Six months later.
"Valkyrie!" Gabrielle called. "She's crawling! Sophie's crawling!"
Valkyrie and Skulduggery rushed around the corner and immediately a smile stretched itself across Valkyrie's face. Her daughter was pulling herself along the floor, staring at them. Sophie was grinning, definitely proud of herself. She stopped at Valkyrie's feet and opened her mouth. The tiniest of sounds escaped her lips.
"Mama," she squeaked.
Gabrielle's blue eyes widened.
"Oh my god that's adorable."
Valkyrie beamed and leaned down the best she could, scooping up Sophie. "You spoke," she whispered.
Sophie reached out her arm and touched the tip of her mother's nose. "Mama," she said again, then giggled.
Skulduggery stepped closer to Valkyrie, and wrapped an arm around her waist. Valkyrie looked up when there was a knock on the door. Skulduggery sighed and removed his hand to answer it. Valkyrie grinned at Sophie again.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Skulduggery growled, making both Gabrielle and Valkyrie turn and stare. Gabrielle gaped. Tyrell was standing in the doorway, Valkyrie freezing when she saw him.
"What do you want?" Skulduggery snapped.
"I came to say I'm sorry."
"Great, you can leave now."
"Wait," Tyrell said. "I need to talk to Gabby and Valkyrie."
"No, you don't. Piss off."
Tyrell brushed past Skulduggery and walked inside the house. The door swung shut and Skulduggery sent a wall of air smashing into his brother, sending Tyrell flying into the wall.
"Guys please don't fight!" Valkyrie begged.
Tyrell got to his feet and faced Skulduggery. "I'm not here to do this with you."
"You pushed your way into this house, you think that's going to sit well with me?"
"No, I suppose not..."
"Get out. Now."
Tyrell shook his head.
"Not before I say what I need to."
"Get out!" Skulduggery yelled, making both the girls flinch.
Tyrell stared at him before stalking towards the door and disappearing outside, slamming it behind him. The frame rattled with the force of the impact, and Valkyrie cringed. Skulduggery turned back around, fuming. Gabrielle had tears running down her cheeks, and Sophie was wailing in Valkyrie's arms.
"The next time that asshole comes back here, I'm killing him," Skulduggery muttered.
***
Ravel snarled when the man came back to him and Claret. "So?" He asked.
"He kicked me out."
"And you let him?"
"He smashed me into a wall!"
"Not an excuse!" Ravel roared, slamming his hand down on the desk, making Tyrell jump. Claret however, didn't so much as flinch. Ravel forced himself to calm down, and stared at Tyrell.
"You have a job to do. Go and do it. We've already lost Dusk, and I'm counting on the rest of you to make up for it."
Tyrell just stared at him blankly.
"Go!" He shouted.