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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　shape…shifters。　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　genetic—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　coming　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　coming　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　shape…shifters；〃　Aro　corrected　quietly。
  〃So　the　Cullens　sided　with　the　shape…shifters　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　complaint　against　the
  shape…shifters—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　complaint　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　completely　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　coming　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　complaint；　he　had　wanted　her　defiance。　His　excuse　to　destroy　her；　to
  ignite　the　violence　that　filled　the　air　like　a　thick；　combustible　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　hi