Chapter 48

Carlisle sat alone in the living room and caught himself tapping his hand nervously against the arm of the chair. Since Caleb had left he had been unable to keep himself from having nervous ticks from the anxious thoughts that plagued his mind.

He kept tabs on Esme, but decided after checking in with her so many times that he needed to give it a rest and provide her with the opportunity to have at least a fraction of a peace of mind.

Alice whipped to the front foyer which was remotely visible from where Carlisle sat. He sprung up as she glanced over her shoulder at him. A moment later the doorbell rang.

Esme was quickly with the two of them at the door. When Alice flung it open they were greeted by a familiar threesome and Carlisle couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.

Siobhan," he said in a low voice. Carlisle's eyes then shifted to meet her mate's, "Liam."

Esme wrapped her arm through Carlisle's and stepped forward. "It's nice to see you. What brings you out here?" The angst in her voice was difficult to mask.

"We're here to warn you," Siobhan spoke. Pain lingered in her eyes and she glanced at Maggie for a moment.

"What about?" Carlisle asked.

"The Volturi," Liam explained, "They're sending people your way, Carlisle."

"Aro wants Caleb," Siobhan explained, "Your son."

"He took a deep breath and swallowed hard, again feeling a wave of guilt for thinking the worse of his friends.

"Alice smirked and looked at him. "I'm sorry, I should have explained this, but I wasn't totally sure what was going to happen once they got here." She closed her eyes for a moment and then stared over Maggie's shoulder prompting the young girl to look back.

"Siobhan and Liam followed her gaze but there was no one and it only took a moment for everyone to realize that Alice was envisioning something that wasn't physically with them at that moment.

"Alice..." Esme appeared as if she was trying to read her thoughts.

"Siobhan continued, "I don't want to burden you further, Carlisle, but I know of one who is considering the offer."

"Just one?" Esme asked, glancing back and forth between Siobhan and Alice.

"That we know of," Liam explained. The Irish couple looked to Maggie.

"He attempted to lie," their pint sized family member stated.

"Who did?" Carlisle asked.

Alice's eyes snapped back to reality and she spoke his name at the same time as Maggie. "Amun."

"He's coming," Alice added, "Soon."

"He'll attempt to lie again," Maggie assured them.

"He's looking for a pardon of Benjamin," Carlisle assumed.

"Nobody knows where Benjamin is," Liam told them, "Aro is asking for his head, too."

"Amun has foolishly taken the bait," Siobhan added, "He truly believes that Aro will spare Benjamin if he brings Caleb to Volterra."

"I tried to tell Amun that Aro wasn't being truthful, but he didn't want to hear it," Maggie told them, shaking her head.

"Alice looked past the Irish coven again and this time when everyone followed her stare there was something to stare at.

"Amun and Kebi hiked slowly toward the house, side by side. Their hands were linked and even from the great distance it was easy to read the mixed emotions that covered their faces.

Kebi looked the most distressed, and the pouty nature of her face and solemn eyes showed the remorse she already felt for contributing to whatever her mate had in mind. Amun, however, looked far more determined that he did melancholy. He was determined to keep his own coven in tact and held Benjamin's safety over almost all others.

Their group waited and stared down the yard until the couple closed in on where they stood.

"Please come in," Carlisle said, nodding to Siobhan first and then greeting the Egyptian pair as they approached the front steps.

"Hello, Kebi," Esme greeted in a friendly tone, hoping to draw a reaction from their old friends.

Kebi barely managed a small smile and it appeared as if she could quite literally get sick if it were possible for immortals to do so. "Hello," was her quiet response.

"Amun," Carlisle looked at his old friend in the eye, "You're always welcome in our home, but what brings you to these parts?"

"We're concerned about Benjamin... and Tia," he replied.

"As are we. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"No." Amun shook his head and his jawline tensed. "I fear he's trying to martyr himself. He saved your boy and now Aro wants him dead."

"Carlisle decided to try drawing a response from his old friend. "Unless..."

"Amun's red eyes rose to meet Carlisle's and didn't initially speak, though the look on face made it obvious that he understood that Carlisle knew at least facet of the truth.

The two of them stood a step outside the doorway staring at one another. Carlisle's features were inquisitive and softer while Amun's eyes appeared to be burning.

Maggie approached where the two of them stood, fluttering like a child to a playground. She then looked up at Amun and stung him with a question that all of them knew Maggie would be able to read as a blatant lie or a truth.

"Why have you come to see the Cullens?" she asked in a simple, innocent tone.

Amun turned his head downward and couldn't help but get sucked in to Maggie's big stare.

The rest of them had crowded by the doorway now, including other members of the Cullen family who hadn't previously made their presence known.

"Are you here to see where Caleb is?" Maggie followed when he didn't immediately respond.

Amun scanned the familiar faces that had gathered to his and Carlisle's standoff; one that Maggie had so boldly included herself in.

"Where is he?" he finally asked.

"Emmett folded his arms in front of his chest and stepped forward so he was in between Esme and Alice. "Hunting."

"So, he's okay then?" Kebi asked.

"Excuse me," Maggie continued to stare innocently up at Amun, "You didn't answer my questions."

"I've come to see the Cullens," Amun spoke. A vein in his forehead emerged for a brief second and his jaw clenched another time.

"Right, I got that part; but why are you here?"

Why are you here?"

"I asked you first."

"A smirk formed on Emmett's face but he didn't say anything to break the tension that would have probably appeared playful to an outsider. The serious nature of the question, however, put Amun's character on the line and he appeared like a threatened tiger that had been backed into a corner.

"Aro claimed he would pardon Benjamin's life if we brought Caleb to him," Kebi said, bursting into the conversation.

"Kebi!" Amun glared at his wife and he took an angry step forward, prompting Carlisle to step in his way.

"Amun..." Carlisle shook his head, "We can help you protect Benjamin."

"We've put our lives at risk helping your family, Carlisle," Amun hissed, "Too many times."

"We're very grateful... all of us... but no one told or asked Benjamin to go to Volterra. He acted on his own and did what he thought was right."

He has been acting foolish since we met with the Volturi in Washington over the hybrid child. Deep down I knew things would come full circle. I knew the Volturi were not done on that day."

Carlisle attempted to reason with him again. "Do you know where Benjamin is?"

"Amun stared him down. "Where is your son, Carlisle?"

Emmett stepped forward again and Kebi looked at his fierce stare and massive body with fear.

"Amun..." her voice pleaded as she spoke his name. "We need to be on the same side."

"Look where that's gotten us," he scoffed, "Half of this coven has a death sentence." He sniffed in air, getting a wave of Caleb's scent before ducking back out into the yard.

In the distance, a figure ran towards the woods, clad in all black from head to toe.

Amun glanced back at Carlisle for a moment before taking off toward the tree line.