road with people getting out to walk the test of the way。 At first I thought it was just
impatience—something I could easily understand。 But then we came around a switchback； and I could
see the filled parking lot outside the city wall； the crowds of people walking through the gates。 No one
was being allowed to drive through。
〃Alice；〃 I whispered urgently。
〃I know；〃 she said。 Her face was chiseled from ice。
Now that I was looking； and we were crawling slowly enough to see； I could tell that it was very windy。
The people crowding toward the gate gripped their hats and tugged their hair out of their faces。 Their
clothes billowed around them。 I also noticed that the color red was everywhere。 Red shirts； red hats； red
flags dripping like long ribbons beside the gate； whipping in the wind—as I watched； the brilliant crimson
scarf one woman had tied around her hair was caught in a sudden gust。 It twisted up into the air above
her； writhing like it was alive。 She reached for it； jumping in the air； but it continued to flutter higher； a
patch of bloody color against the dull； ancient walls。
〃Bella。〃 Alice spoke quickly in a fierce； low voice。 〃I can't see what the guard here will decide now—if
this doesn't work； you're going to have to go in alone。 You're going to have to run。 Just keep asking for
the Palazzo dei Priori； and running in the direction they tell you。 Don't get lost。〃
〃Palazzo dei Priori； Palazzo dei Priori；〃 I repeated the name over and over again； trying to get it down。
〃Or 'the clock tower；' if they speak English。 I'll go around and try to find a secluded spot somewhere
behind the city where I can go over the wall。〃
I nodded。 〃Palazzo dei Priori。〃
〃Edward will be under the clock tower； to the north of the square。 There's a narrow alleyway on the
right； and he'll be in the shadow there。 You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun。〃
I nodded furiously。
Alice was near the front of the line。 A man in a navy blue uniform was directing the flow of traffic； turning
the cars away from the full lot。 They Uturned and headed back to find a place beside the road。 Then it
was Alice's turn。
The uniformed man motioned lazily； not paying attention。 Alice accelerated； edging around him and
heading for the gate。 He shouted something at us； but held his ground； waving frantically to keep the next
car from following our bad example。
The man at the gate wore a matching uniform。 As we approached him； the throngs of tourists passed；
crowding the sidewalks； staring curiously at the pushy； flashy Porsche。
The guard stepped into the middle of the street。 Alice angled the car carefully before she came to a full
stop。 The sun beat against my window； and she was in shadow。 She swiftly reached behind the seat and
grabbed something from her bag。
The guard came around the car with an irritated expression； and tapped on her window angrily。
She rolled the window down halfway； and I watched him do a double take when he saw the face behind
the dark glass。
〃I'm sorry； only tour buses allowed in the city today； miss；〃 he said in English； with a heavy accent。 He
was apologetic； now； as if he wished he had better news for the strikingly beautiful woman。
〃It's a private tour；〃 Alice said； flashing an alluring smile。 She reached her hand out cf the window； into
the sunlight。 I froze； until I realized she was wearing an elbowlength； tan glove。 She took his hand； still
raised from tapping her window； and pulled it into the car。 She put something into his palm； and folded
his fingers around it。
His face was dazed as he retrieved his hand and stared at the thick roll of money he now held。 The
outside bill was a thousand dollar bill。
〃Is this a joke？〃 he mumbled。
Alice's smile was blinding。 〃Only if you think it's funny。〃
He looked at her； his eyes staring wide。 I glanced nervously at the clock on the dash。 If Edward stuck to
his plan； we had only five minutes left。
〃I'm in a wee bit of a hurry；〃 she hinted； still smiling。
The guard blinked twice； and then shoved the money inside his vest。 He took a step away from the
window and waved us on。 None of the passing people seemed to notice the quiet exchange。 Alice drove
into the city； and we both sighed in relief。
The street was very narrow； cobbled with the same color stones as the faded cinnamon brown buildings
that darkened the street with their shade。 It had the feel of an alleyway。 Red flags decorated the walls；
spaced only a few yards apart； flapping in the wind that whistled through the narrow lane。
It was crowded； and the foot traffic slowed our progress。
〃Just a little farther；〃 Alice encouraged me； I was gripping the door handle； ready to throw myself into the
street as soon as she spoke the word。
She drove in quick spurts and sudden stops； and the people in the crowd shook their fists at us and said
angry words that I was glad I couldn't understand。 She turned onto a little path that couldn't have been
meant for cars； shocked people had to squeeze into doorways as we scraped by。 We found another
street at the end。 The buildings were taller here； they leaned together overhead so that no sunlight
touched the pavement—the thrashing red flags on either side nearly met。 The crowd was thicker here
than anywhere else。 Alice stopped the car。 I had the door open before we were at a standstill。
She pointed to where the street widened into a patch of bright openness。 〃There—we're at the southern
end of the square。 Run straight across； to the right of the clock tower。 I'll find a way around—〃
Her breath caught suddenly； and when she spoke again； her voice was a hiss。 〃They're everywhere？〃
I froze in place； but she pushed me out of the car。 〃Forget about them。 You have two minutes。 Go； Bella；
go！〃 she shouted； climbing out of the car as she spoke。
I didn't pause to watch Alice melt into the shadows。 I didn't stop to close my door behind me。 I shoved a
heavy woman out of my way and ran flat out； head down； paying little attention to anything but the
uneven stones beneath my feet。
ing out of the dark lane； I was blinded by the brilliant sunlight beating down into the principal plaza。
The wind whooshed into me； flinging my hair into my eyes and blinding me further。 It was no wonder that
I didn't see the wall of flesh until I'd smacked into it。
There was no pathway； no crevice between the close pressed bodies。 I pushed against them furiously；
fighting the hands that shoved back。 I heard exclamations of irritation and even pain as I battled my way
through； but none were in a language I understood。 The faces were a blur of anger and surprise；
surrounded by the everpresent red。 A blond woman scowled at me； and the red scarf coiled around her
neck looked like a gruesome wound。 A child； lifted on a man's shoulders to see over the crowd； grinned
down at me； his lips distended over a set of plastic vampire fangs。
The throng jostled around me； spinning me the wrong direction。 I was glad the clock was so visible； or
I'd never keep my course straight。 But both hands on the clock pointed up toward the pitiless sun； and；
though I shoved viciously against the crowd； I knew I was too late。 I wasn't halfway across。 I wasn't
going to make it。 I was stupid and slow and human； and we were all going to die because of it。
I hoped Alice would get out。 I hoped that she would see me from some dark shadow and know that I
had failed； so she could go home to Jasper。
I listened； above the angry exclamations； trying to hear the sound of discovery： the gasp； maybe the
scream； as Edward came into someone's view。
But there was a break in the crowd—I could see a bubble of space ahead。 I pushed urgently toward it；
not realizing till I bruised my shins against the bricks that there was a wide； square fountain set into the
center of the plaza。
I was nearly crying with relief as I flung my leg over the edge and ran through the kneedeep water。 It
sprayed all around me as I thrashed my way across the pool。 Even in the sun； the wind was glacial； and
the wet made the cold actually painful。 But the fountain was very wide； it let me cross the center of the
square and then some in mere seconds。 I didn't pause when I hit the far edge—I used the low wall as a
springboard； throwing myself into the crowd。
They moved more readily for me now； avoiding the icy water that splattered from my dripping clothes as
I ran。 I glanced up at the clock again。
A deep； booming chime echoed through the square。 It throbbed in the stones under my feet。 Children
cried； covering their ears。 And I started screaming as I ran。
〃Edward！〃 I screamed； knowing it was useless。 The crowd was too loud； and my voice was breathless
with exertion。 But I couldn't stop screaming。
The clock tolled again。 I ran past a child in his mother's arms—his hair was almost white in the dazzling
sunlight。 A circle of tall men； all wearing red blazers； called out warnings as I barreled through them。 The
clock tolled again。
On the other side of the men in blazers； there was a break in the throng； space between the sightseers
who milled aimlessly around me。 My eyes searched the dark narrow passage to the right of the wide
square edifice under the tower。 I couldn't see the street level—there were still too many people in the
way。 The clock tolled again。
It was hard to see now。 Without the crowd to break the wind； it whipped at my face and burned my
eyes。 I couldn't be sure if that was the reason behind my tears； or if I was crying in defeat as the clock
tolled again。
A little family of four stood nearest to the alley's mouth。 The two girls wore crimson dresses； with
matching ribbons tying their dark hair back。 The father wasn't tall。 It seemed like I could see something
bright in the shadows； just over his shoulder。 I hurtled toward them； trying to see past the stinging tears。
The clock tolled； and the littlest girl clamped her hands over her ears。
The older girl； just waist high on her mother； hugged her mother's leg and stared into the shadows behind
them。 As I watched； she tu