The Girl Who Was Taken (Renesme Cullens Twin Sister)

Forty-Seven

There was nothing he could do. I gave him the command, he nodded, and then he collapsed. He just fell down and laid on the floor. I watched warily, although I knew it worked. I knew he couldn't break this command. He was as good as dead. His mind had given up.

Brain dead is the term they would use in a hospital.

"Stormy?" Demetri asked, standing behind Aro's fallen body.

There was a lull in the room. A seven-minute lull. It was very loud compared to the noise just a moment ago. A silence that replaced the cries and whimpers and growls. Even Renesme had come up for air from the body she was drinking when a wolf stood over her, nudging her away. She looked around dazed, completely unaware as half the vampires had died and half the werewolves were dying with their spines broken or throats ripped out.

But when I had spoken that word, "Die," the room had quieted down, and everyone had heard me. Then they heard Aro's body hit the floor. And I think that's what did it. That's what ended the battle in seven short minutes and called the war to a close before anyone knew there even was a war.

"Bravo!" Stefan said, clapping his hands.

Vladimir turned on his heel and rushed behind the thrones, too fast for anyone else to react to him. Then he dragged the woman who had been hiding behind it, a fistful of her hair. Chelsea screamed, she pleaded, "Please. Spare me. I can be of use to you."

"Take hold of her shoulders for me," Vladimir told Stefan. He did willingly, and then Vladimir ripped Chelsea's hair so hard that he tore a chunk of it out. She yelped in pain. He stared down at his hand. "Oh my," he muttered. It was almost too quiet to hear over Chelsea's pleading. Then he looked out at the crowd, who was frozen in fear, or breathing hard from battle, and he brushed his fingers together, wiping off the clump of hair. As it swirled through the air, before it touched the ground, he took hold of her head again, and this time when he pulled, her whole head came clean off.

Her crying stopped. He held her head by her ear, and her gaze looked out toward the crowd, dead . Her red lips parted, jaw hanging limp.

Her death wasn't simply a political execution. It shook the whole room. It shook me even further. I always knew there was something slimy about Chelsea, but I could never figure out what it was. The way she looked at me with a slight repulsion. I always just assumed it was because she didn't like children, or she was afraid of me like most of the guard was. I thought that maybe it was annoyance that I had most of Demetri's attention, or because I was never willing to learn during my lessons. But I think it was because I always felt a tug toward her, and I never trusted my own gut, so I had always pulled away.

No one ever pulled away from her unless she let them.

And now, with her dead, I didn't feel any obligation to the Volturi, and neither did any vampire in the hall, and around the castle, and around the world. All the pledges suddenly felt empty, and I could see their eyes grow dark as they lost their allegiance. It was the sound of a soft murmur in the crowd. But more immediately, I saw it in Demetri. He hadn't tried to stop them from ripping Chelsea's head off, despite it being his duty to protect her, he just stood there. He only watched. And I could see him questioning his entire existence as Vladimir showed off the beheaded woman.

He swung the head around, "There you have it," Vladimir said. "The keystone of their puzzle. Once you take the keystone, the archway falls apart. And what a golden secret they kept her, for centuries, we could not figure it out. Why? Why would all of you feel so deeply for this Monarchy that does nothing but beat you down and make you hide in the dark and threatens to kill you when you step out of line. And they do. They have. The Volturi, to which you have all pledged fealty, have picked you off when you have shown threat. They have kept you scared and weak compared to its own guard. And its own guard, well, what have you to show for your commitment to this kingdom? Have you your riches, or glory, or happiness?"