《4 breaking dawn破晓》第171章

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　she　leaned　into　Carlisle　for　support。　Kate　was　finally　still。　
Carlisle　and　
Garrett　continued　to　console　the　sisters　with　words　too　urgent　to　sound　like　fort。　
And　my　attention　returned　to　the　weight　of　the　stares　that　pressed　down　on　our　moment　of　chaos。　From　
the　corners　of　my　eyes；　I　could　see　that　Edward　and　everyone　else　besides　Carlisle　and　Garrett　were　on　
their　guard　again　as　well。　
The　heaviest　glare　came　from　Caius；　staring　with　enraged　disbelief　at　Kate　and　Garrett　in　the　snow。　Aro　
was　watching　the　same　two；　incredulity　the　strongest　emotion　on　his　face。　He　knew　what　Kate　could　do。　
He　had　felt　her　potency　through　Edward"s　memories。　
Did　he　understand　what　was　happening　now—did　he　see　that　my　shield　had　grown　in　strength　and　
subtlety　far　beyond　what　Edward　knew　me　to　be　capable　of？　Or　did　he　think　Garrett　had　learned　his　
own　form　of　immunity？　
The　Volturi　guard　no　longer　stood　at　disciplined　attention—they　were　crouched　forward；　waiting　to　
spring　the　counterstrike　the　moment　we　attacked。　
Behind　them；　fortythree　witnesses　watched　with　very　different　expressions　than　the　ones　they"d　worn　
entering　the　clearing。　Confusion　had　turned　to　suspicion。　The　lightningfast　destruction　of　Irina　had　shaken　
them　all。　What　had　been　her　crime？　
Without　the　immediate　attack　that　Caius　had　counted　on　to　distract　from　his　rash　act；　the　Volturi　
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witnesses　were　left　questioning　exactly　what　was　going　on　here。　Aro　glanced　back　swiftly　while　I　
watched；　his　face　betraying　him　with　one　flash　of　vexation。　His　need　for　an　audience　had　backfired　badly。　
I　heard　Stefan　and　Vladimir　murmur　to　each　other　in　quiet　glee　at　Aro"s　disfort。　
Aro　was　obviously　concerned　with　keeping　his　white　hat；　as　the　Romanians　had　put　it。　But　I　didn"t　
believe　that　the　Volturi　would　leave　us　in　peace　just　to　save　their　reputation。　After　they　finished　with　us；　
surely　they　would　slaughter　their　witnesses　for　that　purpose。　I　felt　a　strange；　sudden　pity　for　the　mass　of　
the　strangers　the　Volturi　had　brought　to　watch　us　die。　Demetri　would　hunt　them　until　they　were　extinct；　
too。　
For　Jacob　and　Renesmee；　for　Alice　and　Jasper；　for　Alistair；　and　for　these　strangers　who　had　not　known　
what　today　would　cost　them；　Demetri　had　to　die。　
Aro　touched　Caius"s　shoulder　lightly。　〃Irina　has　been　punished　for　bearing　false　witness　against　this　
child。〃　So　that　was　to　be　their　excuse。　He　went　on。　〃Perhaps　we　should　return　to　the　matter　at　hand？〃　
Caius　straightened；　and　his　expression　hardened　into　unreadability。　He　stared　forward；　seeing　nothing。　
His　face　reminded　me；　oddly；　of　a　person　who"d　just　learned　he"d　been　demoted。　
Aro　drifted　forward；　Renata；　Felix；　and　Demetri　automatically　moving　with　him。　
〃Just　to　be　thorough；〃　he　said；　〃I"d　like　to　speak　with　a　few　of　your　witnesses。　Procedure；　you　know。〃　
He　waved　a　hand　dismissively。　
Two　things　happened　at　once。　Caius"s　eyes　focused　on　Aro；　and　the　tiny　cruel　smile　came　back。　And　
Edward　hissed；　his　hands　bal