When China woke the next morning, harsh sunlight filled her eyes. She'd left the curtains open. But she didn't get up to close them.
Last night, China's actions had been foolish and presumptuous. It was too early to show any semblance of pride - because pride meant that she had forgiven herself. China had not forgiven herself. And it was entirely the wrong message to give.
As for her dress almost falling off… that was definitely the wrong message to give. What on earth did he think of her now?
So, today she, Skulduggery and Valkyrie would continue to work on the case. As China got to her feet and stretched, she wondered what it would be like. After all, she was inferior now. Lower than Valkyrie Cain. Lower than a seventeen-year-old girl.
China ran a few fingers through her hair, checking for tangles. It was a delicate thing, she thought, to maintain her sense of humility whilst warming herself to the detective.
How was it to be done?
If it had been anyone else, China might have relied on her looks. But now, not only had her looks been blighted, but it had become clear that it wouldn't work on Skulduggery. Her influence and her beauty counted for very little.
She reached for her hairbrush. He valued other things, she assured herself. He valued somebody he could rely on. She could manage that. He valued a sense of humour, and hers complemented his exceedingly well.
China checked herself in the mirror.
Well. Skulduggery may have been immune to her influence, but looking less wretched couldn't do any harm. It would remind him of China's grace and charm.
So, what would she wear today?
She wandered over to her armchair. Her clothes were draped over the back. It had to be something understated, but classy. Humble, yet distinctive. Her current wardrobe didn't stretch to that. China must have been in a bad mood when she'd picked these clothes.
She sighed. "Back to the charity shop it is."
Valkyrie had caught about five hours sleep after Skulduggery took her home. She kept waking in the night and finally got up at eight o'clock with a stiff neck. She greeted her parents at the breakfast table with as much cheer as she could muster, then let her reflection out of the mirror and headed down to the pier.
It was a bright and windy day. The sky above her was blue, but dark grey clouds hovered ominously in the distance. The weather had been weird lately.
Skulduggery had explained the night before that he'd had a tip-off about Tanith being held in Kildare. He hadn't spoken to Ghastly about it yet, but promised to do so once he'd narrowed the field of suspects.
When she reached the end of Haggard pier, Skulduggery was there, leaning against the Bentley, the facade tattoo hiding his skull from curious onlookers. After a moment he looked up, and Valkyrie waved to him.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"Not really."
He shrugged. "I thought you might have mastered the skill by now."
She leaned against the Bentley too, then hopped onto the bonnet and sat there. "Must be trying too hard. So, who's on our list?"
"There are about forty from the last month, but I'm interested in the man who went to Equivocus Dew a couple of days before the letter was sent. Do you remember Arthur Dagan? He was that nice blond man who vomited in your hair at the Requiem Ball."
"How could I forget?" Valkyrie sighed miserably at the memory. "That was so embarrassing."
"Well, good news. Today you get to make a new first impression."
"With Dagan? No thank you."
"Not Dagan. His son, Hansard Kray. That;s who we're going to see first, to find out what his father's been up to. He seemed a nice respectable boy when we last met him. I think he'll cooperate."
Valkyrie thought it through. "Why would Dagan want to lead us to Tanith?"
"Perhaps he's using her as bait."
"So you think he wants to pick a fight with us for stopping the Faceless Ones and everything?"
Skulduggery adjusted his hat. "It's one possibility. Oh, by the way, China came to see me yesterday."
Valkyrie looked up at him. "What did you do?"
"I took her with me to Kildare to retrieve the list from Dew."
"Wait, you're involving her in the investigation?"
"For the moment."
"Why?"
Skulduggery looked out at the sea. The light brown hair of his facade was beaten about by the wind for a few seconds. "China," he replied slowly, "is seeking atonement for leading the Diablerie in kidnapping and murdering my family. I find her futile efforts amusing. Besides, she and her connections might be useful later on."
"Right," said Valkyrie, somehow unconvinced.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of involving her any more than is necessary."
Valkyrie nodded. She kept her gaze on Skulduggery, watching his expression, but he remained impassive.
It wasn't that she was uncomfortable around China. She didn't hate her, either, not really. But Valkyrie didn't understand why she was back with them. Skulduggery had never been too clear about his and China's history. She knew that China had led the Diablerie during the war, before she stopped worshipping the Faceless Ones and became neutral. Skulduggery, of course, had fought on both sides. How long had they known each other, then? Was there ever an element of trust; anything on a personal level at all?
Valkyrie shook her head. No. Skulduggery knew better than to trust China, and he was perfectly capable of making his own decisions.
Then Skulduggery looked up. Checking that they were alone, he quickly deactivated his facade and went to meet China in the road. Her clothes were simple - a long blouse and black trousers - but somehow she looked as elegant as she had always been. Valkyrie glanced at Skulduggery again to gauge his expression, then realised that his face was gone.
"I'm sorry if I have kept you waiting," China said. "To whom are we paying a visit?"
"Hansard Kray," Skulduggery responded curtly. "His father may be the one behind this."
"Hansard Kray," China repeated. "Still living in Wicklow, I believe."
"Let's go."
Valkyrie hopped off the bonnet, waited for Skulduggery to unlock the car and then climbed into the passenger seat. China got in the back, and they drove.
In the car, Skulduggery drove without making conversation. Once or twice, China leaned closer to the front, watching the road, but he knew where he was going.
China started to wonder about Kray. Eighteen years old and descended from royalty, and yet the polar opposite of his father. She wouldn't have thought it possible to have been raised by an embittered, arrogant zealot and turn out relatively normal. After all, her parents had been –
"God, my neck hurts," Valkyrie said.
Without a word, China took a couple of leaves from her pocket and handed them to Valkyrie. Without a word, Valkyrie began to chew them.
She'd met Kray at the Requiem Ball, China remembered. The fact that she remembered surprised her, as it had been a busy evening. From what she could gather, the two young people had gone on quite well. Was Valkyrie interested? China stopped herself, shook her head, for Valkyrie did bring out the matchmaker in her, and that wasn't allowed.
Arthur Dagan's house was behind a long, wrought-iron gate, keeping it at a distance from its neighbours. Skulduggery parked the Bentley beside the front gate and they flew them over the top; first Valkyrie, then China. China wondered if he could smell her perfume. It was refined and delicate and she'd used the last of it that very morning. They landed softly and walked to the door without speaking.
Hansard Kray answered the door after a few minutes.
"I told Father that the gate would be useless," he sighed. "Though, as it is yourself, Detective Pleasant, I don't consider it a trespass."
"That's good to hear," Skulduggery replied. "We wish to speak to you. Alone."
Kray nodded. "Please, come in. My father isn't home." He stood aside to let them pass and noticed Valkyrie. "How nice it is to see you again, Miss Cain."
"Valkyrie."
"Valkyrie." He smiled, then waved them through.
The house was as grand as Gordon Edgely's and eloquently furnished. There were bookcases everywhere. They filled the space beneath the stairs, flanked each side of the hallway and consumed the living room they now walked into. China stared. The spines were the richest colours of red, green and blue; gold strips and embossed gold letters glinted at her. It was like a jewel box.
Though it was still early, a modest fire warmed the room. Three chairs sat before the fireplace. Skulduggery refused the seat he was offered, so Kray took the third chair opposite Valkyrie.
"How can I help you?" he asked, his hands loosely clasped. "Does this have to do with my father?"
"I'm afraid it does," said Skulduggery, leaning over the back of Valkyrie's chair. "What can you tell us about him?"
Kray thought. "Well, you know, of course, that he is a disciple of the Faceless Ones. His faith has not waned in all these years, although he does not engage actively in trying to bring his gods back. He has neither the determination of Baron Vengeous or the intelligence of Batu."
Skulduggery looked up sharply. "What do you know about Batu?"
"My father has done the research." He glanced briefly at China. "He had a fascination with the Diablerie for a time. One of our family was even a member before your side brought him down in the war. Wry Connor."
China remembered Connor. He'd been a slight man with a Napoleon complex, wiped out in the explosion that wounded Vengeous. But now was not a good time to mention this. Once they'd all glanced at her, they continued their discussion.
"We received information that your father recently paid for new magic from a man called Equivocus Dew. Are you aware of this?"
Kray swept his blonde hair out of his eyes; China saw Valkyrie adjust her own. "So that's why you're here," Kray said. "He must be up to something again."
"It looks that way."
This brought a blush into Kray's young face. "I am so sorry. I feel responsible for him and... I should have alerted the Sanctuary sooner. He has been leaving the house every day for almost one week. He has also been drinking less. I should have suspected..."
Valkyrie spoke for the first time. "Do you know where he is?"
"I don't. He asks me to wait in the house during the day. But he has been using our driver to take him out into Kildare. If I call him, perhaps he can answer your questions directly." Kray was talking to Skuldugery now. "Use whatever methods you deem fit."
Realising that they had precious little time left, China stood gracefully and excused herself. She drifted back into the hallway. It was almost like being back in her library. No windows here to fade the spines of the books. They were so beautiful it made her feel quite dizzy. She stroked one of the covers. Leather. Red.
Quickly, she slid the book out and tucked it into the waistband of her trousers. China had lost some weight in the last month. Hopefully nobody would notice the added bulk of the book. She didn't like stealing as a rule, but she suddenly and desperately wanted to start another collection. Perhaps there would be another library. Perhaps Skulduggery and Valkyrie would come there for magical solutions to the many problems they seemed to encounter on a case...
Just then, Valkyrie came into the hallway. China stepped back. By demurely holding her hands down in front of her, she concealed the shape of the book under her clothes.
"Hello," Valkyrie said.
"Hello."
There was a pause.
"What are you doing out here?"
China smiled charmingly. "Getting some air. I was feeling a little light-headed." Not far from the truth, she thought. "And you?"
Valkyrie sighed. "Hiding."
"From Master Kray?"
"Hansard. Yes. The last time I saw him, his dad was sick all over me."
China managed a sympathetic nod. "Tragic."
"Cheers."
"No, truly, I feel your pain. I also know that a young woman of your strength and intelligence will not let it affect her. He looks rather like young Fletcher, doesn't he?"
There was a beeping noise and Valkyrie checked her phone. "Don't you start."
"I'm sorry?"
"Skulduggery's already teased me about having a type. It's not my fault Fletcher and Hansard are both blond. Anyway, I'm not interested in him."
"Well, my dear, I think he's interested in you."
She looked up. "Is he?"
"Why wouldn't he be interested?"
Valkyrie shrugged. "You've got me there."
"Men can play hard to get too," China told her, "unbeknownst to most women. I know you're challenged nearly every day as a detective and wish for nothing remotely challenging in your love life, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy to attain. Your patience will be..." Her vision ebbed and she sat on the bottom stair. "...Rewarded."
Valkyrie peered at her. "You OK?"
"I'm fine."
"When was the last time you ate something?"
China thought. "Three days ago."
She heard Valkyrie sigh. "Wait here," she said.
