Skulduggery Pleasant_ Death Bringer - Derek Landy [70]
A female Necromancer frowned at her. “Who instructs you in the Temple?”
“I’m not really in the Temple that much,” Valkyrie said, her breathing under control now. “Solomon Wreath is my mentor.”
“Oh,” the woman said. “Well, that would explain the lack of formality.”
“Even so,” said the lead Necromancer, “Cleric Wreath ought to know better than to send a student with information like this. If the High Priest wishes us to return to London, he can send someone of higher rank to tell us.”
They went to walk by her, but Valkyrie jumped in front of them again. “Actually, no,” she said, “he was quite insistent. Everyone’s busy. Sanctuary agents are everywhere and they’re putting pressure on and all the Clerics have their hands full and—”
The lead Necromancer glared at her. “Step aside, girl.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the airport official she had shoved. He was jogging over, flanked by two cops.
“Fine,” she said to the lead Necromancer. “I’m not a Necromancer. My name’s Valkyrie Cain. I work with Skulduggery Pleasant. And I’m here to tell you that we’re about to drag the Death Bringer into custody and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”
The Necromancers stared, and almost as one they reached for her, anger flashing across their faces. Then the cops were there, standing between them.
“That’s her!” the official said. “That’s the girl who hit me!”
“I’m sorry,” Valkyrie said to the cops, looking as frightened as she could. “I lagged behind. They don’t like it when I lag behind.”
The cops frowned at her, then turned to the Necromancers.
“Is she with you?” the first cop asked.
The lead Necromancer scowled. “No. I’ve never seen her before. You can keep her.”
He went to walk on, but the cops blocked his way.
“Just hold on a minute there, until we get this sorted out. She’s dressed the same as you.”
“So?”
“It’s a little odd, isn’t it?”
“Not for us.”
“It’s like a uniform,” Valkyrie said, making her voice shake. “They make us wear black. It’s for the church.”
The second cop looked back at her. “Everyone here is part of a church?”
She nodded. “We call it a church, yes. Other people call it a cult. I shouldn’t be talking to you. They don’t like it when I talk to outsiders. They’re afraid I’ll tell people about their plans.”
The cops turned to the Necromancers, and the airport official backed away.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to come with us,” the first cop said. “Just to answer a few questions.”
“That won’t be possible,” the lead Necromancer said. “We have somewhere to be.”
“I’m afraid I have to insist.”
The lead Necromancer ignored him, turning his eyes to Valkyrie. “Are you sure you want to do this? In front of all these people? In front of security cameras? Because we’ll do it. The world is about to change – we could start that change right here and now.”
“That sounded like a threat,” the second cop said.
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
“Yeah,” the cop said, “but I was talking to you.”
Valkyrie hadn’t even noticed the movement in the crowds of people, but suddenly there were four more cops surrounding the Necromancers, done up in tactical gear and carrying automatic weapons. The Necromancers stiffened. Unlike Elementals and other Adepts, the Necromancers kept most of their magic in objects. But right now, their weapons were in their bags and pockets, and any move to get them would result in extreme violence.
Valkyrie backed away as the cops issued orders. The Necromancers glared at her, and she smiled back, slipping away through the crowd that had formed around them. She hurried for the doors, emerging into the Arrivals Area as more cops ran through to help their comrades. She rejoined Skulduggery and a handcuffed Dragonclaw, and they walked quickly for the exit.
“You handled it?” Skulduggery asked.
“I did. I could have used your help.”
“Nonsense. You’re more than capable of doing these things yourself. Were there many Necromancers?”
“Twelve or so. If they’re not escorted directly on to a flight home, I’d say, at the very least, they’re not going