She imagined touching Carmen's face； wondering if that was okay。
〃Do you mind if Renesmee tells you about it herself？〃 I asked Carmen。 I was still too stressed to speak
above a whisper。 〃She has a gift for explaining things。〃
Carmen was still smiling at Renesmee。 〃Do you speak； little one？〃
〃Yes；〃 Renesmee answered in her trilling high soprano。 All of Tanya's family flinched at the sound of her
voice except for Carmen。 〃But I can show you more than I can tell you。〃
She placed her little dimpled hand on Carmen's cheek。
Carmen stiffened like an electric shock had run through her。 Eleazar was at her side in an instant； his
hands on her shoulders as if to yank her away。
〃Wait；〃 Carmen said breathlessly； her unblinking eyes locked on Renesmee's。
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Renesmee 〃showed〃 Carmen her explanation for a long time。 Edward's face was intent as he watched
with Carmen； and I wished so much that I could hear what he heard； too。 Jacob shifted his weight
impatiently behind me； and I knew he was wishing the same。
〃What's Nessie showing her？〃 he grumbled under his breath。
〃Everything；〃 Edward murmured。
Another minute passed； and Renesmee dropped her hand from Carmen's face。 She smiled winningly at
the stunned vampire。
〃She really is your daughter； isn't she？〃 Carmen breathed； switching her wide topaz eyes to Edward's
face。 〃Such a vivid gift！ It could only have e from a very gifted father。〃
〃Do you believe what she showed you？〃 Edward asked； his expression intense。
〃Without a doubt；〃 Carmen said simply。
Eleazar's face was rigid with distress。 〃Carmen！〃
Carmen took his hands into her own and squeezed them。 〃Impossible as it seems； Edward has told you
nothing but truth。 Let the child show you。〃
Carmen nudged Eleazar closer to me and then nodded at Renesmee。 〃Show him； mi querida〃
Renesmee grinned； clearly delighted with Carmen's acceptance； and touched Eleazar lightly on the
forehead。
〃Ay caray！〃hespit； and jerked away from her。
〃What did she do to you？〃 Tanya demanded； ing closer warily。 Kate crept forward； too。
〃She's just trying to show you her side of the story；〃 Carmen told him in a soothing voice。
Renesmee frowned impatiently。 〃Watch； please；〃 she manded Eleazar。 She stretched her hand out to
him and then left a few inches between her fingers and his face； waiting。
Eleazar eyed her suspiciously and then glanced at Carmen for help。 She nodded encouragingly。 Eleazar
took a deep breath and then leaned closer until his forehead touched her hand again。
He shuddered when it began but held still this time； his eyes closed in concentration。
〃Ahh；〃 he sighed when his eyes reopened a few minutes later。 〃I see。〃
Renesmee smiled at him。 He hesitated； then smiled a slightly unwilling smile in response。
〃Eleazar？〃 Tanya asked。
〃It's all true； Tanya。 This is no immortal child。 She's halfhuman。 e。 See for yourself。〃
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In silence； Tanya took her turn standing warily before me； and then Kate； both showing shock as that
first image hit them with Renesmee's touch。 But then； just like Carmen and Eleazar； they seemed
pletely won over as soon as it was done。
I shot a glance at Edward's smooth face； wondering if it could really be so easy。 His golden eyes were
clear； unshadowed。 There was no deception in this； then。
〃Thank you for listening；〃 he said quietly。
〃But there is the grave danger you warned us of；〃 Tanya said。 〃Not directly from this child； I see； but
surely from the Volturi； then。 How did they find out about her？ When are they ing？〃
I was not surprised at her quick understanding。 After all； what could possibly be a threat to a family as
strong as mine？ Only the Volturi。
〃When Bella saw Irina that day in the mountains；〃 Edward explained； 〃she had Renesmee with her。〃
Kate hissed； her eyes narrowing to slits； 〃irina did this？ To you？ To Carlisle？ Irina？〃
〃No；〃 Tanya whispered。 〃Someone else 。。。〃
〃Alice saw her go to them；〃 Edward said。 I wondered if the others noticed the way he winced just
slightly when he spoke Alice's name。
〃How could she do this thing？〃 Eleazar asked of no one。
'Imagine if you had seen Renesmee only from a distance。 If you had not waited for our explanation。〃
Tanya's eyes tightened。 〃No matter what she thought。。。 You are our family。〃
〃There's nothing we can do about Irina's choice now。 It's too late。 Alice gave us a month。〃
Both Tanya's and Eleazar's heads cocked to one side。 Kate's brow furrowed。
〃So long？〃 Eleazar asked。
〃They are all ing。 That must take some preparation。〃
Eleazar gasped。 〃The entire guard？〃
〃Not just the guard；〃 Edward said； his jaw straining tight。 〃Aro； Caius； Marcus。 Even the wives。〃
Shock glazed over all their eyes。
〃Impossible；〃 Eleazar said blankly。
〃I would have said the same two days ago；〃 Edward said。
Eleazar scowled； and when he spoke it was nearly a growl。 〃But that doesn't make any sense。 Why
would they put themselves and the wives in danger？〃
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〃It doesn't make sense from that angle。 Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what
they think we've done。 She thought you could help us。〃
〃More than punishment？ But what else is there？〃 Eleazar started pacing； stalking toward the door and
back again as if he were alone here； his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the floor。
〃Where are the others； Edward？ Carlisle and Alice and the rest？〃 Tanya asked。
Edward's hesitation was almost unnoticeable。 He answered only part of her question。 〃Looking for
friends who might help us。〃
Tanya leaned toward him； holding her hands out in front of her。 〃Edward； no matter how many friends
you gather； we can't help you win。 We can only die with you。 You must know that。 Of course； perhaps
the four of us deserve that after what Irina has done now； after how we've failed you in the past—for her
sake that time as well。〃
Edward shook his head quickly。 〃We're not asking you to fight and die with us； Tanya。 You know
Carlisle would never ask for that。〃
〃Then what； Edward？〃
〃We're just looking for witnesses。 If we can make them pause； just for a moment。 If they would let us
explain 。。。〃 He touched Renesmee's cheek； she grabbed his hand and held it pressed against her skin。 〃It's
difficult to doubt our story when you see it for yourself。〃
Tanya nodded slowly。 〃Do you think her past will matter to them so much？〃
〃Only as it foreshadows her future。 The point of the restriction was to protect us from exposure； from the
excesses of children who could not be tamed。〃
〃I'm not dangerous at all；〃 Renesmee interjected。 I listened to her high； clear voice with new ears；
imagining how she sounded to the others。 〃I never hurt Grandpa or Sue or Billy。 I love humans。 And
wolfpeople like my Jacob。〃 She dropped Edward's hand to reach back and pat Jacob's arm。
Tanya and Kate exchanged a quick glance。
〃If Irina had not e so soon；〃 Edward mused； 〃we could have avoided all of this。 Renesmee grows at
an unprecedented rate。 By the time the month is past； shell have gained another half year of
development。〃
〃Well； that is something we can certainly witness；〃 Carmen said in a decided tone。 〃We'll be able to
promise that we've seen her mature ourselves。 How could the Volturi ignore such evidence？〃
Eleazar mumbled； 〃How； indeed？〃 but he did not look up； and he continued pacing as if he were paying
no attention at all。
〃Yes； we can witness for you；〃 Tanya said。 〃Certainly that much。 We will consider what more we might
do。〃
〃Tanya；〃 Edward protested； hearing more in her thoughts than there was in her words； 〃we don't expect
you to fight with us。〃
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〃If the Volturi won't pause to listen to our witness； we cannot simply stand by；〃 Tanya insisted。 〃Of
course； I should only speak for myself。〃
Kate snorted。 〃Do you really doubt me so much； sister？〃
Tanya smiled widely at her。 〃It is a suicide mission； after all。〃
Kate flashed a grin back and then shrugged nonchalantly。 〃I'm in。〃
〃I； too； will do what I can to protect the child；〃 Carmen agreed。 Then； as if she couldn't resist； she held
her arms out toward Renesmee。 〃May I hold you； bebe linda？〃
Renesmee reached eagerly toward Carmen； delighted with her new friend。 Carmen hugged her close；
murmuring to her in Spanish。
It was like it had been with Charlie； and before that with all the Cullens。 Renesmee was irresistible。 What
was it about her that drew everyone to her； that made them willing even to pledge their lives in her
defense？
For a moment I thought that maybe what we were attempting might be possible。 Maybe Renesmee
could do the impossible and win over our enemies as she had our friends。
And then I remembered that Alice had left us； and my hope vanished as quickly as it had appeared。
31。 TALENTED
〃What is the werewolves' part in this？〃 Tanya asked then； eyeing Jacob。
Jacob spoke before Edward could answer。 〃If the Volturi won't stop to listen about Nessie； I mean
Renesmee；〃 he corrected himself； remembering that Tanya would not understand his stupid nickname；
〃we will stop them。〃
〃Very brave； child； but that would be impossible for more experienced fighters than you are。〃
〃You don't know what we can do。〃
Tanya shrugged。 〃It is your own life； certainly； to spend as you choose。〃
Jacob's eyes flickered to Renesmee—still in Carmen's arms with Kate hovering over them—and it was
easy to read the longing in them。
〃She is special； that little one；〃 Tanya mused。 〃Hard to resist。〃
〃A very talented family；〃 Eleazar murmured as he paced。 His tempo was increasing； he flashed from the
door to Carmen and back again every second。 〃A mind reader for a father； a shield for a mother； and
then whatever magic this extraordinary child has bewitched us