Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 1 - 12. Derek Landy

in the time it took the scythe to cross the space between them, and when the Cleaver tried to take his head, he could only chip at the neck. Stephanie instinctively knew what he’d done – this was the last Elemental power, earth, the power Skulduggery had described as purely defensive, and purely for use as a last resort.

      The White Cleaver looked directly at Stephanie as Skulduggery put the car in gear. They left them there – the White Cleaver and Ghastly – and sped through the city streets.

       26

      THE LAST STAND OF…

      achan Meritorious waited in the shadow of Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral, watching the world go about its business. There were times when he felt guilty about hiding magic from the masses, when he felt sure that they would embrace the wonder and the beauty if only they were given the opportunity. But then he’d come to his senses, and realise that humankind had enough things to be worrying about without a subculture that they might see as a threat to their very validity. As an Elder, it was his job to protect the outside world from truths they weren’t yet ready to know.

      Morwenna Crow walked up, her dark robes flowing over the grass. She was as clean and as elegant as the day he had first met her.

      “It’s not like Skulduggery Pleasant to be late,” she remarked.

      “Sagacious said he sounded urgent,” Meritorious said. “He may have run into some difficulty.”

      Morwenna looked around the corner of the cathedral, to the busy street beyond the railing. The bright lights, amber and yellow, framed her face. She seemed almost angelic. “I don’t like meeting out in the open like this. We’re too exposed. He should know better.”

      “Skulduggery picked this place for a reason,” Meritorious said gently. “I trust his judgement. He’s earned that much at least.”

      They turned as Sagacious Tome appeared beside them, fading up from nothing.

      “Sagacious,” Morwenna said, “did Skulduggery say why he wanted to meet us here?”

      Sagacious looked nervous as the materialisation completed and he became solid. “I’m sorry, Morwenna, he just told me to make sure both of you were outside the cathedral.”

      “This had better be good,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of time to spare these days. Serpine could strike anywhere, at any time.”

      Meritorious watched Sagacious smile sadly. “That’s very true,” Sagacious said. “And if I may, I just want to take this opportunity to let you both know, in the times when we were friends, they were great times indeed.”

      Morwenna laughed. “We’re not dead yet, Sagacious.”

      And then he looked at her and the smile turned to something else. “Actually, Morwenna, you are.”

      The Hollow Men converged and Sagacious faded to nothing. Meritorious didn’t even have time to register the betrayal before he saw Serpine, striding towards them, holding the Sceptre. He instinctively conjured a protective shield that made the air glimmer, but when the crystal flashed the black lightning came right through the shield like it wasn’t even there and then there was—

      Nothing.

      *

      The Administrator charged through a crowd outside the Olympia Theatre, drawing a chorus of angry shouts and curses. He stumbled but managed to stay up, managed to keep running. He glanced behind.

      He couldn’t see anyone pursuing him. He didn’t think he had been seen, but he couldn’t be sure. He had been standing by the car when Nefarian Serpine had appeared. He had seen Meritorious explode into dust and ash, saw the black lightning strike Morwenna Crow as she tried to rush her enemies.

      He had ducked down, terrified. Tome betrayed them. Tome betrayed them all. The Administrator had abandoned the car and started running.

      He had to get back to the Sanctuary. He had to warn the others.

       27

      NO CALM BEFORE THE STORM

      kulduggery had given her money and Stephanie had gone in to pay while he refilled the Bentley’s tank. As she waited for her change she looked at the chocolate bars on display and tried remembering the last time she’d eaten chocolate. She always ate chocolate when something bad happened, but these days chocolate just wasn’t enough.

      Everything was going wrong. Tanith was injured, Ghastly was nothing more than a statue and now they had the White Cleaver to worry about. It was getting to the point where Stephanie didn’t know why they were bothering to fight any more, although she’d never say that to Skulduggery. He seemed to think she was like him – never give up, never surrender. But she wasn’t. The only reason she didn’t tell him this was because she liked the way he thought of her, and she didn’t want to disappoint him. But the truth was, the Valkyrie Cain he thought he knew was a lot stronger than Stephanie Edgley could ever be.

      She walked back outside. Skulduggery was slotting the petrol nozzle back into the pump. Tanith had gone to soak her hand in the same healing mixture she had given Stephanie.

      Now that they were alone, Stephanie didn’t quite know what to say. Skulduggery screwed the petrol cap shut and stood there, perfectly still. With his hat on and his scarf hiding his jaw, it could have been a mannequin standing there for all the difference it made.

      “I’m sorry,” Stephanie said. He looked at her.

      “If it wasn’t for me, Ghastly would be… he’d be with us. It’s my fault he had to use the earth power.” She fought to keep her voice from trembling. “How long will he stay like that, do you think?”

      Skulduggery took a moment. “I sincerely don’t know, Valkyrie. It’s the most unpredictable power we have. He could be stuck as a statue for a day, a week, or a hundred years. There’s no way of knowing.”

      “I’ve ruined everything.”

      “No—”

      “That Cleaver was after me. Ghastly was forced to—”

      “Ghastly wasn’t forced to do anything,” Skulduggery interrupted. “It was his choice. And it wasn’t your fault. Serpine sent his assassin after you to hurt me. It’s what he does.”

      “He sent him after me because he knew I wouldn’t be able to defend myself. He knows you’re looking after me, he knows I’m your weak spot.”

      Skulduggery tilted his head. “Looking after you? Is that how you see this? You think I’m babysitting you?”

      “Well aren’t you? I’ve got no magic; I can’t fight; I can’t throw fire or run on ceilings. What use am I to you? I’m weak.”

      Skulduggery shook his head. “No, you’re not. You haven’t trained in magic or combat, but you’re not weak. Serpine underestimates you. Everyone underestimates you. You’re stronger than they know. You’re stronger than you know.”

      “I wish you were right.”

      “Of course I’m right. I’m me.”

      Stephanie heard a phone ring as Tanith walked into the light of the forecourt. She had wrapped a bandage around her wrist. The magical properties of the healing mixture would already be working to reduce the swelling and mend the damage. Tanith held her