Skulduggery and Valkyrie walked into the old art gallery and stopped. Valkyrie knew this was where the new Sanctuary was, but she hadn't been inside yet. She wasn't much anticipating it. It would probably be as boring as the old one had been.
"Valkyrie," Skulduggery said, "can I ask you a question?"
Valkyrie turned to look at Skulduggery. He still had his facade tattoo in use and she fought down a swoon.
"You just did."
He sighed. "You know what I mean."
"Well, yes," Valkyrie said expectantly.
"Do you... Do you think I'm hot? As in, handsome?"
The feeling was hard to fight down, as Valkyrie gazed into his eyes faithfully and tried not to grin.
"Skulduggery, d'you want me to be flat-out, brutally honest?"
She watched doubt flicker over his face. It amused her, in a funny way.
"Yes."
"TOTALLY honest?"
"Of course."
"Even if the answer's not what you want to hear?"
"Yes."
"Well then, to put it lightly," she said, with a grin on her face, watching him tense. "You are completely, utterly and in all other ways..."
Skulduggery looked insulted, assuming an implication.
"BLOODY GORGEOUS." She finished her tirade off with a little smile. Skulduggery looked surprised but relieved and smug.
"Well that's good then."
Valkyrie said nothing to that. She simply grinned. Extremely pleased with himself, Skulduggery walked forward, with a smile plastered all over his 'hot' features. He walked to a painting that was actually pretty decent. It was of a girl, dressed in a black silk dress. She was kneeling on grass, with huge black wings spreading behind her. The feathers were shot through with silver. Her makeup was dark, and covered her eyelids and mouth. Lightning stretched across the sky behind her. Valkyrie thought the girl in the painting looked like some of the young women in the Necromancer temples. Minus the wings.
"Hello," Skulduggery said, his voice bright and friendly. "We're here to speak to the council."
Valkyrie stared at Skulduggery oddly for a few seconds, and then looked up and realised he had been talking to the girl in the painting.
The girl smiled at Skulduggery with her black lips, leaned back to settle into a more comfortable position, and spoke. "Hello. You are new to this particular Sanctuary?"
"We are," Skulduggery responded. "My name is Skulduggery Pleasant."
The (evidently) goth girl turned its heavily shadowed eyes to Valkyrie. And you are?"
"Valkyrie Cain," Valkyrie answered smoothly, dipping her head.
The goth girl smiled. "Then come this way, Detectives. The Council is familiar with you. The Grand Mage is in her office waiting for you."