Skulduggery stormed out of the bathroom, his hand still bleeding. He couldn't care less. Gabrielle saw him and froze. She didn't know what to do.
"Skulduggery," she began.
"Shut up Gabby!" He shouted, and she flinched backwards, hiding in the shadows more. "I don't care what you have to say!" He continued. "She's gone! And it's all Bella's fault!"
Gabrielle had tears streaming down her cheeks again now. "No, it's not. It was an accident."
"Don't," he started, his voice dangerously quiet. "Don't tell me it was an accident."
Gabrielle said nothing, completely and utterly terrified of him in that moment.
He glared at her one more time, then stalked away out of sight. She listened, and heard the front door slam shut and the sound of the Bentley's engine roaring to life. Then the noise faded into the distance, and she knew that he was gone, for a little while at least.
***
The day of Valkyrie's funeral dawned a rainy day. It wasn't a surprising occurrence in Ireland.
All the Dead Men, Valkyrie's parents, Tanith, most of the Sanctuary and Gabrielle were there. Tanith had been gone for a few months, but she had returned as soon as she'd heard of Valkyrie's passing.
Gabrielle held both Sophie and Bella in her arms. The two little girls were light, and easy to just sit on her hips. Bella's dark eyes were locked on Skulduggery. The man was staring down at Valkyrie's coffin, heartbroken and shattered. Gabrielle stared at Bella for a moment. The baby's features always lit up when she saw her father, but he was an angry man now. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with her.
For over a week now, Gabrielle had been trying to convince him that Bella shouldn't be blamed for Valkyrie's death. But Skulduggery wouldn't listen. His judgment was clouded by shock and grief, by anger. This was another wife he'd lost, and the man had by this time, had enough.
Skulduggery was on the verge of snapping completely. The only thing holding him together was the promise he made to Valkyrie before she died.
'Look after them... protect them with your life...'
Her dying wish, was all that kept him going. As well as Sophie. But Bella, that child was the cause for all this mess. It was her fault that Valkyrie was dead. That statement was on a constant loop in his mind.
Bella was a murderer. Bella was a murderer. Bella was a murderer.
***
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. The rain got heavier, as did the tension in the air.
Everyone's tears mixed with the raindrops that poured down on them. The dreary atmosphere mirrored everybody's emotions, their thoughts. It was almost completely silent.
Gabrielle watched Bella, as the baby's eyes followed her father's every move. The blonde girl couldn't help but smile slightly. Bella loved him, it was evident in her beautiful face and eyes.
The problem was, the feeling wasn't mutual.
Gabrielle sighed, her own gaze travelling over to her brother. Skulduggery was standing near the freshly dug grave, his head hung low, his hat in his hands. Her heart broke at the sight of him, a shattered man. Not even the first time he'd lost his family had she seen him look so broken and lost. Gabrielle watched silently as Ghastly Bespoke walked up to him quietly, and put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. Neither of them said a word. The only sound now was the wind as it whistled through the trees.
The grass was wet underfoot, soaking through everyone's shoes and drenching their socks. No one cared though. To anyone else they would've looked like zombies.
That's when Skulduggery turned, locked eyes with Gabrielle. Tear stains lined his cheeks, his eyes were dull, the one person who'd make them sparkle, was gone. And she wasn't coming back. He looked drunk, stoned even. His cheeks were sunken, dark shadows under his eyes. His shoulders were slumped, his usual confident posture, gone. He was almost impossible to describe now, but if it were to be summed up in one word, Skulduggery was lost. Gabrielle bit her lip.
His gaze landed on Bella at her side and the little girls eyes lit up. She giggled, squirming in Gabby's grip. The blonde girl hoisted her up higher on her hip, swallowing nervously when she saw her brother staring at his daughter.
Skulduggery looked at the ground and clenched his fists. He spun on his heel and disappeared into the trees, lost from sight.
If he let go now, he would never be the same. He would disappear forever.
No one, would ever be the same.