

He frowned at me.

I shrugged. Shrugging was good, too. Very blas. Not really. I was only afraid that you and Seth were going to get hurt. I wanted to help, but theres only so much I can do. . . .

His suddenly livid expression made my voice fade out.

Yes, he said, his tone clipped. Your little stunt with the rock. You know that you nearly gave me a heart attack? Not the easiest thing to do, that.

His furious glower made it hard to answer.

I wanted to help . . . Seth was hurt. . . .

Seth was only feigning that he was hurt, Bella. It was a trick. And then you . . . ! He shook his head, unable to finish. Seth couldnt see what you were doing, so I had to step in. Seths a bit disgruntled that he cant claim a single-handed defeat now.

Seth was . . . faking?

Edward nodded sternly.

Oh.

We both looked at Seth, who was studiously ignoring us, watching the flames. Smugness radiated from every hair in his fur.

Well, I didnt know that, I said, on the offense now. And its not easy being the only helpless person around. Just you wait till Im a vampire! Im not going to be sitting on the sidelines next time.

A dozen emotions flitted across his face before he settled on being amused. Next time? Did you anticipate another war soon?

With my luck? Who knows?

He rolled his eyes, but I could see that he was flying  the relief was making us both lightheaded. It was over.

Or . . . was it?

Hold on. Didnt you say something before  ? I flinched, remembering whatexactly it had been before  what was I going to say to Jacob? My splintered heart throbbed out a painful, aching beat. It was hard to believe, almost impossible, but the hardest part of this day wasnot behind me  and then I soldiered on. About a complication? And Alice, needing to nail down the schedule for Sam. You said it was going to be close. What was going to be close?

Edwards eyes flickered back to Seth, and they exchanged a loaded glance.

Well? I asked.

Its nothing, really, Edward said quickly. But we do need to be on our way. . . .

He started to pull me into place on his back, but I stiffened and drew away.

Define nothing.

Edward took my face between his palms. We only have a minute, so dont panic, all right? I told you that you had no reason to be afraid. Trust me on that, please?

I nodded, trying to hide the sudden terror  how much more could I handle before I collapsed? No reason to be afraid. Got it.

He pursed his lips for a second, deciding what to say. And then he glanced abruptly at Seth, as if the wolf had called him.

Whats she doing? Edward asked.

Seth whined; it was an anxious, uneasy sound. It made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

Everything was dead silent for one endless second.

And then Edward gasped, No! and one of his hands flew out as if to grab something that I couldnt see. Dont !

A spasm rocked through Seths body, and a howl, blistering with agony, ripped from his lungs.

Edward fell to his knees at the exact same moment, gripping the sides of his head with two hands, his face furrowed in pain.

I screamed once in bewildered terror, and dropped to my knees beside him. Stupidly, I tried to pull his hands from his face; my palms, clammy with sweat, slid off his marble skin.

Edward! Edward!

His eyes focused on me; with obvious effort, he pulled his clenched teeth apart.

Its okay. Were going to be fine. Its  He broke off, and winced again.

Whats happening? I cried out while Seth howled in anguish.

Were fine. Were going to be okay, Edward gasped. Sam  help him 

And I realized in that instant, when he said Sams name, that he was not speaking of himself and Seth. No unseen force was attacking them. This time, the crisis was not here.

He was using the pack plural.

Id burned through all my adrenaline. My body had nothing left. I sagged, and Edward caught me before I could hit the rocks. He sprang to his feet, me in his arms.

Seth! Edward shouted.

Seth was crouched, still tensed in agony, looking as if he meant to launch himself into the forest.

No! Edward ordered. You gostraight home. Now. As fast as you can!

Seth whimpered, shaking his great head from side to side.

Seth. Trust me.

The huge wolf stared into Edwards agonized eyes for one long second, and then he straightened up and flew into the trees, disappearing like a ghost.

Edward cradled me tightly against his chest, and then we were also hurtling through the shadowy forest, taking a different path than the wolf.

Edward. I fought to force the words through my constricted throat. What happened, Edward? What happened to Sam? Where are we going? Whats happening?

We have to go back to the clearing, he told me in a low voice. We knew there was a good probability of this happening. Earlier this morning, Alice saw it and passed it through Sam to Seth. The Volturi decided it was time to intercede.

The Volturi.

Too much. My mind refused to make sense of the words, pretended it couldnt understand.

The trees jolted past us. He was running downhill so fast that it felt as if we were plummeting, falling out of control.

Dont panic. They arent coming for us. Its just the normal contingent of the guard that usually cleans up this kind of mess. Nothing momentous, theyre merely doing their job. Of course, they seem to have timed their arrival very carefully. Which leads me to believe that no one in Italy would mourn if these newbornshad reduced the size of the Cullen family. The words came through his teeth, hard and bleak. Ill know for sure what they were thinking when they get to the clearing.

Is that why were going back? I whispered. Could I handle this? Images of flowing black robes crept into my unwilling mind, and I flinched away from them. I was close to a breaking point.

Its part of the reason. Mostly, it will be safer for us to present a united front at this point. They have no reason to harass us, but . . . Janes with them. If she thought we were alone somewhere away from the others, it might tempt her. Like Victoria, Jane will probably guess that Im with you. Demetri, of course, is with her. He could find me, if Jane asked him to.

I didnt want to think that name. I didnt want to see that blindingly exquisite, childlike face in my head. A strange sound came out of my throat.

Shh, Bella, shh. Its all going to be fine. Alice can see that.

Alice could see? But . . . then where were the wolves? Where was the pack?

The pack?

They had to leave quickly. The Volturi do not honor truces with werewolves.

I could hear my breathing get faster, but I couldnt control it. I started to gasp.

I swear they will be fine, Edward promised me. The Volturi wont recognize the scent  they wont realize the wolves are here; this isnt a species they are familiar with. The pack will be fine.

I couldnt process his explanation. My concentration was ripped to shreds by my fears.Were going to be fine, he had said before . . . and Seth, howling in agony . . . Edward had avoided my first question, distracted me with the Volturi. . . .

I was very close to the edge  just clinging by my fingertips.

The trees were a racing blur that flowed around him like jade waters.

What happened? I whispered again. Before. When Seth was howling? When you were hurt?

Edward hesitated.

Edward! Tell me!

It was all over, he whispered. I could barely hear him over the wind his speed created. The wolves didnt count their half . . . they thought they had them all. Of course, Alice couldnt see. . . .

What happened?!

One of the newborns was hiding. . . . Leah found him  she was being stupid, cocky, trying to prove something. She engaged him alone. . . .

Leah, I repeated, and I was too weak to feel shame for the relief that flooded through me. Is she going to be okay?

Leah wasnt hurt, Edward mumbled.

I stared at him for a long second.

Sam  help him Edward had gasped. Him, not her.

Were almost there, Edward