"I was joking!" Valkyrie yelled up above. She frantically tried to hang on to the ledge, but felt her fingers slipping.
"I didn't find it funny," Skulduggery replied from above.
"You find everything funny!" She retorted.
"Not everything."
"Help me up right now!"
"I may, and then I may not."
"You will! Right now!"
"Oh look I see a shark!"
Valkyrie looked down and shrieked. A large dorsal fin was circling beneath her.
"Say you are sorry for sitting on my hat."
Valkyrie grumbled something about skeletons being overly grudge holding.
"What was that?" Skulduggery called. "I think Mr Sharkey is getting hungry!"
Valkyrie swallowed all her pride.
"I'm sorry!" She called.
"You're forgiven."
Valkyrie felt the air gently hoist her up and she could see over the edge.
"On second thought, I don't think you meant that. Bye bye!" Skulduggery yelled.
"No!" Valkyrie screamed as she fell. She plummeted down the cliff face towards her death. She suddenly felt the air bringing her back up, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She came up over the ledge and her feet touched the ground and she breathed heavily.
"What the hell?!" She exclaimed.
"What?" Skulduggery cocked his head.
"Why did you throw me off the edge?"
"You said it yourself after you deliberately sat on my favourite hat."
"I was joking!"
"Yes. But I wasn't."
***
They reached Gordon's house half an hour after leaving Cassandra's. Valkyrie was still angry, and she gave Skulduggery the cold shoulder the whole way there. She quickly got out as Skulduggery parked the Bentley, and jogged up the steps. She took the key from under the mat and unlocked the door. Skulduggery stepped in first, gun in hand. She quietly followed him in, and stood next to him in the hallway.
"I'll take this area, you search the rooms upstairs," Skulduggery said.
"I still hate you," Valkyrie snapped.
"No you don't, you look up to me."
"Aren't you just a funny bones!" Valkyrie teased. Skulduggery groaned.
"More anatomy jokes?"
"What's wrong, am I getting under your skin?"
"Valkyrie stop..."
"Don't want pizza, how about some spare ribs instead?"
"Seriously..."
"This conversation's getting a little dis-jointed."
"I swear..."
"Come on Sherlock Bones, lighten up!"
"You're annoying me..."
"Ever considered music, you could play the trombone!"
"I said stop..."
"Or become Pelvis Presley!"
"Valkyrie..."
"What? You don't find me humerus?"
"Enough Valkyrie..."
"Did I strike a nerve?"
"I'm warning you. Stop."
"Don't have the guts to stand up for yourself?"
"STOP IT!" Skulduggery roared, and grabbed for her. She cried out in mock terror and fled the room. He chased her around the house, until he cornered her in the hallway.
"Skulduggery, please don't..."
She didn't get to finish as he hoisted her up onto his shoulder and carried her to the living room, while she laughed and tried uselessly to escape. He set her down gently to the floor, and kept searching. She raised her eyebrows. Surely he wouldn't just forget it like that. She shrugged and made her way up the stairs, passing all the old photos. She hadn't had the heart to take them down yet. This place felt too much like it still belonged to Gordon, not to her. She searched the first bedroom, and found nothing. As she was walking down the hall, she felt a disturbance in the air. She cried out and whirled around as something landed heavily behind her. She lashed out, and the attacker kicked her legs from under her, sending her sprawling to the floor. She looked up in shock as Skulduggery laughed like it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.
"Fucking bastard!" She screeched, getting to her feet. "Bloody hell, Skulduggery! You scared me half to death!"
"You were asking for that," he said, amusement evident in his voice; and tilted his head at a smug angle. Valkyrie sighed.
"You are so childish."
"So are you Valkyrie Cain, so are you. But if I hear one more anatomy joke, I'm going to throw you off a bridge."
"You already threw me off a cliff. How could a bridge be worse?"
"It could be in its own way," he answered, and lept over the railings.
Valkyrie sighed irritably, and continued her search. The second room was empty too. As she walked down the corridor, her heart skipped a beat. She stopped mid-step. A tall, lean figure was standing in the shadows, and she could tell that it definitely wasn't Skulduggery. There was only one other possible suspect.
"Herman Grave?" She asked, trying to keep her voice as still as possible.
"Yes," the figure answered. "And you are Valkyrie Cain."
"Yes, how do you know my name?"
"A little birdy told me."
"What was this birdy's name?"
"I'm not allowed to give out that information. I'm just here for you."
"Why? What do you want with me?"
"That also, is secret," he said, stepping closer towards her. She took a step back. Through the shadows, she saw Herman smile.
"Don't be afraid Valkyrie."
"Leave me alone!"
"Make another sound and I'll kill you."
Valkyrie froze. Skulduggery was downstairs. If only she could call him. She opened her mouth to yell, and Grave stepped closer. She reached for her phone, and Grave sent a spear of shadows towards her. She dived under them.
"Impressive," Grave said. Valkyrie breathed heavily and got to her feet.
"You're a Necromancer."
Grave smiled and nodded.
"But you're a time traveller."
"Magic can do strange things sometimes," he answered, sending another wave of shadows slicing towards her. She dodged them and they hit the bookcase behind her, making it crash to the ground. Hopefully Skulduggery had heard the noise. She tried to manipulate the air to send him signals, but Grave spoke up again.
"If you try anything, I'll kill your skeleton partner in front of you." Valkyrie could feel the tears building. There was nothing she could do.
"Stay where you are, or I will kill him."
Valkyrie stayed put as Grave stepped forward. She couldn't risk Skulduggery's life. He didn't deserve it. But she knew that if Grave killed her, then Skulduggery would come after him, because that was the sort of partner and friend he was. Valkyrie knew that if anyone killed him, she would seek vengeance, and then take her own life.
All these things flowed through her mind as Grave came closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. In seconds she felt herself standing at the entrance to a school. No, not a school, an academy.
The sign above the door said,
'Rienstone Academy for Young Mages.'
Why did Grave send her here? She was a sorcerer, not a mortal. The door opened suddenly, and a middle aged lady with bright red fuzzy hair stepped out.
"Ah, a new student. Welcome dear, please come in." The lady stepped to the side and Valkyrie came through the door.
"What is your name dear?"
Valkyrie turned to face her.
"Valkyrie Cain," she answered.
"A very good choice. Suits you. I'm Headmistress Adeline. Welcome to Rienstone Academy for Young Mages. You haven't brought any bags."
"I didn't have time."
Headmistress Adeline shrugged.
"Very well then, Valkyrie Cain. Come to my office and we'll get you signed in."
Valkyrie followed the Headmistress down the long corridor, and into the hallway. Lockers lined the walls and classrooms were clearly numbered and marked. The bell rang suddenly, making Valkyrie jump at the sound. Students ran out of classrooms and filed into the hall, opening lockers and creating chaos. Valkyrie dodged them all. As she neared the office, a familiar voice echoed down the hall. Saracen Rue.
Being distracted, Valkyrie forgot to dodge an incoming student, who knocked into her and sent her sprawling to the ground in an ungraceful fashion. She blushed, completely and utterly embarrassed.
"Are you okay?"
Valkyrie looked up as a handsome looking boy with chocolate coloured hair and emerald green eyes knelt beside her.
"I'm fine," she answered.
"Sorry about that, Dexter can be a stupid idiot sometimes." That voice, it was so familiar...
"It's okay, I'm good."
The boy helped her stand.
"Thanks," she said.
"Come on Skul! We're gonna be late for Physical Combat!" She heard someone yell. Her eyes went wide as the boy turned around.
"I'm coming Dex! Hold your horses!" He smiled and turned back to Valkyrie.
"I'll see you around," he said.
"Yeah, see you."
With that, he jogged off back to his friends, with all the girl's eyes on him as he went.
Once Valkyrie had signed all the papers (which took about an hour seeing as Valkyrie couldn't work the quill), the Headmistress handed her a timetable and a map. Then she escorted her to her room.
"You don't mind sharing with a boy do you? We're trying to rule out gender inequality."
"I don't mind."
"Great. You'll be sharing with Skulduggery Pleasant."
Valkyrie's heart leapt into her throat, and she vomited a little in her mouth. Butterflies stampeded in her stomach as the Headmistress opened the door. Skulduggery sat on his bed, playing with the air. He looked up and his eyes lit up with recognition. He was the same boy from earlier.
"Pleasant, this is your new roommate. Miss Valkyrie Cain," Headmistress Adeline introduced Valkyrie. She blushed tomato red as Skulduggery shook her hand.
"We've already met," he said.
"Then you'll get along just fine," Adeline clapped her hands together. "If either of you need anything, let me know," she said as she left the room, shutting the door behind her.
Valkyrie looked awkwardly at the handsome boy who stood before her.
"Well, it's almost lunchtime," he said. "Do you want to join me?"
"Ah, sure," Valkyrie answered.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what are you wearing? It doesn't look like something a girl would wear," Skulduggery said, studying her.
For a moment, Valkyrie didn't know how to respond. She knew that girls wore corsets back in the olden days, but she had no idea what year it was. But Skulduggery was still a boy, and he only looked sixteen.
"Um, just a refresher, what year is it?" She asked. Skulduggery's eyebrows shot up.
"You don't know what year it is?" He asked.
"Um...no. Time is going so fast you see. I'm losing track of everything," she answered.
Skulduggery cocked his head in that way of his.
"It's 1614. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Um... lunch. Yeah, I'm starving."
"You're starving?" Skulduggery asked, surprise evident in his voice. "When was the last time you ate?"
Valkyrie stopped for a moment. This was the 1600's. Of course he'd think she was actually starving. Most people were.
"I exaggerated. Not really starving, just hungry, you know." Valkyrie nodded.
Skulduggery looked at her, studying her face. Oh god, the skeleton Skulduggery had been right, she was always hungry.
"You've not brought anything with you," he said, interrupting her thoughts.
"Um yeah. I didn't really have time to pack. We left on such short notice..."
Skulduggery nodded as the lunch be rang shrilly through the school. Valkyrie breathed a sigh of relief. Saved by the bell.
"I'll escort you to lunch," Skulduggery said, holding out his arm. Valkyrie thought it was something they did in the 1600's, so she went along with it. She and Skulduggery walked arm in arm towards the cafeteria.