nodded　toward　Benjamin；　who　stiffened。　Almost　everyone　was　eavesdropping　on　the　Romanians　now；
  like　me。　〃With　their　witch　twins　they　have　no　need　of　the　illusionist　or　the　fire　touch。〃　His　eyes　moved　to
  Zafrina；　then　Kate。
  Stefan　looked　at　Edward。　〃Nor　is　the　mind　reader　is　exactly　necessary。　But　I　see　your　point。　Indeed；
  they　will　gain　much　if　they　win。〃
  〃More　than　we　can　afford　to　have　them　gain；　wouldn't　you　agree？〃
  Stefan　sighed。　〃I　think　i　must　agree。　And　that　means。。。〃
  〃That　we　must　stand　against　them　while　there　is　still　hope。〃
  〃If　we　can　just　cripple　them；　even；　expose　them　。。。〃
  〃Then；　someday；　others　will　finish　the　job。〃
  〃And　our　long　vendetta　will　be　repaid。　At　last。〃
  They　locked　eyes　for　a　moment　and　then　murmured　in　unison。　〃It　seems　the　only　way。〃
  〃So　we　fight；〃　Stefan　said。
  Though　I　could　see　that　they　were　torn；　self…preservation　warring　with　revenge；　the　smile　they　exchanged
  was　full　of　anticipation。
  〃We　fight；〃　Vladimir　agreed。
  I　suppose　it　was　a　good　thing；　like　Alistair；　I　was　sure　the　battle　was　impossible　to　avoid。　In　that　case；
  two　more　vampires　fighting　on　our　side　could　only　help。　But　the　Romanians'　decision　still　made　me
  shudder。
  〃We　will　fight；　too；〃　Tia　said；　her　usually　grave　voice　more　solemn　than　ever。　〃We　believe　the　Volturi　will
  overstep　their　authority。　We　have　no　wish　to　belong　to　them。〃　Her　eyes　lingered　on　her　mate。
  Benjamin　grinned　and　threw　an　impish　glance　toward　the　Romanians。　〃Apparently；　I'm　a　hot　commodity。
  It　appears　I　have　to　win　the　right　to　be　free。〃
  〃This　won't　be　the　first　time　I've　fought　to　keep　myself　from　a　king's　rule；〃　Garrett　said　in　a　teasing　tone。
  He　walked　over　and　clapped　Benjamin　on　the　back。　〃Here's　to　freedom　from　oppression。〃
  〃We　stand　with　Carlisle；〃　Tanya　said。　〃And　we　fight　with　him。〃
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  The　Romanians'　pronouncement　seemed　to　have　made　the　others　feel　the　need　to　declare　themselves　as
  well。
  〃We　have　not　decided/7Peter　said。　He　looked　down　at　his　tiny　companion；　Charlotte's　lips　were　set　in
  dissatisfaction。　It　looked　like　she'd　made　her　decision。　I　wondered　what　it　was。
  〃The　same　goes　for　me；〃　Randall　said。
  〃And　me；〃　Mary　added。
  〃The　packs　will　fight　with　the　Cullens；〃　Jacob　said　suddenly。　〃We're　not　afraid　of　vampires；〃　he　added
  with　a　smirk。
  〃Children；〃　Peter　muttered。
  〃Infants；〃　Randall　corrected。
  Jacob　grinned　tauntingly。
  〃Well；　I'm　in；　too；〃　Maggie　said；　shrugging　out　from　under　Siobhan's　restraining　hand。　〃I　know　truth　is　on
  Carlisle's　side。　I　can't　ignore　that。〃
  Siobhan　stared　at　the　junior　member　of　her　coven　with　worried　eyes。　〃Carlisle；〃　she　said　as　if　they　were
  alone；　ignoring　the　suddenly　formal　feel　of　the　gathering；　the　unexpected　outburst　of　declarations；　〃I　don't
  want　this　to　come　to　a　fight。〃
  〃Nor　do　I；　Siobhan。　You　know　that's　the　last　thing　I　want。〃　He　half…smiled。　〃Perhaps　you　should
  concentrate　on　keeping　it　peaceful。〃
  〃You　know　that　won't　help；〃　she　said。
  I　remembered　Rose　and　Carlisle's　discussion　of　the　Irish　leader；　Carlisle　believed　that　Siobhan　had　some
  subtle　but　powerful　gift　to　make　things　go　her　way—and　yet　Siobhan　didn't　believe　it　herself。
  〃It　couldn't　hurt；〃　Carlisle　said。
  Siobhan　rolled　her　eyes。　〃Shall　I　visualize　the　outcome　I　desire？〃　she　asked　sarcastically。
  Carlisle　was　openly　grinning　now。　〃If　you　don't　mind。〃
  〃Then　there　is　no　need　for　my　coven　to　declare　itself；　is　there？〃　she　retorted。　〃Since　there　is　no　possibility
  of　a　fight。〃　She　put　her　hand　back　on　Maggie's　shoulder；　pulling　the　girl　closer　to　her。　Siobhan's　mate；
  Liam；　stood　silent　and　expressionless。
  Almost　everyone　else　in　the　room　looked　mystified　by　Carlisle　and　Siobhan's　clearly　joking　exchange；
  but　they　didn't　explain　themselves。
  That　was　the　end　of　the　dramatic　speeches　for　the　night。　The　group　slowly　dispersed；　some　off　to　hunt；
  some　to　while　away　the　time　with　Carlisle's　books　or　televisions　or　computers。
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  Edward；　Renesmee；　and　I　went　to　hunt。　Jacob　tagged　along。
  〃Stupid　leeches；〃　he　muttered　to　himself　when　we　got　outside。　〃Think　they're　so　superior。〃　He　snorted。
  〃They'll　be　shocked　when　the　infants　save　their　superior　lives；　won't　they？〃　Edward　said。
  Jake　smiled　and　punched　his　shoulder。　〃Hell　yeah；　they　will。〃
  This　wasn't　our　last　hunting　trip。　We　all　would　hunt　again　nearer　to　the　time　we　expected　the　Volturi。　As
  the　deadline　was　not　exact；　we　were　planning　to　stay　a　few　nights　out　in　the　big　baseball　clearing　Alice
  had　seen；　just　in
  case。　All　we　knew　was　that　they　would　come　the　day　that　the　snow　stuck　to　the　ground。　We　didn't　want
  the　Volturi　too　close　to　town；　and　Demetri　would　lead　them　to　wherever　we　were。　I　wondered　who　he
  would　track　in；　and　guessed　that　it　would　be　Edward　since　he　couldn't　track　me。
  I　thought　about　Demetri　while　I　hunted；　paying　little　attention　to　my　prey　or　the　drifting　snowflakes　that
  had　finally　appeared　but　were　melting　before　they　touched　the　rocky　soil。　Would　Demetri　realize　that　he
  couldn't　track　me？　What　would　he　make　of　that？　What　would　Aro？　Or　was　Edward　wrong？　There　were
  those　little　exceptions　to　what　I　could　withstand；　those　ways　around　my　shield。　Everything　that　was
  outside　my　mind　was　vulnerable—open　to　the　things　Jasper；　Alice；　and　Benjamin　could　do。　Maybe
  Demetri's　talent　worked　a　little　differently；　too。
  And　then　I　had　a　thought　that　brought　me　up　short。　The　half…drained　elk　dropped　from　my　hands　to　the
  stony　ground。　Snowflakes　vaporized　a　few　inches　from　the　warm　body　with　tiny　sizzling　sounds。　I　stared
  blankly　at　my　bloody　hands。
  Edward　saw　my　reaction　and　hurried　to　my　side；　leaving　his　own　kill　undrained。
  〃What's　wrong？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　voice；　his　eyes　sweeping　the　forest　around　us；　looking　for　whatever
  had　triggered　my　behavior。
  〃Renesmee；〃　I　choked。
  〃She's　just　through　those　trees；〃　he　reassured　me。　〃I　can　hear　both　her　thoughts　and　Jacob's。　She's　fine。〃
  〃That's　not　what　I　meant；〃　I　said。　〃I　was　thinking　about　my　shield—you　really　think　it's　worth　something；
  that　it　will　help　somehow。　I　know　the　others　are　hoping　that　I'll　be　able　to　shield　Zafrina　and　Benjamin；
  even　if　I　can　only　keep　it　up　for　a　few　seconds　at　a　time。　What　if　that's　a　mistake？　What　if　your　trust　in
  me　is　the　reason　that　we　fail？〃
  My　voice　was　edging　toward　hysteria；　though　I　had　enough　control　to　keep　it　low。　I　didn't　want　to　upset
  Renesmee。
  〃Bella；　what　brought　this　on？　Of　course；　it　s　wonderful　that　you　can　protect　yourself；　but　you're　not
  responsible　for　saving　anyone。　Don't　distress　yourself　needlessly。〃
  〃But　what　if　I　can't　protect　anything？〃　I　whispered　in　gasps。　〃This　thing　I　do；　it's　faulty；　it's　erratic！
  There's　no　rhyme　or　reason　to　it。　Maybe　it　will　do　nothing　against　Alec　at　all。〃
  〃Shh；〃　he　hushed　me。　〃Don't　panic。　And　don't　worry　about　Alec。　What　he　does　is　no　different　than　what
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  Jane　or　Zafrina　does。　It's　just　an　illusion—he　can't　get　inside　your　head　any　more　than　I　can。〃
  〃But　Renesmee　does！〃　I　hissed　frantically　through　my　teeth。　〃It　seemed　so　natural；　I　never　questioned　it
  before。　It's　always　been　just　part　of　who　she　is。　But　she　puts　her　thoughts　right　into　my　head　just　like　she
  does　with　everyone　else。　My　shield　has　holes；　Edward！〃
  I　stared　at　him　desperately；　waiting　for　him　to　acknowledge　my　terrible　revelation。　His　lips　were　pursed；
  as　if　he　was　trying　to　decide　how　to　phrase　something。　His　expression　was　perfectly　relaxed。
  〃You　thought　of　this　a　long　time　ago；　didn't　you？〃　I　demanded；　feeling　like　an　idiot　for　my　months　of
  overlooking　the　obvious。
  He　nodded；　a　faint　smile　pulling　up　one　corner　of　his　mouth。　〃The　first　time　she　touched　you。〃
  I　sighed　at　my　own　stupidity；　but　his　calm　had　mellowed　me　some。　〃And　this　doesn't　bother　you？　You
  don't　see　it　as　a　problem？〃
  〃I　have　two　theories；　one　more　likely　than　the　other。〃
  〃Give　me　the　least　likely　first。〃
  〃Well；　she's　your　daughter；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃Genetically　half　you。　I　used　to　tease　you　about　how　your
  mind　was　on　a　different　frequency　than　the　rest　of　ours。　Perhaps　she　runs　on　the　same。〃
  This　didn't　work　for　me。　〃But　you　hear　her　mind　just　fine。　Everyone　hears　her　mind。　And　what　if　Alec
  runs　on　a　different　frequency？　What　if—？〃
  He　put　a　finger　to　my　lips。　〃I've　considered　that。　Which　is　why　I　think　this　next　theory　is　much　more
  likely。〃
  I　gritted　my　teeth　and　waited。
  〃Do　you　remember　what　Carlisle　said　to　me　about　her；　right　after　she　showed　you　that　first　memory？〃
  Of　course　I　remembered。　〃He