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Especially　when　we　could　learn　so　much　。。　。〃　He　sighed；　as　if　unwilling　to　go　on。　〃But　there　is　danger；　
danger　that　cannot　simply　be　ignored。〃　

No　one　answered　his　assertion。　It　was　dead　silent　as　he　continued　in　a　monologue　that　sounded　as　if　he　
spoke　it　for　himself　only。　

〃How　ironic　it　is　that　as　the　humans　advance；　as　their　faith　in　science　grows　and　controls　their　world；　the　
more　free　we　are　from　discovery。　Yet；　as　we　bee　ever　more　uninhibited　by　their　disbelief　in　the　
supernatural；　they　bee　strong　enough　in　their　technologies　that；　if　they　wished；　they　could　actually　
pose　a　threat　to　us；　even　destroy　some　of　us。　

〃For　thousands　and　thousands　of　years；　our　secrecy　has　been　more　a　matter　of　convenience；　of　ease；　
than　of　actual　safety。　This　last　raw；　angry　century　has　given　birth　to　weapons　of　such　power　that　they　
endanger　even　immortals。　Now　our　status　as　mere　myth　in　truth　protects　us　from　these　weak　creatures　
we　hunt。　

〃Thisamazingchild〃—he　lifted　his　hand　palm　down　as　if　to　rest　it　on　Renesmee；　though　he　was　forty　
yards　from　her　now；　almost　within　the　Volturi　formation　again—〃if　we　could　but　know　her　
potential—know　with　absolute　certainty　that　she　could　always　remain　shrouded　within　the　obscurity　that　
protects　us。　But　we　know　nothing　of　what　she　will　bee！　Her　own　parents　are　plagued　by　fears　of　her　
future。　We　cannot　know　what　she　will　grow　to　be。〃　He　paused；　looking　first　at　our　witnesses；　and　then；　
meaningfully；　at　his　own。　His　voice　gave　a　good　imitation　of　sounding　torn　by　his　words。　

Still　looking　at　his　own　witnesses；　he　spoke　again。　〃Only　the　known　is　safe。　Only　the　known　is　tolerable。　
The　unknown　is。。。　a　vulnerability。〃　

Caius's　smile　widened　viciously。　

〃You're　reaching；　Aro；〃　Carlisle　said　in　a　bleak　voice。　

〃Peace；　friend。〃　Aro　smiled；　his　face　as　kind；　his　voice　as　gentle；　as　ever。　〃Let　us　not　be　hasty。　Let　us　
look　at　this　from　every　side。〃　

〃May　I　offer　a　side　to　be　considered？〃　Garrett　petitioned　in　a　level　tone；　taking　another　step　forward。　

〃Nomad；〃　Aro　said；　nodding　in　permission。　

Garrett's　chin　lifted。　His　eyes　focused　on　the　huddled　mass　at　the　end　of　the　meadow；　and　he　spoke　
directly　to　the　Volturi　witnesses。　

〃I　came　here　at　Carlisle's　request；　as　the　others；　to　witness；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　certainly　no　longer　
necessary；　with　regard　to　the　child。　We　all　see　what　she　is。　

〃I　stayed　to　witness　something　else。　You。〃　He　jabbed　his　finger　toward　the　wary　vampires。　〃Two　of　you　
I　know—Makenna；　Charles—and　I　can　see　that　many　of　you　others　are　also　wanderers；　roamers　like　
myself。　Answering　to　none。　Think　carefully　on　what　I　tell　you　now。　




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'These　ancient　ones　did　not　e　here　for　justice　as　they　told　you。　We　suspected　as　much；　and　now　it　
has　been　proved。　They　came；　misled；　but　with　a　valid　excuse　for　their　action。　Witness　now　as　they　seek　
flimsy　excuses　to　continue　their　true　mission。　Witness　them　struggle　to　find　a　justification　for　their　true　
purpose—to　destroy　this　family　here。〃　He　gestured　toward　Carlisle　and　Tanya。　

〃The　Volturi　e　to　erase　what　they　perceive　as　the　petition。　Perhaps；　like　me；　you　look　at　this　
clan's　golden　eyes　and　marvel。　They　are　difficult　to　understand；　it's　true。　But　the　ancient　ones　look　and　
see　something　besides　their　strange　choice。　They　see　power。　

〃I　have　witnessed　the　bonds　within　this　family—I　say　family　and　not　coven。　These　strange　goldeneyed　
ones　deny　their　very　natures。　But　in　return　have　they　found　something　worth　even　more；　perhaps；　than　
mere　gratification　of　desire？　I've　made　a　little　study　of　them　in　my　time　here；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　
intrinsic　to　this　intense　family　binding—that　which　makes　them　possible　at　all—is　the　peaceful　character　of　
this　life　of　sacrifice。　There　is　no　aggression　here　like　we　all　saw　in　the　large　southern　clans　that　grew　and　
diminished　so　quickly　in　their　wild　feuds。　There　is　no　thought　for　domination。　And　Aro　knows　this　better　
than　I　do。〃　

I　watched　Aro's　face　as　Garrett's　words　condemned　him；　waiting　tensely　for　some　response。　But　Aro's　
face　was　only　politely　amused；　as　if　waiting　for　a　tantrumthrowing　child　to　realize　that　no　one　was　paying　
attention　to　his　histrionics。　

〃Carlisle　assured　us　all；　when　he　told　us　what　was　ing；　that　he　did　not　call　us　here　to　fight。　These　
witnesses〃—Garrett　pointed　to　Siobhan　and　Liam—〃agreed　to　give　evidence；　to　slow　the　Volturi　
advance　with　their　presence　so　that　Carlisle　would　get　the　chance　to　present　his　case。　

〃But　some　of　us　wondered〃—his　eyes　flashed　to　Eleazars　face—〃if　Carlisle　having　truth　on　his　side　
would　be　enough　to　stop　the　socalled　justice。　Are　the　Volturi　here　to　protect　the　safety　of　our　secrecy；　
or　to　protect　their　own　power？　Did　they　e　to　destroy　an　illegal　creation；　or　a　way　of　life？　Could　they　
be　satisfied　when　the　danger　turned　out　to　be　no　more　than　a　misunderstanding？　Or　would　they　push　the　
issue　without　the　excuse　of　justice？　

〃We　have　the　answer　to　all　these　questions。　We　heard　it　in　Aro's　lying　words—we　have　one　with　a　gift　
of　knowing　such　things　for　certain—and　we　see　it　now　in　Caius's　eager　smile。　Their　guard　is　just　a　
mindless　weapon；　a　tool　in　their　masters'　quest　for　domination。　

〃So　now　there　are　more　questions；　questions　that　you　must　answer。　Who　rules　you；　nomads？　Do　you　
answer　to　someone's　will　besides　your　own？　Are　you　free　to　choose　your　path；　or　will　the　Volturi　decide　
how　you　will　live？　

〃I　came　to　witness。　I　stay　to　fight。　The　Volturi　care　nothing　for　the　death　of　the　child。　They　seek　the　
death　of　our　free　will。〃　

He　turned；　then；　to　face　the　ancients。　〃So　e；　I　say！　Let's　hear　no　more　lying　rationalizations。　Be　
honest　in　your　intents　as　we　will　be　honest　in　ours。　We　will　defend　our　freedom。　You　will　or　will　not　
attack　it。　Choose　now；　and　let　these　witnesses　see　the　true　issue　debated　here。〃　

Once　more　he　looked　to　the　Volturi　witnesses；　his　eyes　probing　each　face。　The　power　of　his　words　was　
evident　in　their　expressions。　〃You　might　consider　joining　us。　If　you　think　the　Volturi　will　let　you　live　to　tell　
this　tale；　you　are　

mistaken。　We　may　all　be　destroyed〃—he　shrugged—〃but　then　again；　maybe　not。　Perhaps　we　are　on　



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more　equal　footing　than　they　know。　Perhaps　the　Volturi　have　finally　met　their　match。　I　promise　you　this；　
though—if　we　fall；　so　do　you。〃　

He　ended　his　heated　speech　by　stepping　back　to　Kate's　side　and　then　sliding　forward　in　a　halfcrouch；　
prepared　for　the　onslaught。　

Aro　smiled。　〃Avery　pretty　speech；　my　revolutionary　friend。〃　

Garrett　remained　poised　for　attack。　〃Revolutionary？〃　he　growled。　〃Who　am　I　revolting　against；　might　I　
ask？　Are　you　my　king？　Do　you　wish　me　to　call　you　master；　too；　like　your　sycophantic　guard？〃　

〃Peace；　Garrett；〃　Aro　said　tolerantly。　〃I　meant　only　to　refer　to　your　time　of　birth。　Still　a　patriot；　I　see。〃　

Garrett　glared　back　furiously。　

〃Let　us　ask　our　witnesses；〃　Aro　suggested。　〃Let　us　hear　their　thoughts　before　we　make　our　decision。　Tell　
us；　friends〃—and　he　turned　his　back　casually　on　us；　moving　a　few　yards　toward　his　mass　of　nervous　
observers　hovering　even　closer　now　to　the　edge　of　the　forest—〃what　do　you　think　of　all　this？　I　can　
assure　you　the　child　is　not　what　we　feared。　Do　we　take　the　risk　and　let　the　child　live？　Do　we　put　our　
world　in　jeopardy　to　preserve　their　family　intact？　Or　does　earnest　Garrett　have　the　right　of　it？　Will　you　
join　them　in　a　fight　against　our　sudden　quest　for　dominion？〃　

The　witnesses　met　his　gaze　with　careful　faces。　One；　a　small　blackhaired　woman；　looked　briefly　at　the　
dark　blond　male　at　her　side。　

〃Are　those　our　only　choices？〃　she　asked　suddenly；　gaze　flashing　back　to　Aro。　〃Agree　with　you；　or　fight　
against　you？〃　

〃Of　course　not；　most　charming　Makenna；〃　Aro　said；　appearing　horrified　that　anyone　could　e　to　that　
conclusion。　〃You　may　go　in　peace；　of　course；　as　Amun　did；　even　if　you　disagree　with　the　council's　
decision。〃　

Makenna　looked　at　her　mate's　face　again；　and　he　nodded　minutely。　

〃We