《4 breaking dawn破晓》第169章

and　the　kind　with　a　purpose　behind　it。　It　could　never　work；　Aro。〃　
Jacob"s　vast　head　turned　in　Edward"s　direction；　and　a　faint　whine　slipped　from　between　his　teeth。　
〃He"s　intrigued　with　the　idea　of。。。　guard　dogs；〃　Edward　murmured　back。　
There　was　one　second　of　dead　silence；　and　then　the　sound　of　the　furious　snarls　ripping　from　the　entire　
pack　filled　the　giant　clearing。　
There　was　a　sharp　bark　of　mand—from　Sam；　I　guessed；　though　I　didn"t　turn　to　look—and　the　
plaint　broke　off　into　ominous　quiet。　
〃I　suppose　that　answers　that　question；〃　Aro　said；　laughing　again。　〃This　lot　has　picked　its　side。〃　
Edward　hissed　and　leaned　forward。　I　clutched　at　his　arm；　wondering　what　could　be　in　Aro"s　thoughts　
that　would　make　him　react　so　violently；　while　Felix　and　Demetri　slipped　into　crouches　in　synchronization。　
Aro　waved　them　off　again。　They　all　returned　to　their　former　posture；　Edward　included。　
〃So　much　to　discuss；〃　Aro　said；　his　tone　suddenly　that　of　an　inundated　businessman。　〃So　much　to　
decide。　If　you　and　your　furry　protector　will　excuse　me；　my　dear　Cullens；　I　must　confer　with　my　brothers。〃　
37。　CONTRIVANCES　
Aro　did　not　rejoin　his　anxious　guard　waiting　on　the　north　side　of　the　clearing；　instead；　he　waved　them　
forward。　
Edward　started　backing　up　immediately；　pulling　my　arm　and　Emmett"s。　We　hurried　backward；　keeping　
our　eyes　on　the　advancing　threat。　Jacob　retreated　slowest；　the　fur　on　his　shoulders　standing　straight　up　as　
he　bared　his　fangs　at　Aro。　Renesmee　grabbed　the　end　of　his　tail　as　we　retreated；　she　held　it　like　a　leash；　
forcing　him　to　stay　with　us。　We　reached　our　family　at　the　same　time　that　the　dark　cloaks　surrounded　Aro　
again。　
Now　there　were　only　fifty　yards　between　them　and　us—a　distance　any　of　us　could　leap　in　just　a　fraction　
of　a　second。　
Caius　began　arguing　with　Aro　at　once。　
〃How　can　you　abide　this　infamy？　Why　do　we　stand　here　impotently　in　the　face　of　such　an　outrageous　
crime；　covered　by　such　a　ridiculous　deception？〃　He　held　his　arms　rigidly　at　his　sides；　his　hands　curled　into　
claws。　I　wondered　why　he　did　not　just　touch　Aro　to　share　his　opinion。　Were　we　seeing　a　division　in　their　
ranks　already？　Could　we　be　that　lucky？　
〃Because　it"s　all　true；〃　Aro　told　him　calmly。　〃Every　word　of　it。　See　how　many　witnesses　stand　ready　to　
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give　evidence　that　they　have　seen　this　miraculous　child　grow　and　mature　in　just　the　short　time　they"ve　
known　her。　That　they　have　felt　the　warmth　of　the　blood　that　pulses　in　her　veins。〃　Aro"s　gesture　swept　
from　Amun　on　one　side　across　to　Siobhan　on　the　other。　
Caius　reacted　oddly　to　Aro"s　soothing　words；　starting　ever　so　slightly　at　the　mention　of　witnesses。　The　
anger　drained　from　his　features；　replaced　by　a　cold　calculation。　He　glanced　at　the　Volturi　witnesses　with　
an　expression　that　looked　vaguely。。。　nervous。　
I　glanced　at　the　angry　mob；　too；　and　saw　immediately　that　the　description　no　longer　applied。　The　frenzy　
for　action　had　turned　to　confusion。　Whispered　conversations　seethed　through　the　crowd　as　they　tried　to　
make　sense　of　
what　had　happened。　
Caius　was　frowning；　deep　in　thought。　His　speculative　expression　stoked　the　flames　of　my　smoldering　
anger　at　the　same　time　that　it　worried　me。　What　if　the　guard　acted　again　on　some　invisible　signal；　as　they　
had　in　their　march？　Anxiously；　I　inspected　my　shield；　it　felt　just　as　imperable　as　before。　I　flexed　it　now　
into　a　low；　wide　dome　that　arced　over　our　pany。　
I　could　feel　the　sharp　plumes　of　light　where　my　family　and　friends　stood—each　one　an　individual　flavor　
that　I　thought　I　would　be　able　to　recognize　with　practice。　I　already　knew　Edward"s—his　was　the　very　
brightest　of　them　all。　The　extra　empty　space　around　the　shining　spots　bothered　me；　there　was　no　physical　
barrier　to　the　shield；　and　if　any　of　the　talented　Volturi　got　under　it；　it　would　protect　no　one　but　me。　I　felt　
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　C