A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Billy-Ray or Skulduggery, but Cat and Sam are my babies. Thanks go out to Hellsgun EmmortalDead for reviewing. This chapter is set a little after the last chapter and set after the books so Val is in her 20s at least.
Valkyrie gasped, trying not to panic. The spooky old castle they'd been investigating has also been a ruined old castle, and though her powers had saved her when a wall suddenly crashed down on her, she was trapped in a tight space, and she didn't like tight spaces. There was a rumbling sound and she felt fear go through her. Was the whole castle going to collapse and bury her?
She tried really hard to calm herself as the rumbling increased, but she couldn't repress a scream when two arms closed around her and she was drug underground. "Easy, Val, it's me." It was Calamity's voice and Valkyrie twisted in her grasp to cling on, making the older Adept chuckle. "We'll have you out of this old ruin in a jiff."
Valkyrie had no idea what a jiff was, or who we were, but she assumed Cat meant Sam. "Is everyone else all right?" She asked as they traveled, not failing to notice that unlike Sanguine, Cat opened a nice, wide space for them and a light attached to her belt made it seem downright cozy. They also weren't getting soil on them and Valkyrie wondered if Cat was just stronger, or just disliked getting dirty.
Cat grunted. "Sam should be OK, and he will have grabbed Skulduggery. I think it's safe to say the lead to this castle was a trap. Hang on." Valkyrie didn't need a second invitation. She clung on as they surfaced, Cat keeping her arms around Valkyrie until her shaky legs would support her.
"Sorry, tight spaces." She said, looking up to apologize as Cat let her go and she gasped to see a skeleton in Cat's black cowboy outfit looking at her in concern.
"What?" Cat asked, then immediately felt for the pendant Valkyrie noticed she wore all the time. It was missing, so was the small silver ring Valkyrie had noticed Cat wearing earlier. She hadn't got a good look at it, but as Cat cursed then started staring at the ground as if she could see through it, Valkyrie's mind flooded with a million questions.
Like how could Cat eat? And breathe? And pass off as warm and living? "Be back directly." Cat told her with a sigh, tipping her Stetson to her. Valkyrie watched her dive back underground, coming up moments later with the ring and pendant clutched in one bony fist. Cat slipped them on, whatever the type of façade she had was flowing back out over her bones.
"Can Skulduggery get one?" She blurted and Cat looked at her questioningly, then seemed to realize she meant the pendant and her gaze softened.
"I don't know, sweetie. I'd rather not drag the two of you into anything..." She fidgeted with her ring and Valkyrie at last realized it was a silver reaper, surprisingly delicate in detail. Cat gave her a grimace in reply. "So now you know. I can't make promises on her behalf and I don't even know how my necklace works. But you know something? She never said it was a secret or something I had to keep."
Cat removed the necklace and approached Valkyrie, putting it in her hands. "I'm giving it to you as a wedding gift, no strings attached, if she wants payment, I'll handle it. He deserves some happiness and I reckon I could use the diet." Valkyrie swore the skeleton winked at her and she smiled in reply, hoping Skulduggery would agree to wear the pendant.
Cat is sweeter than honey on biscuits.