Something Darker (Book Three)

LII. The Twins

The fires burned brightly in the dark, inky night.

I stood near the largest of the three, staring into the flames as I lost myself in thought. I was dressed respectfully in my coven uniform, identical to the one presented Jane presented to me five years ago, but in black instead of white, and I took a moment to remember the deceased.

I was mourning.

I mourned everyone who had withered away as I blossomed.

Mom and Dad. Tommy.

Carlisle and Esme.

Afton and Chelsea.

Jasper and Alice.

Emmett and Rosalie.

The guard members who fell in battle.

Aro and Caius.

Renesmee.

Liam.

Amanda and the rest of the Williams family.

The man on the motorcycle.

Edward.

Bella.

Jacob.

So much had happened as of late; my quite, mundane life had been turned upside down. And, as the handful of guard members cleared out of the woods, I stayed behind to continue to steep in the silence.

"Isn't it about time you came home?" a familiar voice drifted toward me from behind. Footsteps crunched lightly in the snow.

"You have a lot of nerve, showing your face around here," I said stoically, keeping my eyes trained on the fire.

"And why is that?" Jane asked as she stopped to stand next to me. I could hear poorly veiled amusement in her voice.

"Everything has crumbled because of you. You ignited a massacre and then ran. This," I said, gesturing toward the roaring bonfire before us, "is all because of your actions."

"I'm not the only one at fault," she said lightly, brushing off my accusations with ease.

I didn't pursue an debate on the matter. It was exactly what I expected from her.

We stood in silence for a long time.

"I suppose you can I can remain on good terms after all," Jane said, breaking the silence. "Considering everything that has happened."

She didn't need to elaborate. I knew what she meant.

"Your brother still won't acknowledge me."

"You broke his heart."

We lapsed back into silence.

"He'll get over it," she said.