"You're kidding."

"Nope."

"You're a teenager, how do you not have a phone?"

"Never really needed one. Until now, apparently." Both twins stare at me in disbelief. Alex's mouth is even hanging open. "Can't you figure something out, surely there's some other way of contacting me?" I can't just get a phone right now.

"Well, we do have some earpieces around here somewhere..."

"Not gonna ask."

"Alex, can set up a long range comm line? And connect it to this computer?"

"Sure, I'll get started on that now."

"Uh," I let out a weak chuckle. "That's going to have to be VERY long range, like international." Alex groans and runs her hands over her face.

"You've got to be kidding me! You can't actually live outside America!" I take on a deadpan expression.

"I can and I do. I know I've been active in mainly US cities, but my first appearance was in London!" And before that, I had an 'adventure' in China.

"How international are we talkin' here?"

"Uh..." It should be safe to tell them, right? After all, I know roughly where they live, so I have leverage. "Australia?"

"Ugh, not even in the same hemisphere? There's no way I can get a signal without some kind of sim plan or something. Can't you just buy a phone?"

"And what am I going to tell my family? How am I going to explain that I suddenly need a phone, with only one number?"

"Say you wanna keep in touch with your friends."

"That's not gonna work."

"And why not?"

"It just won't." Alex throws her hands up in exasperation.

"Ok, you two, let's just calm down. There must be something we can do. In the mean time, we need to get to know each other better." He raises his hands in defence at the sight of my alarmed expression. "I know, I know, you have your secrets, and for good reasons. But this operation won't work if we don't trust each other. Let's start with introductions first."

"Again?"

"If you can't make a good first impression, make a good second one." He is ridiculously upbeat. "I'll start." His face takes on a cheesy grin. "Hi, my name is Aaron, I'm the twin to this nerd." He nudges Alex playfully. "And I enjoy cooking. Alex?" She groans, but plays along.

"My name is Alex, I'm the twin sister to this ball of sunshine; and enjoy website coding and hacking." I'm gonna ignore that last part.

"Ok, here goes... My name is..." I hesitate, but continue at the reassuring smiles they both give me. "Rhiann, my name is Rhiann. I am also a twin, to an older sister. I enjoy writing, Scifi and crochet." Both look ecstatic at my answer, looks of something close to adoration on their faces. Ok, that's starting to creep me out.

"Nice to meet you Rhiann." Alex chirps. "It's so cool that you have a twin too! Ooh, does she have magic as well? Are there two Silver Witches?"

"Hehe no. Fortunately not." I don't think I could handle it if Tara were out there risking her life. Exactly why I'm not telling my family.

"Well, while we might not be able to get acquainted with your sister, Alex and I are more than happy."

"I'm glad you're willing to downgrade."

"Are you kidding, we wouldn't trade this for the world." God, they are just like children in a candy store.

"Good to know, is there anything else you'd like to know about me, any secrets you'd like me to share?" Both their faces light up in excitement and curiosity.

"Uh, good question. Give us a moment." She holds up a finger, telling me to wait, and turns to her brother. Oop, looks like it's time for another hushed but not so hushed secret sibling talk. I don't care enough to listen in.

I begin to wander around the room, stopping first at one of the bookshelves. Titles like Sherlock Holmes, criminal psychology and Mystery on the Orient Express jump out at me. Similar titles fill the shelves, the topics spanning from mystery novels to political philosophy. Is there any chewed up pens lying around somewhere? Certainly interesting reading. No wonder they seem well read. Maybe they have some links to the police force.

"Hey, Rhiann?" I spin back around to the bubbling siblings.

"We're ready to begin now. Any limits you wanna set now, any subjects to avoid?"

"Hm, nothing specific about friends and family, like names and places. Uhh, nothing about my magic. Not right now." I still need to understand that myself. "I can't think of anything else really. Shoot." I settle on the couch, ready for the onslaught of questions.

"How old are you? We're eighteen by the way. Nineteen in two months."

"I'm sixteen. Seventeen in five months."

"Cool. Um, favourite colour?" I let out a breathy laugh. They're going with these questions now? They must not want to hit a nerve.

"Green. Prefer dogs and cats, chocolate over vanilla, hazelnut-chocolate ice cream, favourite animals are dolphin and dragon, favourite food is lemon chicken." The twins stare at me in shock. Probably surprised at the amount of information I gave them, considering how guarded I was a moment ago. It's trivial stuff really.

"Uh, where do you come from?"

"I'm a third generation Aussie, with my paternal grandfather coming from Denmark, maternal grandmother from Scotland. But a lot of people ask if I'm from America. Once, Britain, and another time Scotland."

"Seriously? 'Cause we thought you were British too."

"Why on earth-"

"It's in the way you talk, you sound like Doctor Strange." That's quite specific. "Which is weird, because he does magic too. Maybe it's a stereotype." God, they're probably weirder than I am. What are the chances?

"Something tells me we'll get along just fine."