China had filled only little of the details in concerning Valkyrie's time as Darquesse, as apparently time was too scarce, however nothing of importance had been revealed that Valkyrie had not yet already deduced. Relief and the necessity to understand split her like a torn rag. It had no care for her already broken spirit, or her loss at the friendship of her best friend – Skulduggery Pleasant. The acidic dread at a possible encounter burnt in her veins and arteries. She knew it was self-centred, but at a small part of her had hoped that at least due to his similar incursions he would stand by her as the magical community crushed at her at its full force.
"Until the end."
"Until the end."
Although the scene in Cassandra's Vision where the promise was held replayed inside her head, she still felt a sense of betrayal at Skulduggery's actions. She allowed a moment to grieve and whisper goodbye, then buried it down beneath all the other shame and remorse that twisted inside of her.
The cycle of movement her legs were making now was on impulse. Her legs still felt shaky and unsteady from the night before. The black leather boots on her feet – not ones she had previously recognised – slammed down in a constant rhythm as she ran to keep up with China Sorrows. The beautiful woman floated beside her. China's steps were ones of poise, elegance and grace. It was almost if she was dancing, rather than sprinting at full stamina. Together they raced down behind the still, grave houses. From what Valkyrie could gather, they were running away from the inner suburbs to the outer, more isolated suburbs.
Valkyrie knew, of course, that trusting China Sorrows to serve anyone but herself was like trusting Erskine Ravel to not stab you in the back. This could mean that China was leading her straight to Skulduggery and the people – most likely Sanctuary officials – he was with, but instead Valkyrie was relying on this fact for a different reason. If China was Grand Mage, as she said she was, then despite Valkyrie's doubts, the Sanctuary would never allow her to meet an alleged world-breaker alone.
Silence had settled in the air since when the run first began, but as she felt the pace gradually slowing, she thought it was now appropriate for questions.
"Are we stopping?" asked Valkyrie.
"No. We just need to adjust our care on this stretch."
Valkyrie's forehead creased in as they exited urban Dublin. They had slipped in and out of the backstreets around the houses and now a mixture of wide open farmland and dense woodland approached them.
Blindly following China on faith meant that she still had no idea why their final destination was, so she said nothing as they headed towards the wood. The trees ensnarled them into their grasp and enclosed them against the dawn. Valkyrie looked behind to see the rising sun silently peeping from beyond the horizon, then faced forward and followed China deeper into the forest.
China reached across and gently touched Valkyrie's arm.
"We must be quieter here Valkyrie, for as to not grasp the attention of the animals that rest inside this place."
Valkyrie nodded as the slowed, but inside, her stomach stirred uneasily as the leaves hung over them warningly. As they crept forward, the broken twigs crunching below them, odd pointed branches sometimes stuck out, scratching at their faces.
Sometimes she thought she heard an occasional growling noise from the distance, or the swift rustling of leaves. At first every time the noise prickled at her skull, she gave a small jolt in terror, but then it became a comforting noise, that they were not alone in this dismal forest devoid of sunlight.
Around half an hour later a wooden hut appeared in the distance. The wooden planks it was made from looked firm, but there was a kind of mustiness surrounding it and moss climbed and perched through the wood.
"Is that where we're going, China?" said Valkyrie, frowning at it. Personally she thought it looked rather timeworn and unsafe. The way it was leaning to one side suggested the foundation – if it had any – was fragile and decrepit.
China laughed. The sound rang out and twirled around the branches.
"Oh, my dear Valkyrie. That is the beauty of this place."
A confused expression appeared on Valkyrie's face.
"Appearances are deceiving," continued China, "It is unattractive and unappealing, which lessens the attention is receives."
"What is it?"
"One of my refuges. I used to go here when the constant roar of the city gets too irritating. Although," she sighed, "since my library was shattered I have found refuge here more often."
She was quiet for a moment, as if in regret, then smiled warmly at Valkyrie.
"Come," she said, gesturing towards it.
China took a bronze key from her pocket and after unlocking the wooden door and then after removing the bolts – which scratched against the wall - she gestured inside.
Valkyrie stepped inside, shaking off the leaves from her jacket – also a garment she had never seen before - and then her mouth dropped in amazement.
"Wow," she said quietly.
China had been right about appearances being deceiving. It was the complete opposite to the tired looking, uncared for exterior. Beneath her was smooth oak flooring, with a white woollen rug placed in the centre. Three of the walls were covered in bookshelves, a home to various faded bound books. From some of the titles the Valkyrie glanced, they were not in modern English, but in an older Shakespearean form that did not fully understand. The final wall, at the rear, had a small log fire with a chimney. Its panels were decorated with various ornaments and there were beautiful, intricate carvings that showed picture and symbols of the theme of nature all over the wood.
"Ironic," said China, who had been following Valkyrie's gaze, "that I choose to show my love of nature on a dead piece of it."
"You did this?" Valkyrie asked.
"Oh, yes. When you have four hundred years of experience, you tend to pick up the oddest skills. For example I once had a phase of Baroque instruments," she shuddered, "But then I found it unsightly to be red-faced from playing the Oboe d'amore."
Valkyrie burst out laughing at the vision of China Sorrows with a frustrated expression from playing a wind instrument.
"Ah, well," she said, "Those days are over."
Still grinning Valkyrie began to turn around.
"Hey is there anywhere to –"
Valkyrie stopped dead. Her eyes transfixed at the black figure standing silently at the entrance of the shack. She gasped and began to step backwards, her eyes never leaving him, as he looked gravely back at her. The terror roared in her ears, screaming in alarm at the danger.
"No, no!" she yelled, "Get away from me."
The man recoiled slightly and Valkyrie felt a little tug somewhere in her body but she continued moving backwards despite how he himself was stationary.
How far had he followed them? How did he know where they would be?
Valkyrie snorted, "It's always a mistake to trust you China, isn't it."
"Valkyrie, you don't –"
But Valkyrie Cain was no longer interested in to the defences of a woman she had once classified as a friend and was busy searching around for an exit route. The door was obviously blocked, but there was a small glass window on her left hand side and unless anything else presented itself, it seemed this was the best idea. Once she was outside, she would just have to run as fast as her legs would take her, except she was feeling very exhausted now. It was just the panic keeping her standing.
Without looking back, Valkyrie instantaneously darted and jumped towards the window. Her plan was to use the air to propel herself towards the window, but she wasn't accelerating and there was just solid glass coming to meet her head and -
