is　not。〃　Aro　shook　his　head；

his　tone　was　envious。

〃And　also　exponentially　more　powerful；〃　Edward　added　dryly。　He　looked　at　Alice

as　he　swiftly

explained。　〃Aro　needs　physical　contact　to　hear　your　thoughts；　but　he　hears

much　more　than　I　do。　You

know　I　can　only　hear　what's　passing　through　your　head　in　the　moment。　Aro　hears

every　thought　your

mind　has　ever　had。〃

Alice　raised　her　delicate　eyebrows；　and　Edward　inclined　his　head。

Aro　didn't　miss　that　either。

〃But　to　be　able　to　hear　from　a　distance〃　Aro　sighed；　gesturing　toward　the

two　of　them；　and　the

exchange　that　had　just　taken　place。　〃That　would　be　so　convenient。〃

Aro　looked　over　our　shoulders。　All　the　other　heads　turned　in　the　same

direction；　including　Jane；　Alec；

and　Demetri；　who　stood　silently　beside　us。

I　was　the　slowest　to　turn。　Felix　was　back；　and　behind　him　floated　two　more

black…robed　men。　Both

looked　very　much　like　Aro；　one　even　had　the　same　flowing　black　hair。　The　other

had　a　shock　of

snow…white　hair—the　same　shade　as　his　face—that　brushed　against　his

shoulders。　Their　faces　had

identical；　paper…thin　skin。

The　trio　from　Carlisle's　painting　was　plete；　unchanged　by　the　last　three

hundred　years　since　it　was

painted。

〃Marcus；　Caius；　look！〃　Aro　crooned。　〃Bella　is　alive　after　all；　and　Alice　is

here　with　her！　Isn't　that

wonderful？〃

Neither　of　the　other　two　looked　as　if　wonderful　would　be　their　first　choice　of

words。　The　dark…haired

man　seemed　utterly　bored；　like　he'd　seen　too　many　millennia　of　Aro's

enthusiasm。　The　other's　hice　was

sour　under　the　snowy　hair。

Their　lack　of　intere