Darquesse
It was the psychic rooting through Valkyrie's head that allowed me to talk even clearer to her. There was no ignoring me anymore. Then there was Ghastly's death, and the Reflection, who now called herself Stephanie taking over Valkyrie's life.
It pushed her over the edge.
And then she killed someone. They were trying to kill her, but she still killed them.
It would normally be unforgivable, but in war people do terrible things.
It was enough. She let me take over. That one word, locking Valkyrie into her own head.
Now I am in control.
Valkyrie
War is hell.
Terrible things happen. You see terrible things. You do terrible things.
This has been the last stand of the Dead Men. Ghastly is dead. Shudder is dead. Erskine Ravel is the one who killed them, a traitor. And I am stuck in my head, with Darquesse in control.
I was once told that I would become Darquesse once I had no reason to stay as Valkyrie.
But that wasn't true. In a moment of weakness I had become what I feared the most.
Now I am no more than a whisper in my own head.
Stephanie
I am Skulduggery's partner now, with Valkyrie out of the picture. If I had the chance, I had permission to kill her, if there was no way to bring Valkyrie back.
I am now my own person. No longer just a reflection.
I have the life I wanted. I am no longer just a replacement while Valkyrie was gone. I am Skulduggery's partner, helping him hunt down Darquesse. I am Alice's big sister and wielder of the Scepter of the Ancients.
I am Stephanie.