Chapter 39
a trade
We all stood together, one family, one team. I waited to see the faces appear from the forest that would try to end our coven…for good.
I looked over at Alice, trying to get some relief from her face.
There was none.
Emmett seemed to be the only one eager to get this started. How could he be?
We stood for a long while with nothing happening.
Then they emerged. The Volturi emerged from the other end of the forest.
Aro was first, Jane was at his side. The rest were following behind them. Aro stopped about thirty yards from us and clasped his hands together.
"Ahh, the Cullens. How are you on this fine day?" he asked.
I looked at Alice with a puzzled look. Why would he be asking us how we are doing when he was probably going to destroy us?
"Very well, thank you, Aro." Carlisle answered politely. "Now tell me, what brings you here today? You aren't due to check on Renesmee for another month?"
"Yes, I am aware of that, but it seems as though that young Rosaline needs an earlier check up."
"Why would that be?" my father questioned.
Aro tilted his head to the side and began to pace.
"Well as I'm sure you know, Renesmee has broken a very key rule in the immortal world. Actually, now that I think about it, two." He stopped in front of Carlisle.
"What might those rules be?" my father asked.
"She has created an immortal child."
"Yes, we are aware of that, but she isn't a complete immortal." Carlisle argued.
"OH is that so?"
"Yes it is, but you won't have to worry about the immortal child anymore." Carlisle said quietly, hoping I wouldn't hear.
"Oh, I don't know about that."
"How did you find out about this? I know that Irina told you about Renesmee, but I can't quite figure out how you know about Rosaline." My mother asked.
"I know exactly what you mean, how could we have found out about this child?" he paused and began pacing again. "It was quite easy actually, with a little help from my dear son."
Alice's eyes got wide.
"I didn't see that." She whispered to me.
"My son, would please join us?" Aro asked. He gestured to the group.
His son walked out from behind the group, it was Antoine. My father turned his head to me, I couldn't tell he was angry, but not at me.
"Antoine, I would like you to meet a few…acquaintances of mine." Aro gestured to us.
"Yes, father, I am quite familiar with his family, one in particular." Antoine said. There was something about his tone that left me uncertain.
"Is that so? Antoine, would you please show me the one you are familiar with?"
Antoine was at my side in a matter of seconds. He took my arm and pulled me out to the area between the groups.
"Renesmee, so you are the one who has stolen my son's heart. Interesting."
I turned my gaze to Antoine.
"How could you." I whispered.
"I…I had no choice. Renesmee, I love you." He whispered back.
I looked away. Antoine released my arm. My father had a disgusted look on his face, and then he stepped forward.
"I was right about you, I was right all along." He growled.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Antoine said.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You told my daughter you loved her, and now you have the nerve to betray her like this? You disgust me." He said, his body shook with anger.
"I cannot express to you how sorry I am."
"Don't even say that, you're not sorry. You never even loved her."
"I did, I loved her more than she could ever know!" he argued.
"Enough, now that this little greeting is over, let's get to the real reason we're here. Jane, go ahead my dear." Aro instructed.
Jane stepped forward and focused her stare on me. Just as she began to work her power, Antoine pushed me out of the way. I landed on the ground a few yards away. I looked over at everyone, too shocked to move. When I finally stood up I ran over to Antoine and helped him up.
I saw my father nod slowly, and then they came. The wolves ran out from the woods and attacked the Volturi. The fighting began, Sam was attacking Aro, Jacob was attacking Jane, and my parents were helping Jacob and Sam. Everyone else divided their efforts to the rest of the Volturi.
Antoine and I were left, staring at each other.
"How could you do this to me?" I asked angrily.
"Renesmee, I told you, I hadn't a choice."
By that time we were circling each other.
"I don't believe you." I said.
"I am telling you the truth."
"Prove it."
"I had to leave; I had to go back to my father. He said it was urgent."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"What do you want to know?"
"I want to know why you left me that note."
"I had to; it was the only way you wouldn't come looking for me."
"Why'd you lie though?"
"What do you mean?"
"You said that Jacob came and attacked you. That's not true."
"Renesmee, I didn't lie."
I stopped.
"I can't believe you're still lying to me. Antoine why can't you just tell me the truth?"
"Renesmee, you have no idea how tightly I'm bound. I am part of a powerful coven, one that I can't betray."
"Then why'd you even talk to me?"
"Because…I fell in love with you."
We both stopped and stared at each other. We were staring so long that we hadn't even noticed that everyone else had stopped fighting and focused on us.
"You're lying to me." I whispered.
He walked to me and took my hand.
"Renesmee, I have never lied to you, and I never will."
I stared into his eyes for a long while. I couldn't look away. I finally pulled away and turned around.
"No, you are! You are lying to me!" I screamed. "It was you who killed Rosaline, isn't it?"
"No! I didn't kill her!"
"Indeed, Rosaline is not dead." Aro spoke up.
We all looked at him, too shocked to speak.
"What do you mean she's not dead?" I asked.
"We have her."
"Where is she?" I screamed, running over to Aro.
"Why, she's in the woods, just where Jane placed her." He said calmly.
"Where is she?" I screamed again.
"I can't tell you so easily, what would be the enjoyment of that?"
"You tell me where she is right now or I'll-"
"Or you'll what?"
I backed away.
"Now, I will tell you where your dear Rosaline is." He said calmly. "Under one condition."
"What's the condition?" I asked.
"A trade."