Absolución teaser from chapter 17

Carlisle fell to the floor beside his wife, grunting in pain as a split second before the sound wave pulsed through the air. Spiderweb cracks formed across Carlisle's hands again with the impact as the sound waves literally destabilized the molecules of his body. Fear for Esme's life ripped through Carlisle. What had made her jump out of the scant safety? He ignored the pain and pulled Esme to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders to shelter her with his body. Why had she put herself in danger like that?

But even as the terrorized question burned through Carlisle's mind, he realized he knew the answer. Esme was a mother in her deepest soul. She was caring, nurturing and selfless to a fault when it came to protecting anyone she felt maternal towards. She had been a grieving mother the day she died and Carlisle had frozen that grief in her for eternity.

She was trapped in that grief ... Esme had found a way to redirect her anguish by substituting her lost son with an entirely new family.