ill　sat；　unmoving　and

uninterested。

Felix　groaned。

〃Ah；　Felix。〃　Aro　smiled；　amused。　〃Heidi　will　be　here　at　any　moment。　Patience。〃

〃Hmm。〃　Edward's　voice　had　a　new　edge　to　it。　〃In　that　case；　perhaps　we'd　better

leave　sooner　rather　than

later。〃

〃Yes；〃　Aro　agreed。　〃That's　a　good　idea。　Accidents　do　happen。　Please　wait　below

until　after　dark；　though；

if　you　don't　mind。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Edward　agreed；　while　I　cringed　at　the　thought　of　waiting　out　the

day　before　we　could

escape。

〃And　here；〃　Aro　added；　motioning　to　Felix　with　one　finger。　Felix　came　forward

at　once；　and　Aro

unfastened　the　gray　cloak　the　huge　vampire　wore；　pulling　from　his　shoulders。

He　tossed　it　to　Edward。

〃Take　this。　You're　a　little　conspicuous。〃

Edward　put　the　long　cloak　on；　leaving　the　hood　down。

Aro　sighed。　〃It　suits　you。〃

Edward　chuckled；　but　broke　off　suddenly；　glancing　over　his　shoulder。　〃Thank

you；　Aro。　We'll　wait

below。〃

〃Goodbye；　young　friends；〃　Aro　said；　his　eyes　bright　as　he　stared　in　the　same

direction。

〃Let's　go；〃　Edward　said；　urgent　now。

Demetri　gestured　that　we　should　follow；　and　then　set　off　the　way　we'd　e　in；

the　only　exit　by　the　look

of　things。

Edward　pulled　me　swiftly　along　beside　him。　Alice　was　close　by　my　other　side；

her　face　hard。

〃Not　fast　enough；〃　she　muttered。

I　stared　up　at　her；　frightened；　but　she　only　seemed　chagrined。　It　was　then

that　I　first　heard　the　babble　of

voices—loud；　rough　voices—ing　from　the　antechamber。

〃Well　this　is　unusual；〃　a　man's　coarse　voice　boomed。

〃So　medieval；〃　an　unpleasantly　shrill；　female　voice　gushed　back。

A　l