The door to the Merle house exploded into a shower of fire and splinters as Skulduggery was hurled from the house. He smashed into the wall of the house opposite and stumbled on his feet, catching himself before he hit the ground. Rufus strode through the smoke, his eyes aglow with magic, his hands ablaze and his brow furrowed.
"You've had Fletcher in my house before? Our meeting was no coincidence was it?!" Rufus bellowed. He threw a fireball at Skulduggery but the skeleton had already moved, swivelling out of the way as the fireball burst against the wall.
"We had to be sure you'd help and when we knew you would, put a plan into motion." Skulduggery straightened himself, his eyeless sockets seemed to be trained on Rufus. "We need you Rufus to help save your world." Valkyrie burst from the house, a sort of white lightning Rufus had never seen before crackling in her hands. "Get Back inside!" Skulduggery barked.
"But I-" Valkyrie stopped. Even without eyes in his head she knew the look Skulduggery was sending her way. "I'll defend Fletcher."
Rufus gritted his teeth and pulled his arm back, preparing to throw another burst of flames. Skulduggery sprung to the side, leaping off the opposing wall once more and dove onto Rufus. The pair went sprawling back into the Merle household, rolling across the floor. Skulduggery rolled back onto his feet and splayed a hand. Rufus yelped as the air around him became heavy, pinning him to the ground.
"We're here to help. Yes Fletcher has been here before, we couldn't have him materialise inside a wall now, that would be messy." Skulduggery explained, his hand still splayed. "We came to you because of every Magi we observed, you are the one who'd best understand. Now I'm going to let you up and you're not going to do anything stupid." Rufus nodded and looked about the room. Valkyrie stood guard of his bedroom door, Fletcher cowering being her.
Rufus felt the pressure ease from his back and he sent a blast of air forward, raising him instantly to his feet. Before they could react Rufus dipped and spun. The air in the room swirled and collided with his now unwelcome guests. Valkyrie collided with Fletcher and the two went sprawling, collapsing in a heap in his bedroom. Skulduggery was thrown from the house once more, colliding with a wall outside and slumping to the ground. There were voices now outside and two guards appeared at the door.
"Mi'lord, you requested our presence."The guard bowed his head to Rufus.
"Yes. You will find two spies unconscious in the room behind me and a man outside. Please secure the two through there and join me in securing the other. He is-" Rufus paused. "Dangerous."
Skulduggery propped himself up against the wall. The impact felt as though it had shaken a few bones loose. He slumped against it, sure that if he had lungs he would be winded. He tapped the symbol carved into his collar bone and skin crept up from beneath his shirt and hugged his face, coating his bones and filling his empty eye-sockets. There. No-one would see past the facade at first glance, certainly not those guards Rufus had called for. He slumped his head and closed his new eyes.
Rufus emerged from the house followed by the guards, one carrying Valkyrie, the other with Fletcher slumped over his shoulder.
"That one there." Said Rufus. "Restrain him whilst we await for company. When your colleagues arrive take them immediately to our cells. I shall inform Lord Edwin of their arrival"
"Yes Sir!" the guards bellowed in unison. Rufus rolled his eyes and disappeared back inside. Skulduggery heard as a body hit the ground with a dull thud. The guard that had been carrying Fletcher had flung him to the ground and was now clamping manacles to Skulduggery's wrists. Show time.
Rufus picked up a chair and slumped into it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. He stretched out the ache from his arms. Skulduggery put up less of a fight than he thought.
He opened his eyes to see Torin stood before him, his face agasp. He looked about the room before his sight focused on his son.
"Boy, am I going to be taking Athea's name in vain again this morning?" Rufus shrugged at his father. Torin reached down, picking up an unscathed bottle from the wreckage. "That's what I bloody well thought."