Skulduggery Pleasant_ Death Bringer - Derek Landy [156]
Darquesse frowned. “Did we do anything on St Patrick’s Day?”
He continued to strip the armour away. “We were on a stake-out. It was you, me and Fletcher. For the first hour, he wouldn’t shut up. Then you started insulting him.”
“Oh,” Darquesse said. “I remember.”
“It was five hours with the three of us stuck in a room, and then another four hours with just the two of us, after Fletcher couldn’t take it any more.”
Darquesse laughed. “I’ve never seen him sulk so hard.”
“That was a good day for me,” Skulduggery said. “I didn’t have to hit anyone. I didn’t have to shoot anyone. I just sat around and talked to my good friend and partner, Valkyrie Cain.”
“And insulted her boyfriend,” Darquesse grinned.
“Indeed.”
Valkyrie shrugged. “Ex-boyfriend now, of course.”
“Fletcher was always going to be your ex-boyfriend, from the moment you met him. He’s just finally caught up with where he’s supposed to be.”
“What a nice way of looking at it.”
The last bit of Skulduggery’s armour joined the pile. “Maybe you should share that with him the next time you see him.”
“Maybe.” She looked round at the shattered glass and the mess. “I’m tired.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“People saw us. That taxi driver. He saw me.”
“That’s what people like Scrutinous are for.”
“I’m me again, by the way.”
“I know.”
Valkyrie let out a deep breath. “Did you see what I did? I was practically dead and I healed myself. How did I do that? I don’t even know what kind of magic it was. It certainly wasn’t Elemental, and it was like no Adept discipline I’ve ever heard of. It didn’t follow any of the rules.”
“I don’t know, Valkyrie.”
“I wonder what else I can do?” she said, and heat rose in her face. “I mean… I don’t want to know. I don’t want anything like that to happen again, I just…”
“I know,” Skulduggery said. “You’re just wondering.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Exactly. It was… amazing. I was flying, for God’s sake. Me. On my own. I was doing all these incredible things…”
Skulduggery held his hand over the armour, and the various sections melted into each other. He picked up what was left. “Power is intoxicating.”
“That’s a good word for it.”
“And like any intoxicant, it’s also addictive.”
She fell silent.
They climbed the stairs and stepped out through the window. Dawn was on its way. Valkyrie took out her phone to check the time. It fell to pieces the moment it left her pocket.
“Huh,” she said. “I think I need a more impact-resistant phone.”
Skulduggery took out his. “Three missed calls, all from Ghastly.”
“At least he’s alive.”
Skulduggery wrapped one arm around her waist, and they rose up off the pavement. “Thanks to you,” he said.
They flew over the city, the wind gently boosting them. The flashing lights and the sirens faded and Valkyrie looked to the approaching horizon, fighting the voice in her head. She used to love it when Skulduggery would take her into the air. The pure sensation of flying used to make her smile so, so wide. But now she wanted to pull away, to flatten out and go like a rocket. She wanted to do it herself. She wanted to feel that level of power again.
Soon, the voice in her head told her. Soon.
Chapter 60
Tattletale
armth and sunshine never really seemed to reach Roarhaven. It was as if it had its own extra layer of atmosphere that kept out anything that could possibly lighten the mood of its citizens. The same dour faces peered at the Bentley as they passed, unimpressed with the activity that was making the Sanctuary hum.
The Bentley stopped right at the end of the main street, and Skulduggery and Valkyrie looked at all the sorcerers streaming in through the Sanctuary doors. Today, they were to be honoured by the guests and the Council of Elders for their work to prevent the Passage, and for their efforts to save the lives of the people who were gathering. Ravel had assured them it would be a quiet ceremony.
“It doesn’t look quiet,” Valkyrie said.
“Indeed it does not,” Skulduggery murmured.
“Are they going to give us medals, or something? Maybe vouchers? I could use some vouchers.”
“There’s going