"Kevin, why did you shoot me in the leg?"

"I was aiming for your face"

"Why did you shoot at me at all?"

"My name is not Kevin"

"We think you look more like a Kevin"

"I look more like what I am, which is a Thor"

Silence.

"Your name is Thor?"

"I am Thor"

"You chose the name Thor?"

"Thor is a name that suits my personality best"

"You went through all the names you could think of in the world and you decided on Thor?

"Technically, Thor is not of this world"

"Right… I think we're going to keep calling you Kevin"

"Call me what you want, heathen"

Valkyrie turned to Skulduggery wearily. "If I had a penny for every time I've been called a heathen".

Skulduggery inclined his head distractedly. Valkyrie knew he was still thinking about their conversation. They had decided that although the newly-repaired sitting room wall wasn't likely to attract the attention of Valkyrie's parents, a handcuffed teenage boy and a debonair skeleton might invite a second glance, and so they bundled Kevin into the back of the Bentley and brought him to Skulduggery's house. Their would-be assassin remained stonily silent for the entire journey, and because Skulduggery was reluctant to push Valkyrie into talking with a stranger listening in, the car ride passed without conversation. Valkyrie had felt the tension pressing on her chest; all she wanted was to reach out and take Skulduggery's gloved hand in hers and just be comfortable again. Skulduggery had found it just as difficult. He cast glances her way every couple of minutes, but she determinedly kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead. His mind raced. He knew she had been about to tell him whatever the hell it was needed telling before they were attacked. The skeleton had felt a surge of rage towards the scrawny fool in the back seat, and took a corner rather sharply, causing the boy to topple into the inside of the door.

Now they stood in Skulduggery's living room, Kevin tied to a chair, Valkyrie standing in front of him and Skulduggery leaning against the bookshelf. He tried to snap himself out of his brooding. Stirring from his reverie he stood up straight and turned to the boy. "Thor is a ridiculous choice of name because you resemble neither a Norse God nor Chris Hemsworth. We shall call you Kevin. Valkyrie is not a heathen, that was impolite, especially after you shot her in the leg and nearly the face. And seeing as you impaled my ribcage with an axe, you owe me an answer or two. Who are you?"

Kevin glared at Skulduggery. "She is a heathen! I know who she is! I know what she's done! I saw it all, all of it…"

"So maybe I hit a guy or two, I'm doing it for the right reasons Kevin it's my job" retorted Valkyrie. "Skulduggery and I do the work other people don't want to. I don't see you volunteering"

"You crushed people with your mind" he said darkly.

This caught their attention.

"What did you say?" asked Valkyrie slowly.

Kevin looked up at her, eyes narrowed. "I know who you are. I know what you did in the Magillicuddy Reeks and I know what you will do. I've heard the prophecies. I know who you are!"

Valkyrie stayed frozen, willing him not to say it, cold fear seeping into her bones and under her skin and into her brain. Skulduggery had stepped up close behind her but remained motionless, waiting for this boy to utter their greatest fear.

It came out as a whisper. "Darquesse"

Valkyrie shut her eyes, shutting out the world for a few moments longer, before the implications of this could fully register in her mind. Nobody moved for several seconds.

She heard a soft click beside her and turned to see Skulduggery's gun aimed point blank at Kevin, dead set. "Just say the word Valkyrie and it's done," he said quietly.

She hesitated for a moment longer that she was comfortable with before pushing his arm down. "No, no, of course not, we can't just kill him," she sighed, while her friend lowered his gun. She thought he seemed relieved.

Kevin stared at both of them, trying not to show his fear but trembling slightly in the seat. "You're evil! You can kill me and I'll just be another on your list, but I have a family! I need to protect them, I need to stop you, you need to stop you, don't you see? I was unoccupied by a remnant for a few minutes during your massacre. I know what was going on. I saw what you did and heard who you are before another one crawled down my throat. I remember. And if I remember who else does? I needed to kill you, I needed to protect my family"

He was looking at her so intensely, as if she needed to hear what he was saying, as if she didn't understand how terrible she could be. But she did understand. She looked sadly back at him.

"I'm not going to kill your family"

He barked a harsh laugh.

"I'm not!" she insisted. "I know I won't, because I have a family too. I know that the prophecies say I will kill them first. But I won't kill my family. I won't. I won't. So that means I can't become Darquesse, because I will do anything in my power to stop it. And if I can't-" she half glanced sideways towards Skulduggery, "-we have a back up plan. I won't kill my family. And that means I won't kill your family. I don't want to kill anyone"

Her voice came very near to breaking, and she fell silent. Kevin looked torn. It was as if he hadn't wanted to believe that he was actually right, that the prophecies were actually true. The room was silent for quite a while. Valkyrie slid into an armchair and tucked her knees up under her, and Skulduggery, after a halted, almost unnoticeable move in her direction, resumed his position against the bookshelf.

"How can I believe that?" asked Kevin eventually. "Even if you're telling the truth, how can I believe that this back-up plan of yours will work?"

Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery, and Kevin followed her gaze. He didn't look up from the floor, but spoke without emotion.

"Because I will kill Valkyrie myself if it gets that far."

Whether it was the skeleton's terrifying reputation, or his tally of dead enemies, or the heartbreaking tone of his voice when he said it, Kevin believed him.