nature to shoulder the blame for
everything; but you really can't
let that make you go to such extremes! It's very irresponsible—think of Esme
and Carlisle and—〃
I was on the edge of losing it。 I stopped to take a deep breath; hoping to
calm myself。 I had to set him
free。 I had to make sure this never happened again。
〃Isabella Marie Swan;〃 he whispered; the strangest expression crossing his
face。 He almost looked mad。
〃Do you believe that I asked the Volturi to kill me because I felt guilty?〃
I could feel the blank inprehension on my face。 〃Didn't you?〃
〃Feel guilty? Intensely so。 More than you can prehend。〃
〃Then what are you saying? I don't understand。〃
〃Bella; I went to the Volturi because I thought you were dead;〃 he said; voice
soft; eyes fierce。 〃Even if
I'd had no hand in your death〃—he shuddered as he whispered the last
word—〃even if it wasn't my
fault; I would have gone to Italy。 Obviously; I should have been more careful
—I should have spoken to
Alice directly; rather than accepting it secondhand from Rosalie。 But; really;
what was I supposed to
think when the boy said Charlie was at the funeral? What are the odds?
〃The odds〃 he muttered then; distracted。 His voice was so low I wasn't sure
I beard it right。 〃The odds
are always stacked against us。 Mistake after mistake。 I'll never criticize
Romeo again。〃
〃But I still don't understand;〃 I said。 〃That's my whole point。 So what?〃
〃Excuse me?〃
〃So what if I was dead?〃
He stared at me dubiously for a long moment before answering。 〃Don't you
remember anything I told you
before?〃
〃I remember every