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—