EDWARD

  Edaced bad forth in the living room, his frustration palpable. In front of him, Carlisle and Jasper sat on the couch, watg him with varying degrees of i. Carlisle held the knife in his hands, iing it carefully, while Jasper appeared amused, a small smirk pying on his lips as he watched his brother unravel.

  "Are you seriously sidering following that thing’s pn?" Edward surning sharply to Carlisle. Anger bzed in his golden eyes, his jaw ched tightly.

  "Yes, I am," Carlisle replied calmly, his voice steady and measured. "First of all, we don’t have any other pn. Sedly, it gave us a on—" he gestured to the knife in his hand "—a on that kill anything, even vampires."

  "But it’s a demon!" Edward interrupted, his voice rising. "They ’t be trusted."

  Carlisle met Edward’s gre without fling. "That’s a risk I’m willing to take."

  Edward exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair before turning to Jasper. "And you? Are you going along with this madness?"

  Jasper leaned back, his expression unreadable but tinged with indifference. "I agree with Carlisle," he said smoothly. "And think about it—if this works, I could aplish so much. Being king, with Isabel by my side? The possibilities are endless. you even imagine what we could do together?"

  Edward stared at Jasper as though he’d grown a sed head. "Isabel?" he echoed incredulously. "Jasper, that demon is Rosalie’s mate. Not to mention that said demon burn you to ashes before Rosalie eveo you!"

  Jasper’s expression darkened, his lips curling into a sneer. "I’m not afraid of Rosalie," he said coldly. "If it es to it, I’ll kill her without hesitation and cim Isabel as her mate. She will see me as the stro—"

  "But you’re not her mate at all!" Edward growled, his frustration bubbling over.

  Jasper just looked at Edward.

  "What’s yrand pn for killing the demon, anyway?" Edward asked Carlisle.

  "We’ll use Rosalie as bait, of course," Carlisle answered, his voice calm but firm.

  Edward ughed bitterly. "Use Rosalie as bait? Have you fotten that she’s hated you sihe moment she woke up as a vampire? The only one she truly trusts is that big oaf, Emmett. She tolerates Esme and Alice at best, but Emmett is the only one she listens to."

  "Then we’ll use Emmett," Jasper suggested casually, his tone almost dismissive.

  Edward scoffed. "You two have pletely lost your minds. You don’t even have a good pn, and I’m not about to get myself killed because of your idiocy." He stormed out of the room, smming the door behind him.

  "Idiot," Jasper muttered, shaking his head.

  Carlisle sighed, rubbing his temples. "That idiot has a point, though," he admitted. "What makes you so sure you trol Isabel?"

  Jasper smirked fidently. "With my gift, of course."

  Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "And why didn’t you use that gift when she burned you?"

  Embarrassment flickered across Jasper’s face. He lifted his arm to silence Carlisle’s questioning. "I was in too much pain to trate," he muttered. "But it won’t happen again. I’ll make sure she falls in love with me. Once she does, nothing will stop us."

  Carlisle wasirely vinced, but he decided to go along with Jasper’s pn for the time being.

  Meanwhile, Edward ran through the darkened forest, with ination in mind. His thoughts ed with anger and despair. His family, the Cullens, were falling apart before his eyes. He couldn’t deny his hatred for Rosalie, but for the rest of them, he cared for them. He loved being part of a family.

  Rosalie had rui all. That bitch.

  Edward ched his fists as he ran, his mind rag. Even if he killed Rosalie, the Cullen family wouldn’t be the same. Esme would never go back to Carlisle, no matter how much Edward wished it. Alid Emmett had already mentally checked out; he’d seen it ihoughts. They were using Rosalie as an opportunity to leave.

  Carlisle’s pn wouldn’t fix anything. And being king? Edward scoffed at the thought. The queens were ruthless, their power unmatched. A khat could kill anything might be real, but getting close enough to use it on the queens? That was another matter entirely.

  Edward suddenly stopped in his tracks. An idea formed in his mind, one so bold and dangerous it almost made him smile. There was someone he could turn to—a man whose mate had the power to elude danger and manipute fate. If Edward could persuade them to help, their abilities could get close enough to the queens to kill them.

  Carlisle would be a perfect distra.

  Yes, Edward thought, his eyes glinting with newfouermination. If he pyed his cards right, the throne would be his. And he wouldn’t share it with anyone.

  "Fuck Carlisle and the others," he muttered under his breath. He’d ruly liked any of them anyway—well, maybe Esme. She was the only one he’d spare. If anyone harmed her, they’d be the monster, not him.

  Edward began to run again, his steps sure and purposeful. He kly where to find James and his .