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〃There is so much。 We have to hurry；〃 she whispered。
〃Alice？〃 Edward asked。 〃That was too fast—I didn't understand。 What was—？〃
〃I can't see！〃 she exploded back at him。 〃Jacob's almost here！〃
Rosalie took a step toward the front door。 〃I'll deal with—〃
〃No； let him come；〃 Alice said quickly； her voice straining higher with each word。 She grabbed Jasper's
hand and began pulling him toward the back door。 〃I'll see better away from Nessie； too。 I need to go。 I
need to really concentrate。 I need to see everything I can。 I have to go。 Come on； Jasper； there's no time
to waste！〃
We all could hear Jacob on the stairs。 Alice yanked； impatient； on Jasper's hand。 He followed quickly；
confusion in his eyes just like Edward's。 They darted out the door into the silver night。
〃Hurry！〃 she called back to us。 〃You have to find them all！〃
〃Find what？〃 Jacob asked； shutting the front door behind himself。 〃Where'd Alice go？〃
No one answered； we all just stared。
Jacob shook the wet from his hair and pulled his arms through the sleeves of his t…shirt； his eyes on
Renesmee。 〃Hey； Bells！ I thought you guys would've gone home by now___〃
He looked up to me finally； blinked； and then stared。 I watched his expression as the room's atmosphere
finally touched him。 He glanced down； eyes wide； at the wet spot on the floor； the scattered roses； the
fragments of crystal。 His fingers quivered。
〃What？〃 he asked flatly。 〃What happened？〃
I couldn't think where to begin。 No one else found the words； either。
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Jacob crossed the room in three long strides and dropped to his knees beside Renesmee and me。 I
could feel the heat shaking off his body as tremors rolled down his arms to his shaking hands。
〃Is she okay？〃 he demanded； touching her forehead； tilting his head as he listened to her heart。 〃Don't
mess with me； Bella； please！〃
〃Nothing's wrong with Renesmee；〃 I choked out； the words breaking in strange places。
〃Then who？〃
〃All of us； Jacob；〃 I whispered。 And it was there in my voice； too—the sound of the inside of a grave。
〃It's over。 We've all been sentenced to die。〃
29。 DEFECTION
We sat there all night long； statues of horror and grief； and Alice never came back。
We were all at our limits—frenzied into absolute stillness。 Carlisle had barely been able to move his lips
to explain it all to Jacob。 The retelling seemed to make it worse； even Emmett stood silent and still from
then on。
It wasn't until the sun rose and I knew that Renesmee would soon be stirring under my hands that I
wondered for the first time what could possibly be taking Alice so long。 I'd hoped to know more before I
was faced with my daughter's curiosity。 To have some answers。 Some tiny； tiny portion of hope so that I
could smile and keep the truth from terrifying her； too。
My face felt permanently set into the fixed mask it had worn all night。 I wasn't sure I had the ability to
smile anymore。
Jacob was snoring in the corner； a mountain of fur on the floor； twitching anxiously in his sleep。 Sam
knew everything—the wolves were readying themselves for what was coming。 Not that this preparation
would do anything but get them killed with the rest of my family。
Thesunlight broke through the back windows； sparkling on Edward's skin。 My eyes had not moved from
his since Alice's departure。 We'd stared at each other all night； staring at what neither of us could live
through losing： the other。 I saw my reflection glimmer in his agonized eyes as the sun touched my own
skin。
His eyebrows moved an infinitesimal bit； then his lips。
〃Alice；〃 he said。
Thesound of hisvoice was like ice cracking as it melted。 All of us fractured a little； softened a little。
Moved again。
〃She's been gone a long time；〃Rosalie murmured； surprised。
〃Where could she be？〃 Emmett wondered； taking a step toward the door。
Esme put a hand on her arm。 〃We don't want to disturb 。。。〃
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〃She's never taken so long before；〃 Edward said。 New worry splintered the mask his face had become。
His features were alive again； his eyes suddenly wide with fresh fear； extra panic。 〃Carlisle； you don't
think—something preemptive？ Would Alice have had time to see if they sent someone for her？〃
Aro's translucent…skinned face filled my head。 Aro； who had seen into all the corners of Alice's mind；
who knew everything she was capable of—
Emmett cussed loud enough that Jacob lurched to his feet with a growl。 In the yard； his growl was
echoed by his pack。 My family was already a blur of action。
〃Stay with Renesmee！〃 I all but shrieked at Jacob as I sprinted through the door。
I was still stronger than the rest of them； and I used that strength to push myself forward。 I overtook
Esme in a few bounds； and Rosalie in just a few strides more。 I raced through the thick forest until I was
right behind Edward and Carlisle。
〃Would they have been able to surprise her？〃 Carlisle asked； his voice as even as if he were standing
motionless rather than running at full speed。
〃I don't see how；〃 Edward answered。 〃But Aro knows her better than anyone else。 Better than I do。〃
〃Is this a trap？〃 Emmett called from behind us。
〃Maybe；〃 Edward said。 〃There's no scent but Alice and Jasper。 Where were they going？〃
Alice and Jasper's trail was curling into a wide arc； it stretched first east of the house； but headed north
on the other side of the river； and then back west again after a few miles。 We recrossed the river； all six
jumping within a second of each other。 Edward ran in the lead； his concentration total。
〃Did you catch that scent？〃 Esme called ahead a few moments after we'd leaped the river for the second
time。 She was the farthest back； on the far left edge of our hunting party。 She gestured to the southeast。
〃Keep to the main trail—we're almost to the Quileute border；〃 Edward ordered tersely。 〃Stay together。
See if they turned north or south。〃
I was not as familiar with the treaty line as the rest of them； but I could smell the hint of wolf in the breeze
blowing from the east。 Edward and Carlisle slowed a little out of habit； and I could see their heads sweep
from side to side； waiting for the trail to turn。
Then the wolf smell was suddenly stronger； and Edward's head snapped up。 He came to a sudden stop。
The rest of us froze； too。
〃Sam？〃 Edward asked in a flat voice。 〃What is this？〃
Sam came through the trees a few hundred yards away； walking quickly toward us in his human form；
flanked by two big wolves—Paul and Jared。 It took Sam a while to reach us； his human pace made me
impatient。 I didn't want time to think about what was happening。 I wanted to be in motion； to be doing
something。 I wanted to have my