Skulduggery Pleasant_ Death Bringer - Derek Landy [160]
But since then, even Skulduggery’s attitude towards China had softened. They’d all been through so much together. They’d fought side by side. They’d faced death and overcome certain destruction. China had been shifting, ever so slightly, from her throne of neutrality to being an ally who could be depended upon. And ever since Valkyrie had lost Tanith, China had become something even more – she’d become a friend.
But now all that was over. Because of his own past, Skulduggery could forgive a great many sins. But this? Being directly involved in the murder of his wife and child? Valkyrie feared that it would be asking too much of him to forgive a crime of that magnitude.
She hadn’t heard from him in two days. She kept expecting a call from Ghastly, informing her that Skulduggery was in custody, charged with the unlawful killing of China Sorrows. But as the darkness drew in on another day her phone, thankfully, remained silent.
She was in no mood for Caelan that night. He tapped on her window and she stared at him for the longest time, then pointed behind him, at the pier, and he nodded, and vanished. She got dressed, sneaked out.
“I’m sorry,” he said when she neared.
“For what?”
“For not being there when you needed me. You went through all of that without me.”
“It’s grand, OK? Forget about it.”
“But I failed you, Valkyrie.”
She sighed. “I can’t do this any more.”
“You can’t do what?”
“Caelan, whatever we have, it’s over, all right? We never went out, but we’re breaking up, even so.”
His beautiful eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re way too intense for me. I mean, for God’s sake, every word out of your mouth is how much you love me and how we’re meant to be together. I don’t look forward to seeing you any more because I know exactly what I’ll be getting.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, Caelan, I do. We’re not Buffy and Angel, or Romeo and Juliet, or those two from West Side Story. We’re not even Edward and Bella, OK? You’re far too freaky for me.”
He looked at her. “We’re meant to be together…”
“And this is exactly what I mean.”
“Our love is written in the stars.”
“And there you go again.”
“I love you.”
“You bore me.”
He faltered. “What?”
“Seriously. You do. I hate to be so mean, but you’re just not hearing this. You bore the hell out of me. At first, you were cool. But my God, you got boring really fast. There’s only so much of this brooding loner thing a girl can take before she really just needs someone to make her laugh. You’re not a funny guy, Caelan.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You can’t tell jokes.”
“No, I mean I don’t understand why you’re saying these things.”
“And you just missed another joke. See?”
“It’s Fletcher, isn’t it?”
“Fletcher has nothing to do with this, other than I can’t believe I’ve had to break up with two guys in the space of a week.”
He grabbed her arm. “I can change,” he said. “That’s not going to do it.”
“Then you can change.”
“Excuse me?”
“You can do what I say for once. Have you never thought that the reason you are unhappy is because you never obey me?”
“Seriously? No, that thought never entered my head.”
“I only want what’s best for you.”
“Let go of my arm.”
“Why? Do you think I’d break it? I would never hurt you, Valkyrie. This? This isn’t pain.” He squeezed, and she grimaced. “This is nothing compared to the agony I feel in my heart. A bruise, a broken bone is paltry.”
“Caelan, let go of me right now.”
“Why?” he asked, a sneer on his lips. “So you can run away from me? So you can leave me, and fall into the arms of another? Who is he, Valkyrie?”
“There’s no one else, you psycho.”
“Stop lying to me!”
Valkyrie twisted her arm and yanked it from his grip and Caelan caught her across the jaw with his fist. She was halfway to the ground when his hand closed around her throat and suddenly he was slamming her against the wall on the far side of the road.
“Who is he?” he snarled. “Who are you with? Give me his name!