AN: Greetings, this is the last chapter of the week. I'll post the next one on Monday night, my brain is fried so I haven't been able to concentrate while proofreading this chapter, sorry for the mistakes.

Everyone's either in Volterra or on their way to Volterra. The only exceptions are those with the Hybrids; Demitri, Leah, Felix and the Healers

S. Meyer owns twilight

CHAPTER 19

Aro POV - Volterra

We'd been home for a few days, everyone had healed and the castle had been repaired and cleaned. There hadn't been much damage done to the castle, the Throne Room was a little scuffed in places, but all in all Caius had defended our home very well. The hardest part of the aftermath from the Rebel Army had been the loss of many of our human citizens. Theresa and Jacob had led us in a service, we paid our respects for the fallen and helped the human survivors as best as we could.

We were surprised by the human authorities. They had been in contact with us and helped us explain the 'natural disaster.' They had completely covered up the Vampire attack without questioning what really happened. When I asked one agent why they were so helpful they said they appreciated the criminals we'd removed from their communities. It was at that point that Caius, Marcus and I had held a meeting with the human allies. We trusted them with our secret. They had known there was something different about us, but would never have guessed we were vampires.

Gianna held a press conference for us, telling the human media that there had been a bad storm which downed power lines. With many of the fixtures in the plaza being wood, they caught fire and created a large blaze. The human media were ravenous for information, they hounded our humans for details. We had held a community meeting in the throne room, it was an informal affair and only Marcus, Caius and I were there with our wives and the unmasked Horsemen. We'd worn contacts, Caius and I wore green colored contacts while Marcus and the Wives wore brown contacts. We darkened out skin with make up and wore modern, casual clothes. The Horsemen watched in amusement as we attempted current colloquialisms and mannerisms.

We had told the humans that a bovine disease had transferred to humans in a nearby town. I heard the humans talk about 'Mad Cow' disease and Zombies. We assured them the authorities had burnt the carcasses of the animals and the humans who were infected. Our best human ally, Agent Millieux had lectured our humans on the importance of keeping the outbreak of disease quiet to prevent terrorist groups and unfriendly governments from trying to recreate the disease.

A few of our citizens chose to relocate. We helped set up accommodations and employment for them. Those who remained in Volterra were grateful we had exterminated the problem. They became loyal to us, I had been surprised by their appreciation. Caius, Marcus and I discussed finding a new base of operations, but we couldn't risk leaving the humans defenseless. Instead we decided to concentrate our efforts on defending the city.

The Horsemen would stay with us until the unity of the species was complete. We had begun delegating allies to their cause. While they were here, protecting Italy from attack, we arranged for a group to assist them in protecting the paths of Fate. The Horsemen's allies went by the name The Seven Deadly Sins. We provided them with cloaks of their own, light blue with black lining. Alec became Sloth, Tanya from Denali became Lust and Heidi became Pride.

Jacob offered the services of two of the La Push wolves, Paul would be Wrath and Leah would be Envy, until Leah recovered from her pregnancy and childbirth Theresa had offered the services of Micah, a shield Spirit Walker, it was a temporary measure because the tribe only had two seasoned shields and they needed both to ensure the safety of the tribe. Tanya had moved into the Horsemen's residence in Texas, she'd coordinate with Micah and Peter on missions.

Fred called Feykir and discussed bringing two werewolves into the Horsemens' Army. Feykir sent Hamr from his pack, he would be Gluttony. His gift was precognition, it was similar to Alice's power, but he could choose what information he needed and even then it was limited to flashes of images or sound bites. Fred summoned one of his wolves to join the army, Katla. She was scentless and had a gift for stealth, she was a strong fighter. Her name would be Greed. We had given each of the Sins a Volturi pendant, Theresa included a few herbal remedies in the care package sent to each Sin Soldier.

Hamr and Katla would cover Asia and the Middle East. Tanya and Micah would cover the Americas. Heidi and Alec would cover the African continent and Paul would travel to Australia and stay with the Pack in Coober Pedy. Peter would be able to contact each of them and let them know where they were needed. It was the perfect mix of species and gifts. I could only hope the species would unite as easily as the Horsemen's Army.

There were other changes too. Alice, Jane and Alistair had gone to Iceland. Alistair would be our liaison while the girls trained. Apparently, when they had arrived on the island yesterday Jane and Alice's eyes had turned from blue to silver. Their power was augmented. They had carried with them the American Rowan wood chips we had brought from Texas and more bottles of Chequer Vodka. The two Icelandic packs were thankful and promised to keep an eye on them for us.

Rose kept us in the loop about Leah and Demitri. It seemed the pregnancy was going to be very short, only one month from conception. Leah had been unable to phase, her and Demitri were scared of what complications could occur. Hulien, Charlie and Rose were their constant companions.

Felix, Zafrina, Senna, and most of the Hybrids continued their search for Joham's other children. Emmett joined the search. They had found three so far, all scattered around the South America. Rosa, Joham's eldest, stayed near Leah and the Healers, caring for the hybrid baby they found, they had named the infant Mateo. I had sent some money to Emmett, he was scouting for large houses which could accommodate the Hybrids, while being close to amenities.

Emmett had given the Hybrids a checkup, ensuring they were healthy. So far they seemed unable to get sick. Nahuel and Rosa had a few old injuries from when they tried to fight Joham. I was thankful the Hybrids were now safe from him. We would ensure they would remain safe and Hybrid births weren't forced on anyone.

The Horsemen, Jake, Theresa and the four werewolves staying in Volterra had been fully accepted by the guard, although the Horsemen never removed their masks outside our quarters, their identities would remain hidden. Marcus was keeping an eye on the bonds, but there was no negativity among the guests and our coven. A few were afraid of us because we executed those who were vocally opposed to the unity, they thought it was an overreaction. Peter had informed us that the guard would learn to trust us again.

Theresa and Brenna had started working with Marcus to grow some of the seeds of the American Rowan tree. The garden had five new saplings, they were planning to create a grove with medicinal plants and more Rowan. They were looking for a secure location. Esme had told them about using Carlisle's estate in England to create a supernatural rehabilitation center. She helped them find sites where they could create a medicinal garden and was full of new ideas to help the Spirit Walkers and Werewolves.

At that moment two lower guards walked in from their mission in England, Joshua and his mate, Penny. I walked over to them. "Welcome back, did you have a safe journey?" I asked them. They bowed, Joshua began to report. "Yes, Master, we apologize we didn't return sooner, we only heard about the attack on the castle this morning." I waved him off, "we were lucky, I'm glad you're both safe." I said. Caius caught my eye and walked over to us, "were you able to see the immortal child?" He asked, "We saw a child, Master Caius, but it had a heart beat." Joshua said. "Did it have supernatural abilities?" I asked, Penny nodded, "it moved almost as fast as a vampire." She said. "The Irish coven visited them while we kept watch outside." She added.

"The Exeter coven said the child was half human, half vampire." Joshua explained. "What about the child's mother?" I asked. "She is turning, becoming a vampire. The birth almost killed her." Penny replied. "Who is the father?" Caius asked. "The youngest coven male, Lucius, fathered the child. He is mated to its mother, Karen." Penny explained. Caius smiled at them, "we're pleased with your results. Aro, Marcus and I would like to offer you both a position in the Elite Guard." He said, I agreed, but first I had to know their thoughts on the unity, I couldn't allow someone into the high level guard if they were going to cause problems in the future.

We led them to the smaller throne room and begun to tell them about the Hybrids, Werewolves and Spirit Walkers. It was the perfect audience to practice the speech I'd prepared. "The child you watched in England isn't the only one of its kind. There are many hybrids out there. Furthermore there are others in the supernatural world. We have guests staying with us who are immortal, but not vampires. They are able to connect to the world in different ways. Whatever you've heard about the supernatural world, put it aside and think of these people are equals." They both nodded.

I continued. "There exists another two species that we know of, both have protected their communities and humans, even during the worst parts of our history. They are brave and noble species who only want a life of freedom. We started the Volturi to govern our species and protect ourselves and reduce our effect on the Human species."
"Who are these guests?" Joshua asked. He and Penny seemed interested rather than scared or disgusted. "There are those who connect with the energy of the moon, sun, earth, the animal spirits and the spirits of their ancestors. We only know them as Spirit Walkers and Witches. The other species is infamous, they transform at the full moon. They are not as they seem, they are kind creatures who helped us guard the Romanian tyrants until we could execute them. The Volturi has secretly had an alliance with their kind. They're werewolves." I finished, watching their reactions.

Joshua held his mate's hand, "will they hurt us?" He asked, "definitely not. They are innocent creatures who finally have a chance at living free from those who hunt them. They were betrayed by humans and almost hunted to extinction by vampires. With our hard work their numbers have grown, they have a chance at the living in ways our kind has taken for granted." I explained. "How can they trust us?" Penny asked, I was floored by the question, usually those we spoke to asked how we could trust them, not how they could trust us. "One of their leaders is my biological brother. Marcus, Caius and I have ensured their safety, we will continue to do so." I said. They seemed to accept everything I'd told them.

I was impressed. "Do either of you have any concerns or questions?" I asked. "What if someone attacks our guests?" Joshua asked. I smiled, "we have friends who are ready to intervene should any of our friends be hurt, they are unique and are guided by Fate. Fate wants our species to unite, it's something we're doing everything we can to achieve. You've heard of the Horsemen?" I asked, "they're the ones who stopped the American Newborn Wars." Joshua said. "Yes, they were vampires, but they've been transformed and are now part werewolf and Spirit Walker." I said. "Okay." They said. That was it, that was all they had to say on the matter. "Have you encountered any other species?" I asked, they were taking this very well. "No Master, we just assumed we weren't the only other supernatural creatures." Joshua said lightly.

I asked them to follow me as I led them to their new room. It was a surprise, the Wives had redecorated a room for the newest Elite guards. They would be between Felix's room and Chelsea and Afton's room. "This will be your now room." I said, opening the door with a flourish. I enjoyed the looks of joy on their faces. Dora joined us and handed them both new cloaks and pendants. "Felix will train you in fighting and Chelsea will help you with the laws and confidential information each of the Elite Guard needs to know." They thanked us and explored their new room. I walked back to the Throne room.

The Castle was bustling with activity as we organized for the arrival of the coven leaders. Eleazar and Amun were going to arrive soon, they would help us introduce the other species. Siobhan from the Irish Coven, Randal and his mate, Mary, Charles, Makenna, Riley the leader of the new Michigan Coven in America and another ten coven leaders were due to arrive tomorrow. There would be twenty vampire guests we'd be telling about the werewolves and spirit walkers. Kachiri from the Amazon Coven was helping me work on the speech, I was glad I was able to practice with Joshua and Penny.

Caius went to help lower guard, Claire, with her newborn mate. It had been a long time since we helped a newly turned vampire. Claire had befriended Bella, grateful for her help in turning her mate. Bella had chosen to introduce herself and was giving Claire advice and support in helping her mate, Felipe. Felipe had been angry when he awoke, Jasper had been able to calm him while we gave him a cup of Theresa's calming tea and a bottle of synthetic blood. He had listened to us and thought about what he wanted from his new life. He had forgiven Claire for turning him against his will.

It had been bad luck that the attack had occurred as Felipe arrived to observe a day in the life of the Volturi coven, it had undone the good will from Marcus and Esme's meeting with the boy the previous day. Claire and Felipe were going to stay with us until the end of his newborn year and then find a place to settle away from Italy. Esme was helping them look for locations and giving them financial advice, each vampire that left the Guard on good terms was given a stipend so they could start a new life. Many of the lower guard were surprised to hear of our generosity, we were surprised no other guards left our coven.

Bella had received good news this morning, a letter arrived from America. Emily had given birth to a healthy daughter on the same day as the bonfire in Texas and lightning strikes in Iceland and South America. I secretly wondered what time the child was born and pondered over the possible meanings of her arrival into the world. Sam and Emily had named their daughter Hailey.

Bella had called them immediately to congratulate the happy couple. We were all surprised to hear that Sam and Emily were in talks with Alistair about joining the anti-corruption committee. Sam wanted to lend his gift to a good cause, he could see intent, a very useful gift to any agency.

Emily was thinking of being turned, she wanted an immortal life with her family. Alistair had gotten her in touch with Briggita, they were telling Sam and Emily about the pros and cons of being a werewolf or vampire. Bella was hoping Emily would choose to be a werewolf, especially now that the wolves had taken control of their beasts. She would fit into the human world better as a werewolf and not have to worry about blood lust.

Theresa was talking with the Wives about recipes and remedies. I excused myself to check on the preparations. Afton was setting up two prayer rooms, each with a wash room for our Islamic guests, he was lining up a prayer mats so they faced Mecca. Picia had worked out the times for the Salat and written them down for us.

Gianna was talking with the local priest, letting him know there would be a few more attendees for the Sunday private mass. Eleazar was going to lead Jewish community prayers in the Beit Knesset, we already had the room set up for our Jewish guards. It had been created when Eleazar was part of the guard, a handful of our Elite and Lower guards used it daily, they were looking forward to having Eleazar join them again.

The coven leaders would be with us for a full week. Esme, Caius and Marcus had worked on a seminar to teach problem solving, leadership techniques and dispute resolution. Many of the younger covens seemed in dire need of guidance. This was going to be more like a corporate retreat. Dora and Picia were working on gathering the supplies needed; food for Jake, Theresa, the Wolves and the Horsemen, blood for the vampires and Horsemen, bedding, an extra laundry service, toiletries, et c.

I walked to Marcus' garden. Jake was in his wolf form, communicating with the La Push pack, and Theresa was meditating. She looked up when she saw me approach. "Are you enjoying your stay with us, Theresa?" I asked. She nodded happily, "I love this garden. Marcus told me he created it in honor of Didyme." I sat next to her on the path. "He did. She loved all life, this garden is a part of them both." I told her.

She looked in front of her, her eyes were a little unfocussed. "She's here." She whispered. I was surprised, "Didyme's spirit is here?" I asked. Theresa nodded, "she sits among the plants, watching them grow. She's at peace here."
"Is she here for Marcus?" I asked. "No, this place draws her near. There is a lot of energy here, it energizes me and Dyme. She watches Marcus from time to time, but she is happy he has moved on. It hurt her to see him grieve."
"She knows about Esme?" I asked. "Oh definitely, she adores Esme. They're both pure spirits, she sees how Esme cares and loves those Didyme misses."

I looked around the garden, searching for any sign of Didyme. There was none. "I didn't know Vampires had an afterlife." I commented idly. Theresa nodded, "all life does, but some spirits guide the living, staying grounded and watching over their loved ones."
"There must be a lot of human spirits."
"There are a few, most are animal spirits."

"Can anyone learn to see spirits?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, there needs to be a connection." I was disappointed, Theresa continued. "I believe you can Aro, you have a connection to life, you respect it and appreciate it. Few beings share your views."
"Can you show me?" I asked. "Gladly. It's a hard thing to learn, but I know you are strong enough." She said. I was excited, there were so many new things to learn.

Jacob padded over to us. "Everything okay?" I asked, he nodded his head and lay on his belly. We sat in silence, enjoying the atmosphere of the garden. I was glad Dyme liked it, Marcus had poured his soul into creating it for her. Esme had turned it from a place of grief to a place of vitality. Brenna walked out, looking a little forlorn, she missed Charlie. She smiled and sat down with us. I watched as she used her gift to strengthen the plants. "Didyme sends her thanks." Theresa said to her. Brenna smiled, "how is she doing today?" She asked Theresa. "She is happy, she loves watching you work." Theresa said. Brenna cheered up.

Chelsea came out, "Amun and Eleazar have arrived." She announced. I said good bye to Theresa, Jake and Brenna and walked to the Throne Room. "Thank you both for coming to help us." I greeted them. "We're happy to help, I understand there are a few more guests?" Amun said. I led them around the castle and introduced them.

Jacob returned to his human form, he and Theresa came and introduced themselves. Eleazar looked at them in awe. "You're incredibly gifted." He said, shaking their hands. "Your wolf spirit is huge." He said to Jacob. He grinned at Eleazar. We led them to Caius' sitting room, he and the Horsemen were already there. Amun was properly introduced to them, he was surprised by their new species. Eleazar was stunned by how their gifts had evolved.

Peter came forward, unmasked. "I'm now known as Conquest." He announced to Eleazar cheerfully. "I can see why, your gift used to be intuition based with an ability to connect with the deceased. Now I can see that you're able to see the strengths and weaknesses of those around you." He said. Peter nodded, "it came in handy a few days ago-"
"I heard Volterra was attacked, is everyone okay?" Amun asked in concern. We filled him in on what had happened. "We were lucky we were warned." Caius said. I agreed, the London coven who came to warn us would be arriving tomorrow, we would have to thank them.

Eleazar looked at the Horsemen through his gift. "I see your shield has grown, as well as the flames. Have you been able to manipulate them?" He asked Bella, "I haven't done much, I was able to send out some flares, but I haven't tried anything else." She said. "From what I can see, you should be able to enclose part of your shield around someone and have it separated, like a bubble. It also appears you have complete control over the fire." He said. That was a hell of a gift, we'd have to ensure it was kept secret.

"Your gift is absolutely terrifying to see, Charlotte." Eleazar announced. Charlotte grinned, I looked at her in confusion, "I can drain vampires of their energy and venom. The vampires I fought disintegrated like Vladimir and Stefan did." I was stunned, I looked at Jasper. "How about you?" I asked. "My empathic gift is stronger, I can disable anyone easily." He said. Eleazar agreed, "your empathy has increased, but your physical strength has also increased. I can see there is a mental gift, it's very slight but it mirrors Peter and Alice's gifts. I believe you'll be able to anticipate the moves of any opponent." The Horsemen were a force to be reckoned with. We updated them on the progress with the interspecies alliance and how the Guard had reacted to the wolves and Spirit Walkers.

Eleazar sighed "I agree you had to execute the vocal opposers, but I imagine it hasn't done you any favors with the rest of the guard." He said. I nodded, "they fear us, but we had no option, if we had delayed they would have left and started a rebellion that hunted other supernatural beings. Too much blood has been spilt because of our species." I replied. Amun nodded, "you did the right thing. The werewolves have suffered enough. Have they been able to find a remedy to control themselves during the full moon?" He asked. I grinned, "yes. We found a cure in America." I said.

Eleazar was quiet. "Is there something wrong?" I asked him, he shook his head. "I can see a difference in the wolves." He answered. He started staring at Jasper and Jacob. "what sort of difference?" I asked. "I have a theory." He turned to Marcus, "are you able to see the relationship between the werewolves and their beasts?" He asked. "I haven't looked." Marcus admitted, he excused himself to find Fred.

Eleazar continued. "I can see the binding Charlie put on you Jasper. I can also see the wolf spirit in Jacob. I can see a spiritual connection between your conscious selves and your wolves, I believe it's part of the supernatural remedy, I can see it with my gift. If Marcus can see a bond between the wolves and their beasts theoretically the Healer may be able to bind the human and wolf side in the werewolves. The remedy builds a bridge between both sides, but it is a temporary measure." He explained. An idea struck me like a bolt of lightning, "Eleazar! You brilliant man! What about Chelsea?" I yelled in excitement.

Eleazar grinned, "I forgot about her gift. That could work." Jasper looked relieved, "Chelsea's gift isn't painful, is it?" He asked. I shook my head and he continued. "The binding Charlie gave me was excruciating. If Chelsea can do it painlessly that would mean a world of difference." He explained. Pete's head shot up and he gaped at us. Bella, Charlotte and Jasper gasped. Eleazar's eyes widened. "It'll work, but we'll need Theresa's help to make it permanent." Peter announced. Jasper explained to Eleazar that they all received messages from the Ancestors, but Peter was their primary contact.

Marcus came in with Fred. I went to fetch Chelsea while Eleazar explained his idea. I caught with Chelsea in the Throne Room and asked her to follow me. We arrived at Caius's sitting room, I was shaking with excitement. We were having one success after another. This was a great streak of good luck. I remembered what Jasper and Peter had said about Fate fighting for the unity of the supernatural world. I was so grateful, so humbled. The power of Fate was working in our favor, giving us miracles and hope.

Theresa was sipping some tea, Brenna joined us and sat between Bella and Fred. "I'll do my best, Aro." Theresa said. I was feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. A whole species would be free and live happy lives. I approached Jasper and touched his hand, sending him a request to pass my gratitude to Theresa. He nodded and flooded the room with my emotions. Theresa smiled, "I'm happy to help. The Volturi have given my people resources to preserve our culture and knowledge, we appreciate all you've done." She said. Jacob nodded, "thanks to the Horsemen and Volturi the Quileutes have their own hospital, we've grown closer as a community and are healthier and stronger than we have ever been." I nodded and sat down.

Brenna and Fred watched as Eleazar, Marcus, Chelsea and Theresa spoke about the permanent binding. Chelsea began, she was concentrating on the Horsemen, Fred and Brenna. They didn't look any different. Chelsea nodded her head and Theresa stood and approached Brenna and Fred, the Horsemen moved to stand near them. Jake rifled through a bag of remedies and pulled out a Ziploc bag of leaves and small terracotta plate. "Are there any smoke detectors in the castle?" He asked. I shook my head, he lay the plate on the floor and piled in the leaves.

Bella stood in the middle of the room, Jasper sent a beam of calm. Eleazar watched and said, "that's in Bella. Try to bring out a small amount of the warmth." He encouraged her. Small flames licked over her palm. She knelt and set fire to the leaves and extinguished her flames. The room filled with smoke. Bella, Jasper, Charlotte and Peter lightly touched Theresa's shoulders. In the smoke I could see the outline of many people, I realized it was the Ancestors. Theresa began to glow, channeling the strength of the Horsemen. She asked Fred and Brenna to touch her hands. The glow brightened, lighting a path through the wolves and Horsemen. Eleazar watched in awe.

Fred, Brenna and the Horsemen winced, the glow retreated back to Theresa. Peter helped her back to her seat and poured another cup of tea. "I'm okay, I just need a nap." She said, smiling. Jacob approached the Horsemen, Fred and Brenna. "I can see that your energy resembles my own." He said. He turned to me and asked "is there a safe room for the werewolves?" I nodded and led them to the Rowan room. It was a large hall, strengthened with vampire ash and lined with European Rowan wood. Jacob started to undress, he wasn't a shy lad. Amun and Eleazar watched in interest. Theresa smiled at him as he stood naked in the front of the room. We watched from the door way.

"I'm going to try something with you." He said. Brenna and Fred looked worried. The Horsemen looked on in interest. "Close your eyes and try to remember how you felt in Texas when you transformed. Think of the change in your senses and how it felt to transform." They closed their eyes and concentrated. I hear the sound of bones cracking and changing. Fred's skin darkened, Brenna's concentration broke as she watched her Pack Master. The Horsemen were struggling, sweat began to form on their brows.

I looked back to Fred, his shirt began to tear in parts, his muscles were bulking up. He was slowly transforming. His mouth and nose began to protrude, he opened his mouth as his teeth grew. Brenna was watching the transformation in shock. Fred's nails grew into claws and he stilled. He looked at his body in surprise. "Are you okay, brother?" I asked, he turned to me and nodded. Eleazar and Amun were watching in shock. They had never seen a werewolf during the transformation.

Brenna turned to the front of the room where Jake was still standing naked. He smiled at her. "It's okay, it can take a while to get used to it. Fred's a Pack Master so he has greater control, I have the blood of an alpha so my change is quick and easy. I'll try to phase slowly so you can see." He said. The Horsemen opened their eyes to watch. Their eyes had changed; their pupils enlarged and their eyes glowed green. They'd had a little success. "The Horsemen didn't fully transform, it could be harder for them to tap into their beast." I said. Fred nodded in agreement.

I walked over to him, "can you show me what it feels like?" I asked him, he nodded and held his hand out, I touched his palm and saw how his thoughts differed in wolf form. "How about I show the Horsemen, if you concentrate on your emotions, Jasper may be able to send them to the others. Fred nodded again and followed me to the Horsemen. They touched my hand as I passed on Fred's memories. Jasper released a cocktail of emotions, it was similar to the emotions I felt when I hunted animals in Siberia. I told them my observation. Their bones began to reshape themselves. They were transforming.

Fred and I turned back to Brenna and Jacob. Jacob was breathing slowly, fur burst out of his skin and his body morphed quickly into his wolf form. Brenna closed her eyes and concentrated, she slowly began to transform.

We watched in fascination as the werewolves and Jacob jogged around the room. Jacob stopped at the front of the room and stood on his hind legs, his head brushed the ceiling. His body returned to human form. He smiled at the group, "let's try turning human." He said. The group closed their eyes, Jacob described human actions; brushing hair, cooking, dressing, greeting friendly vampires. We chuckled. Their forms began to change, Theresa clapped and laughed. "Brilliant work Jake." She cheered. Brenna and Fred looked at their human hands in surprise and cheered.

"I'd say that was a resounding success." I announced. Eleazar and Amun applauded. Theresa retired for the evening. Brenna walked out to the garden, Jacob and I followed at a distance to give her some privacy. I heard her talking to herself. I soon realized she was talking to Didyme and smiled. Jake watched Brenna and smiled. "Did you see the Ancestors?" He asked me. I nodded and grinned, "it was an amazing sight." I replied. He held the terracotta plate and a bag of leaves. "I can get Death and see if she'll help us find Didyme if you'd like." He offered. "Absolutely!"

He ran to get Bella while I brought the plate and leaves outside. Brenna smiled as I sat next to her. "Jacob has offered to help us see Didyme." I told her, she smiled "I'd love to meet her, Aro."
"Do you talk to her often?" I asked. She nodded and said; "Every day I'm here, I can't see her or feel her, but I feel the plants, they know they have a guardian." She said.

Bella came out with the mask and cloak back on. "That was amazing!" She squealed. She sat down on the other side of Brenna and put an arm around her werewolf mother. They'd become close since she was bitten with Brenna's venom. I wished Charlie was here to see it. I wondered how Leah was going. Esme had told me she sent two dozen bottles of synthetic blood to South America for her, she needed to drink blood to remain strong. I watched as Jacob prepared the plate and Bella carefully ignited the fire on her hand, she smiled at her success.

Smoke surrounded us. I caught sight of a movement to the left of me and gasped. "Dyme, I can't believe you're here." I said, she smiled and walked over. "Hello Eir, I'm pleased you've regained your strength." She said. She looked so real, so vital. She moved to Brenna, "it's wonderful to meet you." She said, "I enjoy hearing about your day." She said. Brenna blushed. We heard a couple of gasps behind us, Marcus and Esme were staring in shock. Dyme smiled at them, "come." She beckoned, they walked forward in a daze. Dyme looked at Esme, "thank you for healing Thengmarr. You both deserve happiness." She said. The smoke began to clear, Dyme's spirit dimmed. "It appears we don't have much time so I'll say good bye, thank you for tending the garden. You've given this place energy and life." Her voice became a whisper as she drifted away.