Chapter Eighteen —— 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 & 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.
——John Joseph Powell, The Secret of Staying in Love

Jacob carried a few big branches over one shoulder, walking towards the already growing pile to serve as our bonfire. He tossed them into the bank.

Benjamin walked up with a flame on his pointer finger.

He smirked at Jacob and then lifted all fingers except for his thumb, each of them catching fire as well. He then swung his arm and lit the pile of wood, earning a grin from Jacob.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Jacob said.

Keeping my arms crossed and my eyes trained on the fire.

Someone brought up war stories, and Garrett spoke up.

"The American Revolution." He spoke up, sitting on the long diagonal to us. "I was there. I came this close," He held up his thumb and pointer finger, both only a few centimeters apart, "to biting Custer. The Indians got him first." He said.

"Try being alive during the French Revolution." Someone else replied, arms crossed. "That's a real revolution."

"If you want to talk about a rebellion," Liam spoke up from across from us, breaking the silence. "Talk about the Eleven Years War. No one does a rebellion like the Irish."

"You lost the Eleven Years War." Garrett pointed out.

"Aye," Liam responded with a grin. "But it was one hell of a rebellion." He said.

Then Vladimir and Stefan talk about what had happened to their castles and why they despised the Volturi so much.

"I hope you don't let this confrontation go to your head because if your hatred for the Volturi puts anyone of us in danger, you're going to wish they had killed you both back then when I'm finished with you both," I said, glaring at them.

"Althea," Edward said.

I sighed.

"I'm just anxious that something is about to happen," I said.

"It's okay," Edward said; he touched my hand.

"You're cold." He said.

I scrunched up my face.

"How can you tell I'm cold?" I asked him.

"I can just tell." He answered as he took off his jacket and placed it on me.

"Thank you," I said.

He smiled.

"You're welcome." He said.

I sniffed the air and noticed the Embry was approaching. I smiled and stood up to greet him when Edward immediately pulled my arm and made me stand by side him.

I stared at him, confused.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I'm sorry, Althea," Edward replied, looking at the trees.

I looked over and saw Embry walking out with a skinwalker.

"Kayla, what are you doing here?" I asked her.

I looked between her and Embry and noticed something different between them.

"Althea, I found my imprint," Kayla said.

"Althea," Embry said.

I forced a smile.

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Embry," I told him.

I guess this is why I was feeling anxious.

—                                    —                                           —

For two days, Edward and Carlisle stayed in the clearing where Alice had seen the Volturi arrive.

It was the same killing field where Victoria's newborns had attacked last summer.

We set up a tent for Bella and Renesmee a few yards back into the protective forest.

It started to snow again the night before New Year's Eve.

This time, the tiny flakes did not dissolve into the stony ground of the clearing—the snow made first a thin icing over the earth, then built into thicker drifts.

By the time the sun rose, the scene from Alice's vision was complete. Edward and I stared across the glittering white field, and neither of us spoke.

Through the early morning, the others gathered, their eyes bearing mute evidence of their preparations—some light gold, some rich crimson.

Soon after we all were together, we could hear the wolves and skinwalkers moving in the woods.

Edward and Carlisle were arraying the others into a loose formation, the witnesses to the sides like galleries.

I watched from a distance, waiting by the tent for Bella and Renesmee to wake. When they did, Bella helped Renesmee in the clothes she had carefully picked out two days before.

Clothes that looked frilly and feminine were sturdy enough not to show any wear— even if a person wore them while riding a giant werewolf through a couple of states.

Over her jacket, Bella put on the black leather backpack with the documents, the money, the clue, and notes for her and Seth, Charlie, and Renée. She was strong enough that it was no burden to her.

Renesmee eyes were huge as she read the agony on Bella's face. But she had guessed enough not to ask Bella what she was doing.

"I love you," Bella told her. "More than anything." She added.

"I love you, too, Momma," Renesmee answered.

She touched the locket at her neck, which now held a tiny photo of her, Bella, Lape, Charlie, Jacob, Edward, Seth, and I — her little family.

"We'll always be together," Renesmee said.

"In our hearts, we'll always be together," Bella corrected in a whisper as quiet as a breath. "But when the time comes today, you have to leave me." She added.

Her eyes widened, and she touched her hand to Bella's cheek. The silent no was louder than if she'd shouted it.

I fought to swallow; my throat felt swollen.

"Will you do it for me? Please?" Bella asked.

She pressed her fingers harder to Bella's face. Why?

"I can't tell you," Bella whispered. "But you'll understand soon. I promise." She said.

In my head, I saw Seth's face.

Bella nodded, then pulled Renesmee's fingers away.

"Don't think of it," I breathed into her ear. "Don't tell Seth until I tell you to run, okay?" Bella said.

This she understood. She nodded, too. Bella took from her pocket one last detail.

Bella fastened the thick gold rope around her neck and felt the weight of the enormous diamond nestled into the hollow of her throat.

"Pretty," Renesmee whispered.

Then she wrapped her arms like a vise around her neck. Bella squeezed her against her chest.

"Are you done?" I asked Bella.

Bella nodded.

"Althea, I need to talk to you before we go," Bella replied.

"About what?" I asked her.

"Edward." She answered.

"What about him?" I asked.

"Give him a chance. He may not have been the one for me, but I know he's the one for you." She replied.

I sighed.

"Bella, we're about to fight for our lives. I don't have time for this." I said.

"Does he know? That he's behaving like this because of the imprint bond." Bella said.

"How did you know?" I asked her.

Bella sighed.

"When I saw how Embry was trying to fight the imprint for you, I noticed the similarities between you and Embry; you the struggle and the outburst of anger. That's when I knew you imprinted on Edward." Bella explained.

I chuckled.

"I'm so stupid; I should have just accepted it, but no, I had to fight to see if I had a future with Embry," I said.

"It's okay. Feelings make us stupid sometimes." Bella said.

"Does anyone else know?" I asked.

"Leah, Charlie, and Lape," Bella answered.

I nodded.

Interlocked this way, Bella carried Renesmee out of the tent and to the clearing.

Edward cocked one eyebrow as I approached but otherwise did not remark on Bella's accessory or Renesmee's.

He just put his arms tight around us both for one long moment and then, with a deep sigh, let us go.

We took our place; Bella, Renesmee, Lape, and I stood a few feet behind the front line made up by Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Tanya, Kate, and Eleazar.

Then Benjamin and Zafrina; were our best offensive weapons. If the Volturi were the ones who could not see, even for a few moments, that would change everything.

Zafrina was rigid and fierce, with Senna almost a mirror image at her side. Benjamin sat on the ground, his palms pressed to the dirt, and muttered quietly about fault lines.

Last night, he'd strewn piles of boulders in natural-looking, now snow-covered heaps all along the back of the meadow. They weren't enough to injure a vampire, but hopefully enough to distract one.

The witnesses clustered to our left and right, some nearer than others—those who had declared themselves were the closest. I noticed Siobhan rubbing her temples and her eyes closed in concentration; was she humoring Carlisle?

Trying to visualize a diplomatic resolution?

In the woods behind us, the invisible wolves and skin-walkers were still and ready; we could only hear their heavy panting, their beating hearts.

The clouds rolled in, diffusing the light so that it could have been morning or afternoon. Edward's eyes tightened as he scrutinized the view, and I was sure he was seeing this exact scene for the second time—the first time being Alice's vision.

It would look just the same when the Volturi arrived.

We only had minutes or seconds left now.

All our family and allies braced themselves.

From the forest, Seth came forward to stand at Bella's side; it must have been too hard for him to keep his distance from Renesmee when she was in such immediate danger.

Renesmee reached out to twine her fingers in the fur over his massive shoulder, and her body relaxed a little bit. She was calmer with Seth close. As long Seth was with Renesmee, she would be all right.

Without risking a glance behind, Edward reached back to me. I stretched my arm forward so that I could grip his hand. He squeezed my fingers. He knew. I knew.

And then Edward stiffened and hissed low between his clenched teeth. His eyes focused on the forest due north of where we stood.

We stared where he did and waited as the last seconds passed.