With the addition of Brandon, Dax, and Heather on the plane from Rome to Southampton Airport, it was a little louder at first, but then it died down as the teens turned to cuddling masses, though Cadence could still hear Heather and Aurora talking about the portal. Part of Cadence wanted to know every detail, but the rest of her thought it was too ghastly to think about it and would wait to hear it from Aaron when he got out in a few hours.

She was sitting by herself in the front of ...