"I don't suppose there's any chance that you've changed your mind?" Aro asked Edward hopefully. "Your talent would make an excellent addition to our little company."
Edward hesitated. From the corner of my eye, I saw both Felix and Jane grimace.
Edward seemed to weigh each word before he spoke it.
"Well... actually... now you've brought it up."
Aro's paper like face stretched into an enormous grin. "I trust that your answer is yes, my young friend?"
Edward's eyes flashed to me, then to Alice, back to me and then settled on Aro. He smiled. "Certainly. I would be more than happy to join your coven."
Aro was ecstatic, which was more than what could be said for the others. I could not believe what had just happened. Was it not just a few minutes ago that the Volturi were trying to destroy him? Moreover, I was utterly shocked at Edward's answer to Aro's proposal.
"Alice?" Aro asked. "Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?"
Alice smiled in her angelic fashion. "I would be happy to, if you are happy to have me."
Aro laughed. "I think you already know the answer to that!"
I was appalled at the way Alice had handled things. She hadn't even considered how this would affect Jasper, her one true love. I knew how hard it was being separated from the one who loves you more than any other. They had not spent a day apart for over fifty years. This would surely break his heart.
Aro turned to me. I did not need Alice's gift of foresight to know what was coming next.
"And you, Bella?" Aro raised his eyebrows.
I looked around the chamber. Aro was smiling at me, the patient look on his face reassuring me that I didn't have to make a rushed decision. The two vampires behind him, Marcus and Caius obviously had different thoughts on Aro's plans. Marcus was looking purely bored and was staring down at his hands. Caius, on the other hand had a look of pure hatred. I glanced behind where Edward, Alice and I stood. The two large warriors, Demetri and Felix were looking at me also. Felix pulling the same grimace that he had when Aro asked Edward and Demetri smiling at me as if he was telling me to go for it. Off to Edward's right stood Jane and Alec, hand in hand. Alec had the same expression on his face as Marcus, obviously this matter didn't concern him much and Jane was smiling her smile at me. She must have been trying to attack me again with her usual talent.
Finally my eyes settled on Edward and Alice. My best friend and the love of my life. Surely Alice would not have agreed to join if it posed some danger to us and Edward would have been reading the Volturi's minds. The past eight months had showed me that I found it exceptionally painful to be without Edward. I needed him.
"Yes," I said my voice barely even more than a whisper. "Yes, I will join you."
Aro clapped his hands and laughed. I was surprised that he hadn't started to dance around the room in joy. The expressions on Caius, Felix, and Jane's faces had softened now.
Edward took my hands in his. "Well done love," he whispered in my ear.
