This story was by September Silver and I, and we hope you enjoy it. Now read it and then review, or the killer may just come for you… - llamalovesdragons
I normally wasn't one to smile unless I had to, but my grin was spreading all over my face. It was beautiful—the moonlight peeking through the curtains just enough to illuminate the blood splattered all over the walls like a canvas. This is all our work, I think, and a certain amount of sick pride swells in my chest.
It's almost bittersweet. This wouldn't have happened if they'd let me become an Elder. Honestly, I don't know if the hate I feel is more towards the Council or myself. But that doesn't matter. Because this is the only thing that will make me feel better.
Revenge.
I snap out of my reverie and look back at my masterpiece. It is gorgeous, sure, but I had two other targets to look for.
I slip out of the room through the window and make my way outside to where Ghastly Bespoke and Erskine Ravel are—in a small, safe-looking room. One at a time. Just to be safe. Wait until they separate first. Apparently, I wait too long, because Tipstaff charges in, his face white and his mouth moving incredibly fast. Crap. I should have just taken them both down. They're going to be in lockdown from now on.
I move away from the window and retreat for now, contemplating my next move. And when I think of it, I'll be back again.
1
Valkyrie Cain opened the door to the Bentley and slid into the passenger seat. Skulduggery Pleasant put the car in drive and drove off. "You said something about an emergency," she prompted. Skulduggery looked at her, his skull gleaming in the low light. The night swallowed the pier behind them as they drove off.
"Ghastly said something about an emergency," he corrected. "I just repeated his words."
"Did Ghastly say anything else?" Valkyrie asked.
"To get there as fast as possible."
"Anything else?"
"Only that Mist is dead and that he and Ravel are being held under lock and key, literally, because the killer may still be in the area. Oh, and we, Tipstaff, who found her, Ghastly, Ravel and the multitude of cleavers guarding them know. They're trying to keep it hushed up."
"You couldn't have started with that?"
"No, that would have ruined the surprise."
"What does that mean for the Elders? Will the Supreme Council try to take over?"
Skulduggery was quite for a long moment. "Possibly. They have already tried for a logical take over. They could already be planning to take over."
"What if they're the ones who killed Mist, like with Strom?"
"It could be them, but wouldn't they go for a more well liked Elder? At least this proves it's not the Roarhaven mages."
"It does?"
"They wouldn't want to lose one of their mages, let alone one is such a position of power."
"I guess not. Do I really have to look? You know how I feel about murders."'
"I do, and yes, you do."
"Why?"
"Don't look so upset. It will be fun."
"How?"
"I don't know. I'm working on it."
"It would be for Darquesse and Vile."
"See, I told you it would be fun."
Skulduggery pulled up outside of the Sanctuary. Valkyrie grabbed his hat and opened the door. He walked around to her and she handed him his hat. They walked through the doors and Tipstaff came to meet them. Valkyrie saw that his face looked pale. "Detectives Pleasant and Cain," he said by the way of greeting, his voice shaking. "Elder Bespoke told me you'd be here." He turned and led them towards the back of the Sanctuary.
"He doesn't look good," Valkyrie commented.
"He could be in shock," Skulduggery said. Tipstaff stopped and pointed down the corridor. Skulduggery nodded to him and led Valkyrie to the door Tipstaff had indicated. "Oh my," Skulduggery said, and moved out of the way so Valkyrie could see. Bile rose in her throat and she did her best to keep it down.
"I can see why he was in shock," she said, following Skulduggery as he stuck close to the walls. The thing had been Mist lay in a pool of blood. Her limbs were twisted and torn.
"What does this look like to you?" Skulduggery asked.
"The only thing I can think of was, you remember when we were attacked by those Zombies that Scapegrace lost control of, and Shudder used his gist? That." Valkyrie looked away from Mist.
"I can see the resemblance." Skulduggery agreed. "But it wasn't Shudder. Every gist has a slightly different way of attacking, and this gist looks like it was just let lose, with no control whatsoever."
"I can tell." Valkyrie caught sight of jagged claw marks, as long as her arms spread out, gouged into the wall.
"Did a gist do that?" Valkyrie asked.
Skulduggery inspected the wall. "No. That's not a gist."
"What is it?"
"No idea." They continued picking through the room, passing comments back and forth.
"Well, that was interesting." Skulduggery walked over to the Bentley.
"What do we do know?" Valkyrie asked.
"We try to find what made those marks on the wall."'
"What if it wasn't a gist?"
"Then we find out what it was." Skulduggery stopped and pulled his gun out as a figure stepped out of the darkness. "My name is Liberty Wit, and I want to help you find out who killed Madame Mist. I think I know who did it."
Hello, sorry my part was so brief. I'm very excited to finally start writing this with llamalovesdragons... Please review and/or follow! – September Silver
