o　back　to　sleep；〃　she　encouraged　me。　〃I'll　wake　you　up　when　there's

something　new。〃

〃Right；〃　I　grumbled；　certain　that　sleep　was　a　lost　cause　now。　Alice　pulled　her

legs　up　on　the　seat；

wrapping　her　arms　around　them　and　leaning　her　forehead　against　her　knees。　She

rocked　back　and　forth

as　she　concentrated。

I　rested　my　head　against　the　seat；　watching　her；　and　the　next　thing　I　knew；

she　was　snapping　the　shade

closed　against　the　faint　brightening　in　the　eastern　sky。

〃What's　happening？〃　I　mumbled。

〃They've　told　him　no；〃　she　said　quietly。　I　noticed　at　once　that　her　enthusiasm

was　gone。

My　voice　choked　in　my　throat　with　panic。　〃What's　he　going　to　do？〃

〃It　was　chaotic　at　first。　I　was　only　getting　flickers；　he　was　changing　plans

so　quickly。〃

〃What　kinds　of　plans？〃　I　pressed。

〃There　was　a　bad　hour；〃　she　whispered。　〃He'd　decided　to　go　hunting。〃

She　looked　at　me；　seeing　the　prehension　in　my　face。

〃In　the　city；〃　she　explained。　〃It　got　very　close。　He　changed　his　mind　at　the

last　minute。〃

〃He　wouldn't　want　to　disappoint　Carlisle；〃　I　mumbled。　Not　at　the　end。

〃Probably；〃　she　agreed。

〃Will　there　be　enough　time？〃　As　I　spoke；　there　was　a　shift　in　the　cabin

pressure。　I　could　feel　the　plane

angling　downward。

〃I'm　hoping　so—if　he　sticks　to　his　latest　decision；　maybe。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃He's　going　to　keep　it　simple。　He's　just　going　to　walk　out　into　the　sun。〃

Just　walk　out　into　the　sun。　That　was　all。

It　would　be　enough。　The　image　of　Edward　in　the　meadow—glowing；　shimmering

like　his　skin　was　made

of　a　million　diamond　facets—