make　a　very　dangerous　offensive　weapon。　Not　that　Edward　was　asking　for　Zafrina　to　side　with　us
  in　the　battle；　but　if　the　Volturi　did　not　pause　when　they　saw　our　witnesses；　perhaps　they　would　pause　for
  a　different　kind　of　scene。
  〃It's　a　very　straightforward　illusion；〃　Edward　explained　when　it　turned　out　that　I　couldn't　see　anything；　as
  usual。　Zafrina　was　intrigued　and　amused　by　my　immunity—something　she'd　never　encountered
  before—and　she　hovered　restlessly　while　Edward　described　what　I　was　missing。　Edward's　eyes
  unfocused　slightly　as　he　continued。　〃She　can　make　most　people　see　whatever　she　wants　them　to
  see—see　that；　and　nothing　else。　For　example；　right　now　I　would　appear　to　be　alone　in　the　middle　of　a
  rain　forest。　It's　so　clear　I　might　possibly　believe　it；　except　for　the　fact　that　I　can　still　feel　you　in　my　arms。〃
  Zafrina's　lips　twitched　into　her　hard　version　of　a　smile。　A　second　later；　Edward's　eyes　focused　again；　and
  he　grinned　back。
  〃Impressive；〃　he　said。
  Renesmee　was　fascinated　with　the　conversation；　and　she　reached　out　fearlessly　toward　Zafrina。
  〃Can　I　see？〃　she　asked。
  〃What　would　you　like　to　see？〃　Zafrina　asked。
  〃What　you　showed　Daddy。〃
  Zafrina　nodded；　and　I　watched　anxiously　as　Renesmee's　eyes　stared　blankly　into　space。　A　second　later；
  Renesmee's　dazzling　smile　lit　up　her　face。
  〃More；〃　she　commanded。
  After　that；　it　was　hard　to　keep　Renesmee　away　from　Zafrina　and　her　pretty　pictures。　I　worried；
  because　I　was　quite　sure　that　Zafrina　was　able　to　create　images　that　were　not　pretty　at　all。　But　through
  Renesmee's　thoughts　I
  could　see　Zafrina's　visions　for　myself—they　were　as　clear　as　any　of　Renesmee's　own　memories；　like　they
  were　real—and　thus　judge　for　myself　whether　they　were　appropriate　or　not。
  Though　I　didn't　give　her　up　easily；　I　had　to　admit　it　was　a　good　thing　Zafrina　was　keeping　Renesmee
  entertained。　I　needed　my　hands。　I　had　so　much　to　learn；　both　physically　and　mentally；　and　the　time　was
  so　short。
  My　first　attempt　at　learning　to　fight　did　not　go　well。
  Edward　had　me　pinned　in　about　two　seconds。　But　instead　of　letting　me　wrestle　my　way　free—which　I
  absolutely　could　have—he'd　leaped　up　and　away　from　me。　I　knew　immediately　that　something　was
  wrong；　he　was　still　as　stone；　staring　across　the　meadow　we　were　practicing　in。
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  Tm　sorry；　Bella；〃　he　said。
  〃No；　I'm　fine；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go　again。〃
  〃I　can't。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean；　you　can't？　We　just　started。〃
  He　didn't　answer。
  〃Look；　I　know　I'm　no　good　at　this；　but　I　can't　get　better　if　you　don't　help　me。〃
  He　said　nothing。　Playfully；　I　sprang　at　him。　He　made　no　defense　at　all；　and　we　both　fell　to　the　ground。　He
  was　motionless　as　I　pressed　my　lips　to　his　jugular。
  〃I　win；〃　I　announced。
  His　eyes　narrowed；　but　he　said　nothing。
  〃Edward？　What's　wrong？　Why　won't　you　teach　me？〃
  A　full　minute　passed　before　he　spoke　again。
  〃I　just　can't。。。　bear　it。　Emmett　and　Rosalie　know　as　much　as　I　do。　Tanya　and　Eleazar　probably　know
  more。　Ask　someone　else。〃
  〃That's　not　fair！　You're　good　at　this。　You　helped　Jasper　before—you　fought　with　him　and　all　the　others；
  too。　Why　not　me？　What　did　I　do　wrong？〃
  He　sighed；　exasperated。　His　eyes　were　dark；　barely　any　gold　to　lighten　the　black。
  〃Looking　at　you　that　way；　analyzing　you　as　a　target。　Seeing　all　the　ways　I　can　kill　you　。。　。〃　He　flinched。　〃It
  just　makes　it　too　real　for　me。　We　don't　have　so　much　time　that　it　will　really　make　a　difference　who　your
  teacher　is。　Anyone　can　teach　you　the　fundamentals。〃
  I　scowled。
  He　touched　my　pouting　lower　lip　and　smiled。　〃Besides；　it's　unnecessary。　The　Volturi　will　stop。　They　will
  be　made　to　understand。〃
  〃But　if　they　don't！　I　need　to　learn　this。〃
  〃Find　another　teacher。〃
  That　was　not　our　last　conversation　on　the　subject；　but　I　never　swayed　him　an　inch　from　his　decision。
  Emmett　was　more　than　willing　to　help；　though　his　teaching　felt　to　me　a　lot　like　revenge　for　all　the　lost
  arm…wrestling　matches。　If　I　could　still　bruise；　I　would　have　been　purple　from　head　to　toe。　Rose；　Tanya；
  and　Eleazar　all　were　patient　and　supportive。　Their　lessons　reminded　me　of　Jasper's　fighting　instructions　to
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  the　others　last　June；　though　those　memories　were　fuzzy　and　indistinct。　Some　of　the　visitors　found　my
  education　entertaining；　and　some　even　offered　assistance。　The　nomad　Garrett　took　a　few　turns—he　was
  a　surprisingly　good　teacher；　he　interacted　so　easily　with　others　in　general　that　I　wondered　how　he'd　never
  found　a　coven。　I　even　fought　once　with　Zafrina　while　Renesmee　watched　from　Jacob's　arms。　I　learned
  several　tricks；　but　I　never　asked　for　her　help　again。　In　truth；　though　I　liked　Zafrina　very　much　and　I　knew
  she　wouldn't　really　hurt　me；　the　wild　woman　scared　me　to　death。
  I　learned　many　things　from　my　teachers；　but　I　had　the　sense　that　my　knowledge　was　still　impossibly
  basic。　I　had　no　idea　how　many　seconds　I　would　last　against　Alec　and　Jane。　I　only　prayed　that　it　would　be
  long　enough　to　help。
  Every　minute　of　the　day　that　I　wasn't　with　Renesmee　or　learning　to　fight；　I　was　in　the　backyard　working
  with　Kate；　trying　to　push　my　internal　shield　outside　of　my　own　brain　to　protect　someone　else。　Edward
  encouraged　me　in　this　training。　I　knew　he　hoped　I　would　find　a　way　of　contributing　that　satisfied　me　while
  also　keeping　me　out　of　the　line　of　fire。
  It　was　just　so　hard。　There　was　nothing　to　get　a　hold　of；　nothing　solid　to　work　with。　I　had　only　my　raging
  desire　to　be　of　use；　to　be　able　to　keep　Edward；　Renesmee；　and　as　much　of　my　family　as　possible　safe
  with　me。　Over　and　over　I　tried　to　force　the　nebulous　shield　outside　of　myself；　with　only　faint；　sporadic
  success。　It　felt　like　I　was　wrestling　to　stretch　an　invisible　rubber　band—a　band　that　would　change　from
  concrete　tangibility　into　insubstantial　smoke　at　any　random　moment。
  Only　Edward　was　willing　to　be　our　guinea　pig—to　receive　shock　after　shock　from　Kate　while　I　grappled
  incompetently　with　the　insides　of　my　head。　We　worked　for　hours　at　a　time；　and　I　felt　like　I　should　be
  covered　in　sweat　from　the　exertion；　but　of　course　my　perfect　body　didn't　betray　me　that　way。　My
  weariness　was　all　mental。
  It　killed　me　that　it　was　Edward　who　had　to　suffer；　my　arms　wrapped　uselessly　around　him　while　he
  winced　over　and　over　from　Kate's　low〃　setting。　I　tried　as　hard　as　I　could　to　push　my　shield　around　us
  both；　every