4 breaking dawn破晓-第118节
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〃Impossible；〃 Caius scoffed。
〃Do you think they've fooled me； then； brother？〃 Aro's expression was greatly amused； but Caius
flinched。 〃Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well？〃
Caius scowled； looking as chagrined as if Aro's gentle questions had been blows。
〃Calmly and carefully； brother；〃 Aro cautioned； still smiling at Renesmee。 〃I know well how you love
your justice； but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage。 And so much
to learn； so much to learn！ I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories； but be tolerant
with me； brother； as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability。 We came expecting only justice
and the sadness of false friends； but look what we have gained instead！ A new； bright knowledge of
ourselves； our possibilities。〃
He held out his hand to Renesmee in invitation。 But this was not what she wanted。 She leaned away from
me； stretching upward； to touch her fingertips to Aro's face。
Aro did not react with shock as almost everyone else had reacted to this performance from Renesmee；
he was as used to the flow of thought and memory from other minds as Edward was。
His smile widened； and he sighed in satisfaction。 〃Brilliant；〃 he whispered。
Renesmee relaxed back into my arms； her little face very serious。
〃Please？〃 she asked him。
His smile turned gentle。 〃Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones； precious Renesmee。〃
Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate； it took me in for a second。 And then I heard Edward's
teeth grind together and； far behind us； Maggie's outraged hiss at the lie。
〃I wonder；〃 Aro said thoughtfully； seeming unaware of the reaction to his previous words。 His eyes
moved unexpectedly to Jacob； and instead of the disgust the other Volturi viewed the giant wolf with；
Aro's eyes were filled with a longing that I did not comprehend。
〃It doesn't work that way；〃 Edward said； the careful neutrality gone from his suddenly harsh tone。
〃Just an errant thought；〃 Aro said； appraising Jacob openly； and then his eyes moved slowly across the
two lines of werewolves behind us。 Whatever Renesmee had shown him； it made the wolves suddenly
interesting to him。
〃They don't belong to us； Aro。 They don't follow our commands that way。 They're here because they
want to be。〃
Jacob growled menacingly。
〃They seem quite attached to you； though；〃 Aro said。 〃And your young mate and your。。。 family。 Loyal〃
His voice caressed the word softly。
〃They're committed to protecting human life； Aro。 That makes them able to coexist with us； but hardly
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with you。 Unless you're rethinking your lifestyle。〃
Aro laughed merrily。 〃Just an errant thought；〃 he repeated。 〃You well know how that is。 We none of us
can
entirely control our subconscious desires。〃
Edward grimaced。 〃I do know how that is。 And I also know the difference between that kind of thought
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 command—from Sam； I guessed； though I didn't turn to look—and the
complaint 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 impenetrable as before。 I flexed it now
into a low； wide dome that arced over our company。
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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