imated。　He　put　his　free　hand　on　the　shining　table

and　leaned　forward。

〃You　see；〃　he　explained；　looking　around　the　table　while　he　spoke；　〃there　was

more　than　one　reason　why

I　didn't　want　to　shake　Aro's　hand　there　at　the　end。　There's　something　they

didn't　think　of；　and　I　didn't

want　to　cine　them　in。〃　He　grinned。

〃Which　was？〃　Alice　prodded。　I　was　sure　my　expression　was　just　as　skeptical　as

hers。

〃The　Volturi　are　overconfident；　and　with　good　reason。　When　they　decide　to　find

someone；　it's　not　really　a

problem。　Do　you　remember　Demetri？〃　He　glanced　down　at　me。

I　shuddered。　He　took　that　as　a　yes。

〃He　finds　people—that's　his　talent；　why　they　keep　him。

〃Now；　the　whole　time　we　were　with　any　of　them；　I　was　picking　their　brains　for

anything　that　might　save

us；　getting　as　much　information　as　possible。　So　I　saw　how　Demetri's　talent

works。　He's　a　tracker—a

tracker　a　thousand　times　more　gifted　than　Jarres　was。　His　ability　is　loosely

related　to　what　I　do；　or　what

Aro　does。　He　catches　the　flavor？　I　don't　know　how　to　describe　it　the　tenor

of　someone's　mind；

and　then　he　follows　that。　It　works　over　immense　distances。

〃But　after　Aro's　little　experiments；　well〃　Edward　shrugged。

〃You　think　he　won't　be　able　to　find　me；〃　I　said　flatly。

He　was　smug。　〃I'm　sure　of　it。　He　relies　totally　on　that　other　sense。　When　it

doesn't　work　with　you；　they'll

all　be　blind。〃

〃And　how　does　that　solve　anything？〃

〃Quite　obviously；　Alice　will　be　able　to　tell　when　they're　planning　a　visit；

and　I'll　hide　you。　They'll　be

helpless；〃　he　said　with　fierce　enjoyment。　〃It　will　be　like　looking　for　a　piece

of