the time！〃
〃No one doubts you； Bella； not in the slightest；〃 he assured me。 〃You know how Jasper is—he can't
resist a good emotional climate。 You're so happy all the time； love； he gravitates toward you without
thinking。〃
And then Edward hugged me tightly； because nothing pleased him more than my overwhelming ecstasy
in this new life。
And I was euphoric the vast majority of the time。 The days were not long enough for me to get my fill of
adoring my daughter； the nights did not have enough hours to satisfy my need for Edward。
There was a flipside to the joy； though。 If you turned the fabric of our lives over； I imagined the design
on the backside would be woven in the bleak grays of doubt and fear。
Renesmee spoke her first word when she was exactly one week old。 The word was Momma； which
would have made my day； except that I was so frightened by her progress I could barely force my frozen
face to smile back at her。 It didn't help that she continued from her first word to her first sentence in the
same breath。 〃Momma； where is Grandpa？〃 she'd asked in a clear； high soprano； only bothering to speak
aloud because I was across the room from her。 She'd already asked Rosalie； using her normal （or
seriously abnormal； from another point of view） means of munication。 Rosalie hadn't known the
answer； so Renesmee had turned to me。
When she walked for the first time； fewer than three weeks later； it was similar。 She'd simply stared at
Alice for a long moment； watching intently as her aunt arranged bouquets in the vases scattered around
the room； dancing back and forth across the floor with her arms full of flowers。 Renesmee got to her feet；
not in the least bit shaky； and crossed the floor almost as gracefully。
Jacob had burst into applause； because that was clearly the response Renesmee wanted。 The way he
was tied to her made his own reactions secondary； his first reflex was always to give Renesmee whatever
she needed。 But our eyes met； and I saw all the panic in mine echoed in his。 I made my hands clap
together； too； trying to hide my fear from her。 Edward applauded quietly at my side； and we didn't need
to speak our thoughts to know they were the same。
Edward and Carlisle threw themselves into research； looking for any answers； anything to expect。 There
was
very little to be found； and none of it verifiable。
Alice and Rosalie usually began our day with a fashion show。 Renesmee never wore the same clothes
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twice； partly because she outgrew her clothes almost immediately and partly because Alice and Rosalie
were trying to create a baby album that appeared to span years rather than weeks。 They took thousands
of pictures； documenting every phase of her accelerated childhood。
At three months； Renesmee could have been a big oneyearold； or a small twoyearold。 She wasn't
shaped exactly like a toddler； she was leaner and more graceful； her proportions were more even； like an
adult's。 Her bronze ringlets hung to her waist； I couldn't bear to cut them； even if Alice would have
allowed it。 Renesmee could speak with flawless grammar and articulation； but she rarely bothered；
preferring to simply show people what she wanted。 She could not only walk but run and dance。 She
could even read。
I'd been reading Tennyson to her one night； because the flow and rhythm of his poetry seemed restful。 （I
had to search constantly for new material； Renesmee didn't like repetition in her bedtime stories as other
children supposedly did； and she had no patience for picture books。） She reached up to touch my cheek；
the image in her mind one of us； only with her holding the book。 I gave it to her； smiling。
〃 There is sweet music here；'〃 she read without hesitation； 〃'that softer falls than petals from blown roses
on the grass； or nightdews on still waters between walls of shadowy granite； in a gleaming pass—'〃
My hand was robotic as I took the book back。
〃If you read； how will you fall asleep？〃 I asked in a voice that had barely escaped shaking。
By Carlisle's calculations； the growth of her body was gradually slowing； her mind continued to race on
ahead。 Even if the rate of decrease held steady； she'd still be an adult in no more than four years。
Four years。 And an old woman by fifteen。
Just fifteen years of life。
But she was so healthy。 Vital； bright； glowing； and happy。 Her conspicuous wellbeing made it easy for
me to be happy with her in the moment and leave the future for tomorrow。
Carlisle and Edward discussed our options for the future from every angle in low voices that I tried not
to hear。 They never had these discussions when Jacob was around； because there was one sure way to
halt aging； and that wasn't something Jacob was likely to be excited about。 I wasn't。 Too dangerous！ my
instincts screamed at me。 Jacob and Renesmee seemed alike in so many ways； both halfandhalf beings；
two things at the same time。 And all the werewolf lore insisted that vampire venom was a death sentence
rather than a course to immortality___
Carlisle and Edward had exhausted the research they could do from a distance； and now we were
preparing to follow old legends at their source。 We were going back to Brazil； starting there。 The Ticunas
had legends about children like Renesmee。。。。 If other children like her had ever existed； perhaps some
tale of the life span of halfmortal 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 e 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 bee 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 e 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 motherofpearl；
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 e with me as far as my connection in London； but I wouldn't leave
Renesmee without both her parents。 Carlisle was ing 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