Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 1 - 12. Derek Landy

sat on the windowsill and told her what was happening in the world outside her bedroom. The White Cleaver had vanished, and they still didn’t know why, or even how, he had ignored his master’s final command. Skulduggery had a suspicion that he was under orders from somebody else, but just who this mystery master was, he didn’t yet know. Serpine’s allies had resurfaced and struck, and then vanished again when the news of the sorcerer’s demise had reached them. Serpine’s grand scheme may have failed, but because of it, the Cleavers’ numbers had been decimated, and their duties now stretched them thin.

      “How’s Tanith?” Stephanie asked. “Will she be OK?”

      “She’s lucky to be alive. The injury she took was severe, but she’s strong. She’ll pull through. I’ll take you to see her when you’re rested.”

      “And Ghastly? Any change?”

      “I’m afraid not. They’re keeping him safe, but… we don’t know how long he’ll stay like that. Fortunately for him, the time will pass in the blink of an eye. The rest of us will have to wait. On the bright side, the Sanctuary has a new and interesting addition to their Hall of Statues.”

      “Do they have a Hall of Statues?”

      “Well, no. But now that they’ve got a statue, maybe they’ll start.”

      “What are they going to do about the Elder Council?”

      “Meritorious was a good man and the most powerful Grand Mage we had seen in a long time. The other Councils in Europe are worried about who will fill the vacuum now that he’s gone. The Americans are offering their support, the Japanese are sending delegates to help us wrest back some control, but…”

      “It sounds like a lot of people are panicking.”

      “And they have a right to. Our systems of power, our systems of self-government, are delicate. If we topple, others will follow. We need a strong leader.”

      “Why don’t you do it?”

      He laughed. “Because I’m not well liked, and I’m not well trusted, and I already have a job. I’m a detective, remember?”

      She gave her own little shrug. “Vaguely.”

      Another snippet of pub music drifted by the window, and Stephanie thought about the world she’d grown up in, and how different it was from the world she’d been introduced to, and yet how similar. There was joy and happiness in both, just as there was heartbreak and horror. There was good and evil and everything in between, and these qualities seemed to be shared equally in the worlds of the magical and the mundane. It was her life now. She couldn’t imagine living without either one.

      “How are you?” Skulduggery asked, his voice gentle.

      “Me? I’m fine.”

      “Really? No nightmares?”

      “Maybe one or two,” she admitted.

      “They’ll always be there, reminding us of where we went wrong. If you pay attention to your bad dreams, they can help you.”

      “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind next time I’m asleep.”

      “Good,” said Skulduggery. “In any event, get well soon. We have mysteries to solve, and adventures to undertake, and I need my partner and student with me.”

      “Student?”

      He shrugged. “Things are going to get a lot rougher from here on in, and I need someone to fight by my side. There’s something about you, Valkyrie. I’m not quite sure what it is. I look at you and…”

      “And you’re reminded of yourself when you were my age?”

      “Hmm? Oh, no, what I was going to say is there’s something about you that is really annoying, and you never do what you’re told, and sometimes I question your intelligence, but even so I’m going to train you, because I like having someone follow me around like a little puppy. It makes me feel good about myself.”

      She rolled her eyes. “You are such a moron.”

      “Don’t be jealous of my genius.”

      “Can you get over yourself for just a moment?”

      “If only that were possible.”

      “For a guy with no internal organs, you’ve got quite the ego.”

      “And for a girl who can’t stand up without falling over, you’re quite the critic.”

      “My leg will be fine.”

      “And my ego will flourish. What a pair we are.”

      She had to laugh. “Go on, get out. Mum’ll be up soon to check on me.”

      “Before I go…”

      “Yes?”

      “Aren’t you going to show me what you’ve been practising? You’ve been dying to show off from the moment I knocked on this window.”

      Stephanie looked at him and arched an eyebrow, but he was right and he knew it. The other good thing about this recuperation period was that she had all the time she wanted to develop her powers, and she hadn’t wasted the few days that had passed already.

      She clicked her fingers, summoning a small flame into the palm of her hand. She watched it flicker and dance, then looked up at Skulduggery and grinned.

      “Magic,” he said.

      

      This book is dedicated to my family – because otherwise I’d never hear the end of it …

      Nadine: warm, kind and considerate. I am all of these things.

      Audrey: the greatest thrill of your life is probably the fact that I’m your brother.

      Ivan: meaningless words such as “brilliant”, “amazing” and “inspirational” have been used to describe me, but not nearly enough.

      If any of you thought that there’d be anything sincere or heartfelt in your dedications, allow me a moment to quietly laugh at you …

      Because the heartfelt sincerity is reserved for my nana.

      Chic, this book is also dedicated to you, for all the love and support you’ve shown me over the years. I love you much more than any of your other grandchildren do, I swear.

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

       Dedication

Chapter 1: Hanging Around

Chapter 2: Killer On The Loose

Chapter 3: Vengeous