Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 1 - 12. Derek Landy

of darkness. She said Skulduggery fought by your side for some of it, but … She sensed things more than saw them, you know? She felt terror, and death, and futility. She felt the world on the edge of destruction, and she sensed evil. Unimaginable evil.”

      Something caught in Valkyrie’s throat and she forced it down. “Where did it come from, the creature?”

      “I don’t know.”

      “Well, what was it? Was it a vampire or a Faceless One or …”

      “I don’t know.”

      “So the only thing you do know is that I’m going to die? Well, I’ve seen time-travel movies. I know that the future isn’t certain. I know that knowing what happens can change what happens. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to train harder, and when I meet this creature of darkness, I’ll kick it to a messy pulp, and put a leash around its neck and make it my pet.”

      “I don’t think this can be changed.”

      “Then you don’t know me very well.”

      He looked at her for an age, then took a deep breath before letting it out in a long, resigned sigh.

      “One other thing,” she said. “In case you didn’t notice, that was me making my decision on the whole quitting idea.”

      He nodded. “I won’t bring it up again.”

      “Good. And, Ghastly, I really am glad you’re back.”

      He smiled. “Thanks.”

      Skulduggery stepped in. “We have to go.”

      “But I’m waiting for my tea,” Ghastly said, dismayed.

      “We don’t have time for tea. When we visited Aranmore Farm, I left my number with Paddy Hanratty in case he noticed any unusual activity on his land. Paddy just called. He said he saw a dark-haired man wandering around.”

      “You think it was Jaron Gallow?” Valkyrie asked. “Or Batu?”

      “I do. Paddy overheard him on his phone, saying something about preparing the site, and then he left without telling Paddy what he was doing there.”

      “That’s not good,” Ghastly said, a little grumpily.

      “What’s wrong?” Valkyrie frowned.

      Skulduggery looked at her. “It sounds like the Diablerie know precisely where the gate will open. If things were going our way, they’d have to spend a few hours roaming the farm to find the exact spot before trying to open it. Obviously, and in keeping with our lot in life, things are not going our way.”

      “So if they already know where the gate will open,” Valkyrie said, “and if they somehow get their hands on Fletcher, they can get straight down to business.”

      “Indeed they can.”

      “What do we do?”

      “The first thing we do is know what our enemy knows, so we find it ourselves. Or rather, Fletcher does.”

      They walked into the main part of the shop, where Tanith was sitting upside-down on the ceiling and looking annoyed. Fletcher was gazing up at her, lovestruck.

      Skulduggery shook his head. “Oh, for God’s sake …”

      

      he room was just another room in the conference centre. In the other rooms, business people were showing flow charts and diagrams to their clients, but there were no flow charts in this room. In this room, nine people sat around a long table and they were all looking at the bald man standing at the window.

      Mr Bliss looked out over Dublin. “What you’re talking about here is illegal,” he said.

      “We have no choice,” a man with golden eyes responded. “We can see where Guild is taking us, and we have no wish to follow him down that road. The Sanctuary needs a new leader.”

      “There are those who are more qualified than I.”

      A woman in grey shook her head. “But they want the job too much.”

      “Replacing Guild would provoke an international scramble for power.”

      “Not if his replacement had international respect. Bliss, if we overthrow Guild and you become the Grand Mage, it will strengthen our standing. The Councils around the world know you. Many of them fear you.”

      “I have no desire to lead.”

      The man with the golden eyes spoke again. “Maybe it’s not your choice. Someone has to make a stand. Someone has to oppose these new laws Guild is intent on introducing. I am sorry, my friend, but you are the only one who can do this without starting a war.”

      Bliss was silent. “If we do this, we do it my way.”

      “Of course.”

      “And we wait until this current crisis is over.”

      “Agreed.”

      Bliss turned to them and nodded. “Very well.”

      

      kulduggery drove Ghastly’s van, with Valkyrie in the passenger seat. Ghastly, Tanith and Fletcher sat on the cushions in the rear. No matter how sharp the corner they turned or how deep the pothole they plunged into, Ghastly and Tanith remained perfectly still. Fletcher, on the other hand, was being thrown about like an old shoe in a washing machine, and he did not appreciate it.

      They reached Aranmore and drove up to the farmhouse. By the looks of things it hadn’t rained much here. Valkyrie was getting tired of the rain.

      The van stopped and Skulduggery made sure his scarf and sunglasses were on securely. He pulled his hat down low and got out. Valkyrie scrambled out the other side as Paddy walked over to them, a shovel in his hand, face red from recent exertion.

      “I called you because I said I would if I saw anything suspicious,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Not because I wanted you to come back.”

      “We understand that,” said Skulduggery, “but we had little choice.”

      “You don’t get it. I’m not going to sell this land, to you, or that other fella, or anyone.”

      “We’re not trying to buy your home.”

      “Good, because you won’t.”

      Valkyrie stayed quiet. On the way over here they had discussed the best way to approach the old man. They needed him to leave before anything bad happened, but they had both agreed that he wasn’t the type to be scared off. So they’d decided to tell him the truth.

      “Do you follow any particular faith?” Skulduggery asked.

      Paddy raised his eyebrows. “You’re not trying to sell me a bible, are you?”

      “No.”

      “Then you want to convert me? That’s very flattering, but look at me. Is it really worth your while?”

      “We’re not here to convert you,” Skulduggery said, gentle amusement in his voice.

      Paddy