It was David, rolling to his feet. He must have jumped out of one of the windows.
Tally Youngblood was right behind him, descending as gracefully as a cherry blossom, her hands and feet darting out and catching windowsills and sashes to slow her fall. She landed softly, slipped her arm through Davids, and they made their way into the garden.
Frizz leaned closer. "I was wondering about those two."
"You heard what she said, though," Aya whispered. "No one since " But Tally was leaning against David, pulling him deeper into the darkness, their shoulders pressed together in the cool night air.
"Moggle, are you getting this?" Aya began, then shook her head. "Never mind."
She turned to Frizz, leading him from the balcony with a smile.
"Come on, it's almost midnight. Let's go watch them cut the cake."
SCOTT WESTERFELD's teen novels include The Last Days, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the sequel to Peeps; So Yesterday, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and the Midnighters trilogy. Scott was born in Texas and alternates summers between Sydney, Australia, and New York City Visit his website at www.scottwesterfeld.com.