Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer [226]
This is the child you saw? Caius demanded. The one that was obviously more than human?
Irina peered at us, examining Renesmee for the first time since entering the clearing. Her head tilted to the side, confusion crossed her features.
Well? Caius snarled.
I Im not sure, she said, her tone perplexed.
Caiuss hand twitched as if he wanted to slap her again. What do you mean? he said in a steely whisper.
Shes not the same, but I think its the same child. What I mean is, shes changed. This child is bigger than the one I saw, but-
Caiuss furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth, and Irina broke off without finishing. Aro flitted to Caiuss side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder.
Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty.
With a sullen expression, Caius turned his back on Irina.
Now, sweetling, Aro said in a warm, sugary murmur. Show me what youre trying to say. He held his hand out to the bewildered vampire.
Uncertainly, Irina took his hand. He held hers for only five seconds.
You see, Caius? he said. Its a simple matter to get what we need.
Caius didnt answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle.
And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet Irinas first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious.
Thats exactly what Im trying to explain, Carlisle said, and from the change in his voice, I could guess at his relief. This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopes on.
I felt no relief. I waited, almost numb with rage, for the layers of strategy Edward had promised.
Carlisle held out his hand again.
Aro hesitated for a moment. I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?
There was no breach.
Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth. Aros feathery voice hardened. And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son. He inclined his head in Edwards direction. As the child clings to his newborn mate, Im assuming Edward is involved.
Of course he wanted Edward. Once he could see into Edwards mind, he would know all our thoughts. Except mine.
Edward turned to quickly kiss my forehead and Renesmees, not meeting my eyes. Then he strode across the snowy field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me-Esmes terror breaking through.
The red haze I saw around the Volturi army flamed brighter than before. I could not bear to watch Edward cross the empty white space alone-but I also could not endure to have Renesmee one step closer to our adversaries. The opposing needs tore at me; I was frozen so tightly it felt like my bones might shatter from the pressure of it.
I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us.
That smug little smile did it. My fury peaked, higher even than the raging bloodlust Id felt the moment the wolves had committed to this doomed fight. I could taste madness on my tongue-I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield with all the force in my mind, flung it across the impossible expanse of the field-ten times my best distance-like a javelin. My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion.
The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like a living thing-I could feel it, from the apex to the edges.
There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now; in that instant of raw force, I saw that the backlash Id felt before was of my own making-I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in self-defense, subconsciously unwilling to let it go. Now I set it free, and my shield exploded a good