Twist stood in the ruined doorway. Behind her, in the darkness was silence. Asa and Ishani had left the night before. The location was no longer safe, a new place would have to be found and secured. It would take time, but that time would not be spent here.

But Twist would not be following them. At least. Not yet.

She had wanted to. Still wanted to. The talk revolving about it had slipped into Italian more than once. But in the end, she had stayed while they had left. Word would be spent when the new safe haven was completed. Then. Then she would finally go to them for more than a weekend.

Turning into the darkness, into the silence she resolved herself for the work that lay ahead.

The Brood had attacked her home. And it was more than a simple case of wrong address - even know the silence was more than just audible in the building. It extended to the phones and the internet. There were still the spots that she hadn't had time to investigate. And then there was Ale, the Prince and her city and the long absence that Twist had held from it.

They weren't binding ties holding her back, holding her away. But they were matters that would be better to be resolved. She remembered the constant pull of Italy and did not want a repeat.

But all that would be for starting tomorrow night.