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Meanwhile the elders were having a serious discussion.
“Ravel, we have to let them go,” Ghastly reasoned. “It’s not fair to hold them against something they can’t control.”
“Yes, but Vile is a mass murderer and Darquesse is most likely going to destroy the world one day, do you think they can be in control when their conscience decide that?” Ravel questioned.
“Look Ravel, Skulduggery has been Lord Vile for nearly 400 years now, I’m pretty sure they can handle it. And Skulduggery would help Valkyrie if she ever submitted to being Darquesse.”
“Elder Bespoke does have a point,” Madame Mist suddenly spoke up. “I am confident that Skulduggery would... dispose of Darquesse should the need ever arise.”
“DISPOSE?!? You think Skulduggery, of all people, would happily go along and shoot Valkyrie if Darquesse took over?!” Ghastly shouted at her, “And Darquesse is a living human now! So it’s not Valkyrie’s fault!! We should just let them go!”
“But...” Ravel started.
“Damn it Ravel, just let them go!!” Ghastly shouted angrily as he strode towards the door.
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Oh crap, Valkyrie thought, this is going to be awkward. Stuck in a cell with him...
"Val?" Skulduggery asked a quizzical look on his face. "You ok?"
Happy face Valkyrie, "Yeah I'm great," Valkyrie answered bubbly.
"Uh ok," Skulduggery replied, clearly not buying her enthusiasm.
“So,” she asked, “how’ve things been?”
“Um, as good as they can in a cell,” Skulduggery replied looking away.
“Oh.”
An awkward silence followed. “You’re looking better though,” Skulduggery said, nodding towards where her wound was.
“Oh... yes,” she answered, looking down at the floor.
“Val...” Skulduggery started. Oh just looking at him gave her butterflies, wait why am I feeling like this? Valkyrie thought, Unless... Oh crap. I need to see Tanith.
“I...” Skulduggery continued, but just then the door of the cold cell burst open and light streamed through. Skulduggery and Valkyrie peered around to see who had come in. They were surprised to see Erskine Ravel, Madame Mist and Ghastly.
“Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain, you are hereby free from arrest and may continue your duties as Sanctuary Detectives,” said Ravel. Ghastly had his arms crossed and was glaring at Ravel. Madame Mist just stood there. “Cleavers, remove their shackles.”
Two Cleavers came in and undid their shackles that were holding them to the wall. They both massaged their raw, rubbed wrists. “You are to continue your search for Valkyrie’s reflection and... Darquesse,” Ravel managed to say. The elders turned and walked away. Ghastly threw Skulduggery a look saying, We need to talk, NOW. Skulduggery nodded and turned and walked the opposite way with Valkyrie.
“Um Skulduggery, the exit is the other way,” Valkyrie said, pointing to the direction the elders had took.
“Yeah, but I don’t really feel like talking to them and I don’t think we’re their favourite people right now,” Skulduggery explained as they turned corner after corner, taking the long way back to the exit.
“What I wouldn’t give for a teleporter right now,” Valkyrie said wistfully. At the word teleporter, Skulduggery’s fist clenched, an action not missed by Valkyrie. She stared as he forced his fists to unclench themselves. Luckily Valkyrie had been walking behind him, so he didn’t see her staring.
As they walked towards the Bentley, Skulduggery’s phone started ringing. He picked it up as they climbed into the car. “Hello?” he answered.
After a minute he hung up. He turned to Valkyrie who looked at him expectantly. Gosh, she is so beautiful, Skulduggery thought staring at her. She looked away quickly and blushed. “Um I need to go to Ghastly’s shop so...” he trailed off uncertain of how to word it.
“Uh ok, can you drop me off at Tanith’s house then?” she answered, still not looking at him.
“Sure...” he said hesitantly as the Bentley roared to life. “I’ve missed hearing that,” he added. A flicker of a smile spread across her face, but she still didn’t look at him. He drove the car to Tanith’s house and she immediately jumped out.
“Bye Skul,” she said over her shoulder as she ran to the front door. She knocked quickly on the door as the Bentley slowly drove away. She was quickly answered by Tanith, who wrapped her up in a bear hug.
“Hey girl, how ya doin?” Tanith asked as she pulled away. “By the way, have you heard from Ghastly? He hasn’t texted me in ages,” she added a worried look on her face as she led the way to the kitchen.
“Well...” Valkyrie started. “The reason is...” And she told Tanith everything, starting from when the reflection had her hostage. She braced herself for the reaction.
“YOUR DARQUESSE?!?!” she shouted, “But how were you captured by her then, and what does that have to do with... and why are you? How could you not tell me!” she finished her rambling speech.
“Well, like Lord Vile is Skulduggery’s subconscious, Darquesse is mine. I have basically no control over her, but I’ve done what I can, I got Nye to seal my true name so it can’t be used against me and Skulduggery...” Valkyrie trailed off and looked down at her hands. Tanith quickly shut up.
“Ah, yes, Skulduggery,” Tanith answered quietly, knowing if she made one bad move Valkyrie would be up and gone. “So what exactly did he say?” she asked tentatively.
“He... He was shouting at Nye, and saying I couldn’t die, and... And that he loved me,” Valkyrie finished looking down at her hands again that were nervously moving about. “But I was barely conscious, so... well it’s been awkward for me ever since.”
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Meanwhile, Skulduggery pulled the Bentley outside Ghastly’s shop. It was amazing how he could keep the shop running and be an elder as well, Skulduggery thought. He got out of the Bentley and walked through the front doors. Ghastly greeted him with a stiff hello. He gestured for Skulduggery to sit down. Skulduggery sat on the hard backed chair.
“So...” he ventured out to say.
“So indeed,” Ghastly replied crossing his arms and standing over Skulduggery. “What the heck do we do with you Skul?”
“With me? I don’t see the need to do anything.”
“Oh Skulduggery,” Ghastly sighed as he pulled up another chair. “You are in serious trouble, you know that don’t you?”
“If by that, you’re meaning Lord Vile who I have no control over then yes, yes I do.”
Ghastly sighed again. “I know there’s something else on your mind right now as well.”
Skulduggery stiffened, “You do?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“But what about Vile? Shouldn’t you be putting me in prison or something?”
“Well yes, but I don’t want to. I’m your best friend Skul, and I do NOT want to see you behind bars for something you can’t control. But I also want to know what the something else on your mind is.”
“You really want to know?”
“I really, really do.”
“Well...”
“Yes?”
“Ghastly... I think I’m in love with Valkyrie.”
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Back at Tanith’s house, Tanith nearly had what she needed to know from Val. “Tanith,” Valkyrie said suddenly.
“Yes?” she answered a little too innocently.
“Your...you’re not mad about the Darquesse thing are you?”
“Honey, of course not, I’m your sister,” she replied warmly. Valkyrie sighed with relief. “But uh, back to Skulduggery...” she asked cautiously.
“Tanith,” Valkyrie looked straight at her then quickly looked away. “I think I’m in love with him too...”