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 mand—from Sam； I guessed； though I didn't turn to look—and the
plaint 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 imperable as before。 I flexed it now
into a low； wide dome that arced over our pany。
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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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 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 gue