I　pulled　my　lips　wider；　showing　my　teeth。
  Jane　let　out　a　high…pitched　scream　of　a　snarl。　Everyone　jumped；　even　the　disciplined　guard。　Everyone
  but　the　ancients；　who　didn't　so　much　as　look　up　from　their　conference。　Her　twin　caught　her　arm　as　she
  crouched　to　spring。
  The　Romanians　started　chuckling　with　dark　anticipation。
  〃I　told　you　this　was　our　time；〃　Vladimir　said　to　Stefan。
  〃Just　look　at　the　witch's　face；〃　Stefan　chortled。
  Alec　patted　his　sister's　shoulder　soothingly；　then　tucked　her　under　his　arm。　He　turned　his　face　to　us；
  perfectly　smooth；　completely　angelic。
  I　waited　for　some　pressure；　some　sign　of　his　attack；　but　I　felt　nothing。　He　continued　to　stare　in　our
  direction；　his　pretty　face　composed。　Was　he　attacking？　Was　he　getting　through　my　shield？　Was　I　the　only
  one　who　could　still　see　him？　I　clutched　at　Edward's　hand。
  〃Are　you　okay？〃　I　choked　out。
  〃Yes；〃　he　whispered。
  〃Is　Alec　trying？〃
  Edward　nodded。　〃His　gift　is　slower　than　Jane's。　It　creeps。　It　will　touch　us　in　a　few　seconds。〃
  I　saw　it　then；　when　I　had　a　clue　of　what　to　look　for。
  A　strange　clear　haze　was　oozing　across　the　snow；　nearly　invisible　against　the　white。　It　reminded　me　of　a
  mirage—a　slight　warping　of　the　view；　a　hint　of　a　shimmer。　I　pushed　my　shield　out　from　Carlisle　and　the
  rest　of　the　front　line；　afraid　to　have　the　slinking　mist　too　close　when　it　hit。　What　if　it　stole　right　through　my
  intangible　protection？　Should　we　run？
  A　low　rumbling　murmured　through　the　ground　under　our　feet；　and　a　gust　of　wind　blew　the　snow　into
  sudden　flurries　between　our　position　and　the　Voituri's。　Benjamin　had　seen　the　creeping　threat；　too；　and
  now　he　tried　to　blow　the　mist　away　from　us。　The　snow　made　it　easy　to　see　where　he　threw　the　wind；　but
  the　mist　didn't　react　in　any　way。　It　was　like　air　blowing　harmlessly　through　a　shadow；　the　shadow　was
  immune。
  The　triangular　formation　of　the　ancients　finally　broke　apart　when；　with　a　racking　groan；　a　deep；　narrow
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  fissure　opened　in　a　long　zigzag　across　the　middle　of　the　clearing。　The　earth　rocked　under　my　feet　for　a
  moment。　The　drifts　of　snow　plummeted　into　the　hole；　but　the　mist　skipped　right　across　it；　as　untouched　by
  gravity　as　it　had　been　by　wind。
  Aro　and　Caius　watched　the　opening　earth　with　wide　eyes。　Marcus　looked　in　the　same　direction　without
  emotion。
  They　didn't　speak；　they　waited；　too；　as　the　mist　approached　us。　The　wind　shrieked　louder　but　didn't
  change　the　course　of　the　mist。　Jane　was　smiling　now。
  And　then　the　mist　hit　a　wall。
  I　could　taste　it　as　soon　as　it　touched　my　shield—it　had　a　dense；　sweet；　cloying　flavor；　it　made　me
  remember　dimly　the　numbness　of　Novocain　on　my　tongue。
  The　mist　curled　upward；　seeking　a　breach；　a　weakness。　It　found　none。　The　fingers　of　searching　haze
  twisted　upward　and　around；　trying　to　find　a　way　in；　and　in　the　process　illustrating　the　astonishing　size　of
  the　protective　screen。
  There　were　gasps　on　both　sides　of　Benjamin's　gorge。
  〃Well　done；　Bella！'7Benjamin　cheered　in　a　low　voice。
  My　smile　returned。
  I　could　see　Alec's　narrowed　eyes；　doubt　on　his　face　for　the　first　time　as　his　mist　swirled　harmlessly
  around　the　edges　of　my　shield。
  And　then　I　knew　that　I　could　do　this。　Obviously；　I　would　be　the　number…one　priority；　the　first　one　to　die；
  but　as　long　as　I　held；　we　were　on　more　than　equal　footing　with　the　Volturi。　We　still　had　Benjamin　and
  Zafrina；　they　had　no　supernatural　help　at　all。　As　long　as　I　held。
  Tm　going　to　have　to　concentrate；〃　I　whispered　to　Edward。　〃When　it　comes　to　hand　to　hand；　it's　going　to
  be　harder　to　keep　the　shield　around　the　right　people。〃
  〃I'll　keep　them　off　you。〃
  〃No。　You　have　to　get　to　Demetri。　Zafrina　will　keep　them　away　from　me。〃
  Zafrina　nodded　solemnly。　〃No　one　will　touch　this　young　one；〃　she　promised　Edward。
  〃I'd　go　after　Jane　and　Alec　myself；　but　I　can　do　more　good　here。〃
  〃Jane's　mine；〃　Kate　hissed。　〃She　needs　a　taste　of　her　own　medicine。〃
  〃And　Alec　owes　me　many　lives；　but　I　will　settle　for　his；〃　Vladimir　growled　from　the　other　side。　〃He's
  mine。〃
  〃I　just　want　Caius；〃　Tanya　said　evenly。
  The　others　started　divvying　up　opponents；　too；　but　they　were　quickly　interrupted。
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  Aro；　staring　calmly　at　Alec's　ineffective　mist；　finally　spoke。
  〃Before　we　vote；〃　he　began。
  I　shook　my　head　angrily。　I　was　tired　of　this　charade。　The　bloodlust　was　igniting　in　me　again；　and　I　was
  sorry　that　I　would　help　the　others　more　by　standing　still。　I　wanted　to　fight。
  〃Let　me　remind　you；〃　Aro　continued；　〃whatever　the　council's　decision；　there　need　be　no　violence　here。〃
  Edward　snarled　out　a　dark　laugh。
  Aro　stared　at　him　sadly。　〃It　will　be　a　regrettable　waste　to　our　kind　to　lose　any　of　you。　But　you　especially；
  young　Edward；　and　your　newborn　mate。　The　Volturi　would　be　glad　to　welcome　many　of　you　into　our
  ranks。　Bella；　Benjamin；　Zafrina；　Kate。　There　are　many　choices　before　you。　Consider　them。〃
  Chelsea's　attempt　to　sway　us　fluttered　impotently　against　my　shield。　Aro's　gaze　swept　across　our　hard
  eyes；　looking　for　any　indication　of　hesitation。　From　his　expression；　he　found　none。
  I　knew　he　was　desperate　to　keep　Edward　and　me；　to　imprison　us　the　way　he　had　hoped　to　enslave
  Alice。　But　this　fight　was　too　big。　He　would　not　win　if　I　lived。　I　was　fiercely　glad　to　be　so　powerful　that　I
  left　him　no　way　not　to　kill　me。
  〃Let　us　vote；　then；〃　he　said　with　apparent　reluctance。
  Caius　spoke　with　eager　haste。　〃The　child　is　an　unknown　quantity。　There　is　no　reasonto　allow　sucha　risk
  to　exist。　It　must　be　destroyed；　along　with　all　who　protect　it。〃　He　smiled　in　expectation。
  I　fought　back　a　shriek　of　defiance　to　answer　his　cruel　smirk。
  Marcus　lifted　his　uncaring　eyes；　seeming　to　look　through　us　as　he　voted。
  〃I　see　no　immediate　danger。　The　child　is　safe　enough　for　now。　We　can　always　reevaluate　later。　Let　us
  leave　in　peace。〃　His　voice　was　even　fainter　than　his　brothers'　feathery　sighs。
  None　of　the　guard　relaxed　their　ready　positions　at　his　disagreeing　words。　Caius's　anticipatory　grin　did
  not　falter。　It　was　as　if　Marcus　hadn't　spoken　atall。
  〃I　must　make　the　deciding　vote；　it　seems；〃　Aro　mused。
  Suddenly；　Edward　stiffened　at　my　side。　〃Yes！〃　he　hissed。
  I　risked　a　glance　at　him。　His　face　glowed　with　an　expression　of　triumph　that　I　didn't　understand—it　was
  the　expression　an　angel　of　destruction　might　wear　while　the　world　burned。　Beautiful　and　terrifying。
  There　was　a　low　reaction　from　the　guard；　an　uneasy　murmur。
  〃Aro？〃　Edward　called；　nearly　shouted；　undisguised　victory　in　his　voice。
  Aro　hesitated　fora　second；　assessing　this　new　mood　warily　before　he　answered。　〃Yes；　Edward？　You
  have　something　further。。。　？〃
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  〃Perhaps；〃　Edward　said　pleasantly；　controlling　his　unexplained　excitement。　〃First；　if　I　could　clarify　one
  point？〃
  〃Certainly；〃　Aro　said；　raising　his　eyebrows；　nothing　now　but　polite　interest　in　his　tone。　My　teeth　ground
  together；　Aro　was　never　more　dangerous　than　when　he　was　gracious。
  〃The　danger　you　foresee　from　my　daughter—this　stems　entirely　from　our　inability　to　guess　how　she　will
  develop？　That　is　the　crux　of　the　matter？〃
  〃Yes；　friend　Edward；〃　Aro　agreed。　〃If　we　could　but　be　positive。。。　be　sure　that；　as　she　grows；　she　will　be
  able　to　stay　concealed　from　the　human　world—not　endanger　the　safety　of　our　obscurity　。。。〃　He　trailed
  off；　shrugging。
  〃So；　if　we　could　only　know　for　sure；〃　Edward　suggested；　〃exactly　what　she　will　become。。。　then　there
  would　be　no　need　for　a　council　at　all？〃
  〃If　there　was　some　way　to　be　absolutely　sure；〃　Aro　agreed；　his　feathery　voice　slightly　more　shrill。　He
  couldn't　see　where　Edward　was　leading　him。　Neither　could　I。　〃Then；　yes；　there　would　be　no　question　to
  debate。〃
  〃And　we　would　part　in　peace；　good　friends　once　again？〃　Edward　asked　with　a　hint　of　irony。
  Even　more　shrill。　〃Of　course；　my　young　friend。　Nothing　would　please　me　more。〃
  Edward　chuckled　exultantly。　〃Then　I　do　have　something　more　to　offer。〃
  Aro's　eyes　narrowed。　〃She　is　absolutely　unique。　Her　future　can　only　be　guessed　at。〃
  〃Not　absolutely　unique；〃　Edward　disagreed。　〃Rare；　certainly；　but　not　one　of　a　kind。〃
  I　fought　the　shock；　the　sudden　hope　springing　to　life；　as　it　threatened　to　distract　me。　The　sickly…looking
  mist　still　swirled　around　the　edges　of　my　shield。　And；　as　I　struggled　to　focus；　I　felt　again　the　sharp；
  stabbing　pressure　against
  my　protective　hold。
  〃Aro；　would　you　ask　Jane　to　stop　attacking　my　wife？〃　Edward　asked　courteously。　〃We　are　still
  discussing　evidence。〃
  Aro　raised　one　hand。　〃Pe