Chapter 1
Valkyrie is 16
Sanguine drew his razor along her arm, leaving a thin cut that filled with blood.
"Where are they," he taunted, twisting his razor through the air in front of Valkyrie's face.
"Where are Blondie and her ugly boyfriend,"he added, "And where's the dead man, you know, the talking pile of bones".
"Here," came a velvety voice from behind Sanguine, "Here I am".
Sanguine turned, his face filled with shock, a fist slammed into his nose and he staggered , falling to the ground as blood erupted over his face. Where he had been stood Skulduggery, his fedora tilted low over his eyes.
"Valkyrie, did he hurt you".
He winced when he saw her, her eyes were drained of life and there was dried blood on her face,
"I'm sorry Valkyrie, I'm so sorry," he said
"Why? You saved me didn't you," she said, her voice was weak.
He traced her cheekbone with a single skeletal finger,
"I don't like seeing you hurt".