Valkyrie climbed into the passenger seat with Sophie asleep in her arms. "What's wrong?" She asked again as Skulduggery started the Bentley's engine.
"Gabby had an accident," he answered, and the car started moving. Valkyrie blinked in shock.
"What? What kind of accident?"
"Car accident. Ghastly didn't give me details, but from what he did tell me, it's pretty bad."
Valkyrie felt a lump forming in her throat, but she choked it back. "Will she be okay?"
Skulduggery turned and looked at her for a second, then focused back on the road, not saying a word. Valkyrie swallowed, and started to feel sick again.
No... now is not the time to be sick. Now is the time to make sure Gabby is okay.
Valkyrie took deep breaths, and stared out the window as they drove. Silence filled the car and Sophie began to stir. Valkyrie looked down as Sophie's big brown eyes stared up at her.
"Hey baby," she whispered. "It's okay. Go back to sleep."
Sophie yawned once, then her eyes fluttered closed again. Valkyrie glanced at Skulduggery, noting how his knuckles were slowly turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and realised just how tense he was.
"Hey," she whispered. "I'm sure she's fine..."
Valkyrie trailed off as they passed the scene of a wreckage. A yellow Porsche was totalled on the side of the road.
Valkyrie cleared her throat and focused on looking out the windscreen, blinking away the tears.
Think positive thoughts...
It was a lot easier in her head, Valkyrie thought. She sighed and tried not to look in the rear vision mirror at the ruined Porsche. Skulduggery was silent for the rest of the trip, and Valkyrie stared out the window.
When they pulled up at the Sanctuary, Valkyrie waited until Skulduggery had killed the Bentley's engine, before carefully climbing out, trying not to wake Sophie in the process. She followed him through the doors, ignoring the stares they were getting from all the Mages. They'd obviously heard about the accident. Tanith met them outside the Medical Wing, and Valkyrie sucked in a breath. Tanith gave her a small smile.
"How is she?" Valkyrie asked.
Tanith's smile faded. "Do you want the truth?"
Valkyrie sighed. "By the tone of your voice I think I can already guess..."
Tanith looked at the floor as Synecdoche walked out of the room. Skulduggery stared at her.
"You can see her now," the doctor told them.
They all nodded and Valkyrie waited with Tanith while Skulduggery immediately opened the door and disappeared inside.
The two girls followed, Valkyrie still cradling Sophie.
What they saw shocked them. Gabrielle was laying flat on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her body was bruised, with various cuts all over her arms and legs, and a gash on her cheek which was slowly healing. A white surgical sheet had been draped over her. Her left arm was in a sling, and she was developing a black eye. She turned her head when they came in, hissing slightly in pain.
"Hey,"she croaked, shifting her position and biting her bottom lip.
"Hey," Valkyrie answered, handing Sophie to Tanith and approaching the bed. "I'm not even going to ask how you are," she tried to joke.
Gabrielle managed a smile. "Probably a good idea..."
"How did you crash?" Skulduggery asked, sitting in a chair beside the bed. Gabrielle blinked.
"I don't remember much. Only that one minute I was driving and the next I'm being thrown though my windshield."
Valkyrie shivered slightly, but no one saw it.
"Who was the other driver?" She asked. "There must've been another car to cause a crash like that."
"There was," Gabrielle sighed. "They hit me." Skulduggery clenched and unclenched his fists in anger, and Gabrielle swallowed. "It was my fault though. I was on the wrong side of the road. I swerved and they clipped the side of the Porsche. It must've been a hit and run." She groaned loudly when she tried to change position again and Skulduggery put a hand on her chest to stop her. She blinked slowly and looked up. "I'm such an idiot..."
"No, you're not," Valkyrie replied. "Accidents happen."
Gabrielle sighed again.
"I wish they didn't. Shit."
Valkyrie looked at the floor, not meeting anyone's gaze.
"Anyway," Gabrielle smiled, all signs of pain gone. Either it had stopped momentarily, or she was hiding it. Probably the latter. "How's the Bub?"
"Which one?" Valkyrie asked and Gabrielle laughed.
"Both."
Valkyrie shrugged, the ill feeling coming back when her unborn child was mentioned. "They're both fine."
"Good," Gabrielle smiled, and yawned.
"We should probably leave you to sleep," Valkyrie said.
Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah. Promise me you'll come back later though?"
"We promise," Skulduggery said, and stood.
Gabrielle watched them with her shiny blue eyes as they all left. Valkyrie poked her head back in and grinned.
"Oh, and Gabby?"
Gabrielle looked up again. "Yes?"
Valkyrie grinned. "Try to stay out of trouble," she teased.