《4 breaking dawn破晓》第170章

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　fi