It was some time later when the alarm bells clanged to a stop, dropping the citadel into silence. Krill wiped blood from his eyes and surveyed the damage. Dead and injured were scattered up and down the corridor. Krill hurried first to the sisters' room, not far from where he'd killed his last opponent. No answer came to his knock and, when he pushed, he discovered the door was unlocked. The room was empty, their luggage gone. There wasn't even a note left behind.

They left ...