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 with。 I wonder if there is a name for what
she does； or if it is the norm for a vampire hybrid。 As if such a thing could ever be considered normal！ A
vampire hybrid； indeed！〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Edward said in a stunned voice。 He reached out and caught Eleazar's shoulder as he was
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about to turn again for the door。 〃What did you just call my wife？〃
Eleazar looked at Edward curiously； his manic pacing forgotten for the moment。 〃A shield； I think。 She's
blocking me now； so I can't be sure。〃
I stared at Eleazar； my brows furrowing in confusion。 Shield？ What did he mean about my blocking him？
I was standing right here beside him； not defensive in any way。
〃A shield？〃 Edward repeated； bewildered。
〃e now； Edward！ If I can't get a read on her； I doubt you can； either。 Can you hear her thoughts
right now？〃
Eleazar asked。
〃No；〃 Edward murmured。 〃But I've never been able to do that。 Even when she was human。〃
〃Never？〃 Eleazar blinked。 〃Interesting。 That would indicate a rather powerful latent talent； if it was
manifesting so clearly even before the transformation。 I can't feel a way through her shield to get a sense
of it at all。 Yet she must be raw still—she's only a few months old。〃 The look he gave Edward now was
almost exasperated。 〃And apparently pletely unaware of what she's doing。 Totally unconscious。
Ironic。 Aro sent me all over the world searching for such anomalies； and you simply stumble across it by
accident and don't even realize what you have。〃 Eleazar shook his head in disbelief。
I frowned。 〃What are you talking about？ How can I be a shield？ What does that even mean？〃 All I
could picture in my head was a ridiculous medieval suit of armor。
Eleazar leaned his head to one side as he examined me。 〃I suppose we were overly formal about it in the
guard。 In truth； categorizing talents is a subjective； haphazard business； every talent is unique； never
exactly the same thing twice。 But you； Bella； are fairly easy to classify。 Talents that are purely defensive；
that protect some aspect of the bearer； are always called shields。 Have you ever tested your abilities？
Blocked anyone besides me and your mate？〃
It took me few seconds； despite how quickly my new brain worked； to organize my answer。
〃It only works with certain things；〃 I told him。 〃My head is sort of。。。 private。 But it doesn't stop Jasper
from being able to mess with my mood or Alice from seeing my future。〃
〃Purely a mental defense。〃 Eleazar nodded to himself。 〃Limited； but strong。〃
〃Aro couldn't hear her；〃 Edward interjected。 〃Though she was human when they met。〃
Eleazar's eyes widened。
〃Jane tried to hurt me； but she couldn't；〃 I said。 〃Edward thinks Demetri can't find me； and that Alec
can't bother me； either。 Is that good？〃
Eleazar； still gaping； nodded。 〃Quite。〃
〃A shield！〃 Edward said； deep satisfaction saturating his tone。 〃I never thought of it that way。 The only
one I've ever met before was Renata； and what she did was so different。〃
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Eleazar had recovered slightly。 〃Yes； no talent ever manifests in precisely the same way； because no one
ever thinks in exactly the same way。〃
〃Who's Renata？ What does she do？〃 I asked。 Renesmee was interested； too； leaning away from
Carmen so that she could see around Kate。
〃Renata is Aro's personal bodyguard；〃 Eleazar told me。 〃A very practical kind of shield； and a very
strong one。〃
I vaguely remembered a small crowd of vampires hovering close to Aro in his macabre tower； some
male； some female。 I couldn't remember the women's faces in the unfortable； terrifying memory。 One
must have been Renata。
〃I wonder。。。；〃 Eleazar mused。 〃You see； Renata is a powerful shield against a physical attack。 If
someone approaches her—or Aro； as she is always close beside him in a hostile situation—they find
themselves。。。 diverted。
There's a force around her that repels； though it's almost unnoticeable。 You simply find yourself going a
different direction than you planned； with a confused memory as to why you wanted to go that other way
in the first place。 She can project her shield several meters out from herself。 She also protects Caius and
Marcus； too； when they have a need； but Aro is her priority。
〃What she does isn't actually physical； though。 Like the vast majority of our gifts； it takes place inside the
mind。 If she tried to keep you back； I wonder who would win？〃 He shook his head。 〃I've never heard of
Aro's or Jane's gifts being thwarted。〃
〃Momma； you're special；〃 Renesmee told me without any surprise； like she was menting on the color
of my clothes。
I felt disoriented。 Didn't I already know my gift？ I had my superselfcontrol that had allowed me to skip
right over the horrifying newborn year。 Vampires only had one extra ability at most； right？
Or had Edward been correct in the begin