4 breaking dawn破晓-第93部分

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my　forehead　crease　as　I　pulled　the　elastic　armor　very　carefully　closer。　Carlisle　was　the　farthest　forward；　I　
sucked　the　shield　back　inch　by　inch；　trying　to　wrap　it　as　exactly　to　his　body　as　I　could。　

My　shield　seemed　to　want　to　cooperate。　It　hugged　his　shape；　when　Carlisle　shifted　to　the　side　to　stand　
nearer　to　Tanya；　the　elastic　stretched　with　him；　drawn　to　his　spark。　

Fascinated；　I　tugged　in　more　threads　of　the　fabric；　pulling　it　around　each　glimmering　shape　that　was　a　
friend　or　ally。　The　shield　clung　to　them　willingly；　moving　as　they　moved。　

Only　a　second　had　passed；　Caius　was　still　deliberating。　

〃The　werewolves；〃　he　murmured　at　last。　

With　sudden　panic；　1　realized　that　most　of　the　werewolves　were　unprotected。　I　was　about　to　reach　out　
to　them　when　I　realize　that；　strangely；　I　could　still　feel　their　sparks。　Curious；　I　drew　the　shield　tighter　in；　
until　Amun　and　Kebi—the　farthest　edge　of　our　group—were　outside　with　the　wolves。　Once　they　were　on　
the　other　side；　their　lights　vanished。　They　no　longer　existed　to　that　new　sense。　But　the　wolves　were　still　
bright　flames—or　rather；　half　of　them　were。　Hmm。。。　I　edged　outward　again；　and　as　soon　as　Sam　was　
under　cover；　all　the　wolves　were　brilliant　sparks　again。　

Their　minds　must　have　been　more　interconnected　than　I'd　imagined。　If　the　Alpha　was　inside　my　shield；　
the　rest　of　their　minds　were　every　bit　as　protected　as　his。　

〃Ah；　brother。。。；〃　Aro　answered　Caius's　statement　with　a　pained　look。　

〃Will　you　defend　that　alliance；　too；　Aro？〃　Caius　demanded。　〃The　Children　of　the　Moon　have　been　our　
bitter　enemies　from　the　dawn　of　time。　We　have　hunted　them　to　near　extinction　in　Europe　and　Asia。　Yet　
Carlisle　encourages　a　familiar　relationship　with　this　enormous　infestation—no　doubt　in　an　attempt　to　



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overthrow　us。　The　better　to　protect　his　warped　lifestyle。〃　

Edward　cleared　his　throat　loudly　and　Caius　glared　at　him。　Aro　placed　one　thin；　delicate　hand　over　his　
own　face　as　if　he　was　embarrassed　for　the　other　ancient。　

〃Caius；　it's　the　middle　of　the　day；〃　Edward　pointed　out。　He　gestured　to　Jacob。　〃These　are　not　Children　
of　the　Moon；　clearly。　They　bear　no　relation　to　your　enemies　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。〃　

〃You　breed　mutants　here；〃　Caius　spit　back　at　him。　

Edward's　jaw　clenched　and　unclenched；　then　he　answered　evenly；　〃They　aren't　even　werewolves。　Aro　
can　tell　you　all　about　it　if　you　don't　believe　me。〃　

Not　werewolves？　I　shot　a　mystified　look　at　Jacob。　He　lifted　his　huge　shoulders　and　let　them　drop—a　
shrug。　He　didn't　know　what　Edward　was　talking　about；　either。　

〃Dear　Caius；　I　would　have　warned　you　not　to　press　this　point　if　you　had　told　me　your　thoughts；〃　Aro　
murmured。　〃Though　the　creatures　think　of　themselves　as　werewolves；　they　are　not。　The　more　accurate　
name　for　them　would　be　shapeshifters。　The　choice　of　a　wolf　form　was　purely　chance。　It　could　have　been　
a　bear　or　a　hawk　or　a　panther　when　the　first　change　was　made。　These　creatures　truly　have　nothing　to　do　
with　the　Children　of　the　Moon。　They　have　merely　inherited　this　skill　from　their　fathers。　It's　geic—they　
do　not　continue　their　species　by　infecting　others　the　way　true　werewolves　do。〃　

Caius　glared　at　Aro　with　irritation　and　something　more—an　accusation　of　betrayal；　maybe。　

〃They　know　our　secret；〃　he　said　flatly。　

Edward　looked　about　to　answer　this　accusation；　but　Aro　spoke　faster。　〃They　are　creatures　of　our　
supernatural　world；　brother。　Perhaps　even　more　dependent　upon　secrecy　than　we　are；　they　can　hardly　
expose　us。　Carefully；　Caius。　Specious　allegations　get　us　nowhere。〃　

Caius　took　a　deep　breath　and　nodded。　They　exchanged　a　long；　significant　glance。　

I　thought　I　understood　the　instruction　behind　Aro's　careful　wording。　False　charges　weren't　helping　
convince　the　watching　witnesses　on　either　side；　Aro　was　cautioning　Caius　to　move　on　to　the　next　
strategy。　I　wondered　if　the　reason　behind　the　apparent　strain　between　the　two　ancients—Caius's　
unwillingness　to　share　his　thoughts　with　a　touch—was　that　Caius　didn't　care　about　the　show　as　much　as　
Aro　did。　If　the　ing　slaughter　was　so　much　more　essential　to　Caius　than　an　untarnished　reputation。　

〃I　want　to　talk　to　the　informant；〃　Caius　announced　abruptly；　and　turned　his　glare　on　Irina。　

Irina　wasn't　paying　attention　to　Caius　and　Aro's　conversation；　her　face　was　twisted　in　agony；　her　eyes　
locked　on　her　sisters；　lined　up　to　die。　It　was　clear　on　her　face　that　she　knew　now　her　accusation　had　
been　totally　false。　

〃Irina；〃　Caius　barked；　unhappy　to　have　to　address　her。　

She　looked　up；　startled　and　instantly　afraid。　

Caius　snapped　his　fingers。　




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Hesitantly；　she　moved　from　the　fringes　of　the　Volturi　formation　to　stand　in　front　of　Caius　again。　

〃So　you　appear　to　have　been　quite　mistaken　in　your　allegations；〃　Caius　began。　

Tanya　and　Kate　leaned　forward　anxiously。　

〃I'm　sorry；〃　Irina　whispered。　〃I　should　have　made　sure　of　what　I　was　seeing。　But　I　had　no　idea___〃　She　
gestured　

helplessly　in　our　direction。　

〃Dear　Caius；　could　you　expect　her　to　have　guessed　in　an　instant　something　so　strange　and　impossible？〃　
Aro　asked。　〃Any　of　us　would　have　made　the　same　assumption。〃　

Caius　flicked　his　fingers　at　Aro　to　silence　him。　

〃We　all　know　you　made　a　mistake；〃　he　said　brusquely。　〃I　meant　to　speak　of　your　motivations。〃　

Irina　waited　nervously　for　him　to　continue；　and　then　repeated；　〃My　motivations？〃　

〃Yes；　for　ing　to　spy　on　them　in　the　first　place。〃　

Irina　flinched　at　the　word　spy。　

〃You　were　unhappy　with　the　Cullens；　were　you　not？〃　

She　turned　her　miserable　eyes　to　Carlisle's　face。　〃I　was；〃　she　admitted。　

〃Because。。。　？〃　Caius　prompted。　

〃Because　the　werewolves　killed　my　friend；〃　she　whispered。　〃And　the　Cullens　wouldn't　stand　aside　to　let　
me　avenge　him。〃　

〃The　shapeshifters；〃　Aro　corrected　quietly。　

〃So　the　Cullens　sided　with　the　shapeshifters　against　our　own　kind—against　the　friend　of　a　friend；　
even；〃　Caius　summarized。　

I　heard　Edward　make　a　disgusted　sound　under　his　breath。　Caius　was　ticking　down　his　list；　looking　for　an　
accusation　that　would　stick。　

Irina's　shoulders　stiffened。　〃That's　how　I　saw　it。〃　

Caius　waited　again　and　then　prompted；　〃If　you'd　like　to　make　a　formal　plaint　against　the　
shapeshifters—and　the　Cullens　for　supporting　their　actions—now　would　be　the　time。〃　He　smiled　a　tiny　
cruel　smile；　waiting　for　Irina　to　give　him　his　next　excuse。　

Maybe　Caius　didn't　understand　real　families—relationships　based　on　love　rather　than　just　the　love　of　
power。　Maybe　he　overestimated　the　potency　of　vengeance。　

Irina's　jaw　jerked　up；　her　shoulders　squared。　



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〃No；　I　have　no　plaint　against　the　wolves；　or　the　Cullens。　You　came　here　today　to　destroy　an　
immortal　child。　No　immortal　child　exists。　This　was　my　mistake；　and　I　take　full　responsibility　for　it。　But　the　
Cullens　are　innocent；　and　you　have　no　reason　to　still　be　here。　I'm　so　sorry；〃　she　said　to　us；　and　then　she　
turned　her　face　toward　the　Volturi　witnesses。　〃There　was　no　crime。　There's　no　valid　reason　for　you　to　
continue　here。〃　

Caius　raised　his　hand　as　she　spoke；　and　in　it　was　a　strange　metal　object；　carved　and　ornate。　

This　was　a　signal。　The　response　was　so　fast　that　we　all　stared　in　stunned　disbelief　while　it　happened。　
Before　there　was　time　to　react；　it　was　over。　

Three　of　the　Volturi　soldiers　leaped　forward；　and　Irina　was　pletely　obscured　by　their　gray　cloaks。　In　
the　same　instant；　a　horrible　metallic　screeching　ripped　through　the　clearing。　Caius　slithered　into　the　center　
of　the　gray　melee；　and　the　shocking　squealing　sound　exploded　into　a　startling　upward　shower　of　sparks　
and　tongues　of　flame。　The　soldiers　leaped　back　from　the　sudden　inferno；　immediately　retaking　their　
places　in　the　guard's　perfectly　straight　line。　

Caius　stood　alone　beside　the　blazing　remains　of　Irina；　the　metal　object　in　his　hand　still　throwing　a　thick　
jet　of　flame　into　the　pyre。　

With　a　small　clicking　sound；　the　fire　shooting　from　Caius's　hand　disappeared。　A　gasp　rippled　through　the　
mass　of　witnesses　behind　the　Volturi。　

We　were　too　aghast　to　make　any　noise　at　all。　It　was　one　thing　to　know　that　death　was　ing　with　
fierce；　unstoppable　speed；　it　was　another　thing　to　watch　it　happen。　

Caius　smiled　coldly。　〃Now　she　has　taken　full　responsibility　for　her　actions。〃　

His　eyes　flashed　to　our　front　line；　touching　swiftly　on　Tanya's　and　Kate's　frozen　forms。　

In　that　second　I　understood　that　Caius　had　never　underestimated　the　ties　of　a　true　family。　This　was　the　
ploy。　He　had　not　wanted　Irina's　plaint；　he　had　wanted　her　defiance。　His　excuse　to　destroy　her；　to　
ignite　the　violence　that　filled　the　air　like　a　thick；　bustible　mist。　He　had　thrown　a　match。　

The　strained　peace　of　this　summit　already　teetered　more　precariously　than　an　elephant　on　a　tightrope。　
Once　the　fight　began；　there　would　be　no　way　to　stop　it。　It　would　only　escalate　until　one　side　was　entirely　
extinct。　Our　side。　Caius　knew　this。　

So　did　Edward。　

〃Stop　them！〃　Edward　cried　out；　jumping　to　grab　Tanya's　arm　as　she　lurched　forward　toward　the　smiling　
Caius　with　a　maddened　cry　of　pure　rage。　She　couldn't　shake　Edward　off　before　Carlisle　had　his　arms　
locked　around　her　waist。　

〃It's　too　late　to　help　her；〃　he　reasoned　urgently　as　she　struggled。　〃Don't　give　him　what　he　wants！〃　

Kate　was　harder　to　contain。　Shrieking　wordlessly　like　Tanya；　she　broke　into　the　first　stride　of　the　attack　
that　would　end　with　everyone's　death。　Rosalie　was　closest　to　her；　but　before　Rose　could　clinch　her　in　a　
headlock；　Kate　shocked　her　so　violently　that　Rose　crumpled　to　the　ground。　Emmett　caught　Kate's　arm　
and　threw　her　down；　then　staggered　back；　his　knees　giving　out。　Kate　rolled　to　her　feet；　and　it　looked　like　



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no　one　could　stop　her。　

Garrett　flung　himself　at　her；　knocking　her　to　the　ground　again。　He　bound　his　arms　around　hers；　locking　
his　hands　around　his　own　wrists。　I　saw　his　body　spasm　as　she　shocked　him。　His　eyes　rolled　back　in　his　
head；　but　his　hold　did　not　break。　

〃Zafrina；〃　Edward　shouted。　

Kate's　eyes　went　blank　and　her　screams　turned　to　moans。　Tanya　stopped　struggling。　

〃Give　me　my　sight　back；〃　Tanya　hissed。　

Desperately；　but　with　all　the　delicacy　I　could　manage；　I　pulled　my　shield　even　tighter　against　the　sparks　
of　my　friends；　peeling　it　back　carefully　from　Kate　while　trying　to　keep　it　around　Garrett；　making　it　a　thin　
skin　between　them。　

And　then　Garrett　was　in　mand　of　himself　again；　holding　Kate　to　the　snow。　

〃If　I　let　you　up；　will　you　knock　me　down　again；　Katie？〃　he　whispered。　

She　snarled　in　response；　still　thrashing　blindly。　

〃Listen　to　me；　Tanya；　Kate；〃　Carlisle　said　in　a　low　but　intense　whisper。　〃Vengeance　doesn't　help　her　
now。　Irina　wouldn't　want　you　to　waste　your　lives　this　way。　Think　about　what　you're　doing。　If　you　attack　
them；　we　all　die。〃　

Tanya's　shoulders　hunched　with　grief；　and　sh