Endlessly ▸ Jasper Hale [4]

XIX

NINETEEN; INTO THE UNKNOWN

"Okay, peanut, remember that you have to stay with Uncle Jake when we say, okay?" Jasper said, kneeling in front of his daughter and she held Cassadee's hand as tight as she could.

"I know, Daddy."

The Cullen family and their witnesses walked into the open snow-covered field, the werewolves by their side at a safe distance aside from Jacob, Sam and Paul.

Edward, Bella, Renesmee and Jacob were front and center with Cassadee, Jasper, Eden, and Paul right next to them. Sam was next to Paul but made sure to stay in front of the wolves. Eden stood between her parents, being more scared than she'd ever been in her short life. She looked at her cousin, who only gave the blonde an unsure smile in return.

"Mama, what are you feeling right now?"

Cassadee squeezed her daughters hand. "Uncertainty more than anything, Eden." She confessed, choosing not to lie to the girl.

Garrett stood next to Kate. "If we live through this, I'll follow you anywhere, woman."

Kate almost rolled her eyes. "Now you tell me."

Garrett's anxiety was clear on his face. "The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"

Eden tightened her grip on her parent's hands, almost trying to hide behind Jasper, but she was also too curious as to what was going on. She was scared, but she wasn't that scared. She knew that everyone around her, aside from Vladimir and Stefan, would do whatever they could to protect her.

As the Volturi and their army come into the clearing, it is obvious that they easily double what the Cullens and their witnesses had. The only comfort that Cassadee had in the moment was that she didn't have any bad feelings yet. The situation really could go either way, which was more comforting than it going completely south.

"Aro," Carlisle greeted the leader of the Volturi as he stepped forward. "Let us discuss things as we used to. In a civilized manner."

"Fair words, Carlisle. But a little out of place, given the battalion you've assembled against us."

"I can promise you, that was never my intent. No laws have been broken."

Caius was angered by that statement. "We see the children. Do not treat us as fools."

"They are not Immortals!" Carlisle told the Volturi. "These witnesses can attest to that. Or you can look. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."

"Artifice!"

Aro held up his hand to stop Caius. "I will collect every facet of the truth. But from someone more central to the story. Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved. Jasper, I would like to see you as well."

Jasper looked at his wife and daughter before walking with Edward to Aro. Eden looked up at Cassadee, who give her a reassuring smile and ran her fingers through the blonde curls.

Cassadee noticed that Bella was concentrating harder than she'd ever seen before. It was much easier for Cassadee to project her shield, but she also had more practice getting a handle on using other abilities. If someone on the guard were to use theirs, Cassadee might have to drop the shield to fight back. Especially if it was Jane or Alec, Cassadee almost wanted them to do something so that she could hurt them.

Aro took Edward's hand and saw his memories, looking at Renesmee when he was finished. Aro then did the same with Jasper, only he glared as Cassadee when he was finished.