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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　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　w