So an early, extra-long chapter to celebrate the fact that I finally read Midnight and I am conflicted? NonSpoilery review: I found it better than Resurrection tbh, not as great as Phase 1 obviously. Some characters were a bit... out of it? And yeah, i'd give it a 6/10. I think I just found it weird after a half year or so of writing this fic and not seeing my boys at it bahaha
Valkyrie let go of Fletcher's arm as soon as they blinked into the lobby of the Midnight Hotel.
"Why can't you take him to the Sanctuary?" She asked as she rushed to Satya's side who was leaning over the couch where Robin was being looked at by a healer.
"Both the Sanctuary facilities and Grouse's lab are being combed by Cleavers," The Healer informed her.
"So, it's true then?" Valkyrie said, her stomach sinking, "Scarab really has Krenspeckle?"
"'Fraid so," Satya said.
Valkyrie crouched down next to Robin's head as the Healer began to pack her things away.
"He's going to need a lot of rest. As soon as the Sanctuary is free, get him there," The woman ordered. Satya nodded, "Thank you, Esther," She said.
The Healer gave her a tight smile and took Fletcher's offered arm and they teleported out.
Valkyrie took Robin's hand and looked up at Satya, "Where's Anton?"
"Here." Valkyrie let go of Robin's hand and stood up, rushing to hug the man. Anton let out an oomph as she wrapped her arms around him. He was stiff but relaxed after a moment, wrapping his arms around her.
He felt a bit cold, Valkyrie thought in surprise, like there was a cold spot surrounding him. Probably had something to do with the fact that his husband was lying on a couch, looking like he was at death's door.
Valkyrie let go of him and looked up at his face. Anton looked tired, truly drained.
"How is he?" He croaked.
"Stabilised," Satya answered, taking the coffee that Dexter offered her as he walked in from behind Anton, "Thanks." She shot him a grateful smile.
"You should go rest." Valkyrie caught Dexter saying softly to Satya, "Go home. Saracen will be here soon."
"In a minute," Satya replied, equally as quiet, "I need to get my shit together."
Valkyrie watched out of the corner of her eye as Dexter took Satya's hand, squeezed it before letting go and settling in one of the armchairs.
"What's that?" Valkyrie asked Anton whose hand was grasping a rucksack.
"The Murder Skull, apparently," He replied quietly, putting it down on the coffee table. Valkyrie gave the bag a startled look, feeling the urge to edge away from the thing, "So, when are we going to get him back?"
"You aren't going anywhere," Satya said loudly, "You are staying safe in this reality while we-" She gestured to herself and Dexter, "Go get Skulduggery."
Valkyrie pulled a face but didn't contest. Truth be told, she didn't really fancy the idea of visiting the Faceless Ones' dimension.
"Next moon that allows the portal to open is in two days, luckily," Dexter said, "It's obvious that them simply giving us the skull is a means of a distraction."
"I can't believe they got Grouse," Satya sighed, looking down Robin who was fast asleep, "I can't believe they got the Desolation Engine," Dexter said with a soft sigh, "And a Remnant."
"We may get Skulduggery back, but at what cost?" Anton's voice pierced Valkyrie like a dagger, "You're willing to do anything and everything to get him back, right, Satya?"
Satya's eyes flashed, "Don't try me today, Anton," She warned, her tone careful yet warning, "I get you might not be feeling great considering your husband almost died but I haven't had the best few days and I will fight you."
"Well, this sounds like fun." Valkyrie flinched at Saracen's voice. Saracen let go of Fletcher's arm and went to Robin's side.
"Fletcher, darling," Satya put a false smile into her voice, "I hate to ask but do you mind dropping me at home?"
Fletcher, who Valkyrie knew hated being a taxi but tolerated it to be a part of the action, nodded enthusiastically and was quick to take Satya's outstretched hand.
ooooooooooo
Satya Eka could have gone home and gone into bed with a bottle of whiskey. She could have simply stared at the wall in blankness. She could have sobbed and sobbed, until her pillow was drenched in her tears.
Instead, she got into her car, and drove.
She didn't know what was happening, where she was going, what she was doing.
All she knew was that at this very moment, as her mind blurred between reality and confusion, she was standing infront of the door to an apartment that seemed more like a haven than her own home.
Satya raised her fist and knocked twice, sharp hits against wood that echoed against the walls of the hallway. There was a moment of silence and then she could here the click of the lock unlocking and the doorknob twisting.
And then Satya was looking into the eyes of China Sorrows.
"Hey," China leaned against the doorway with slight confusion, dressed in a simple silk robe, "I thought you wouldn't be coming over tonight."
Satya had nothing to say, her face showing emotions she had no control over.
China frowned, straightening, "What's wrong?"
Finally, Satya found her voice, "Is it true?" Her words came out in a hoarse whisper.
China was searching her eyes and then she took a step back, as if the impact of Satya's question had hit her, "What are you talking about?"
"Is it true?" Satya repeated, her voice stronger, more insistent as she took a step towards China. She didn't even know why she was asking. Saracen had already confirmed it.
Maybe there was something in Satya's heart that hoped it wasn't true.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Satya," China insisted, her eyes flashing.
Satya swallowed, looking away before meeting China's eyes, "Did you kill Helena and Delilah?" She hissed.
Shock filled China's face, surprise and worry flitting in. But she didn't say anything.
"Did you?!" Satya repeated, fury filling her voice.
"Does it matter?" China asked softly, "You know who I am- What I've done-"
"Is it true?!" Satya's voice rose to a shout.
China's lashes fluttered shut, "It's true."
Satya took a step back, swallowing, her stomach turning.
"You know who I am, Satya," China said, begging, "What I've done- I paid for my crimes-"
Satya cut her off, "Yes- You paid for the crimes that we knew of," She said, a sob in her throat, "I thought I knew you- You headed the attack that killed my husband's mother and sister. You killed on the battlefield, sent spies after us and I looked past that because you had paid the price- But this-"
Satya had never seen the woman cry before, and this may have been the closest should would come to it. "You killed my best friend's wife," She said quietly, "And you killed his daughter- a girl who I loved like she was my own-"
"Satya-" China reached for her but Satya pulled away like she had been burnt.
"Don't," Satya whispered, "Don't you dare- You have lied to us- to me - for years. Were you ever going to confess?"
"And have Skulduggery hunt me to the ends of the Earth?" China whispered.
"No, then," Satya said with a cold laugh, "Why should I have thought anything but the truth about you, China Sorrows? A snake is what you were and it is all that you will be."
One last time, China whispered her name, "Satya- I love you," There was a single tear running down her grief stricken face, "It has haunted me for centuries- I wanted to tell-"
But Satya just turned, resisting the urge to claw the other woman's face, and left China.
And so they parted as lovers.
oooooooooooo
Ghastly had a glass of whiskey in hand as he dropped his coat on the armchair as he walked in. It had been a draining day.
The Sanctuary lockdown had pulled him out of his busy day in the workshop and had led to him basically doing crowd control as the staff filtered out of the building.
It was stressful, basically standing outside with zero clue on what was going on. It was nice to see Tanith, though. Her motorbike had roared down the street as she swerved into a park near him. Hopping off and pulling off her helmet, long, blonde looks shaking free as she reached him.
"Hey, handsome," She had shot him a grin which had sent a lurch to his stomach.
There had been no information coming in for a good hour. It hadn't been til the Sanctuary had opened up again and it turned out that a bomb had been stolen. Sure, they had Crux in custody now but it didn't matter much when it had turned out a Remnant had been stolen and Grouse had been kidnapped, not to mention that Robin had been attacked and was looking pretty bad.
Atleast they had the Murder Skull now. Ghastly let out a sigh. It had been a hard few months. He missed Skulduggery.
Ghastly, Satya and Skulduggery had always been close but it wasn't hard to see Satya and Skulduggery had gotten closer when Jonas and Bjorn had died and Ghastly had to admit, it did slightly hurt when Satya had only agreed to join the war for Skulduggery's sake. But Ghastly had pushed that away, glad to have his siblings back together, their small family slowly stitching back together.
It still hurt when Satya had pointed out his insecurities but he knew she didn't mean it. She was hurting and stressed and he didn't blame her for going to far for Skulduggery.
Ghastly finished off the glass of liquor, getting to his feet with a sigh to go get some more when he heard a knock on the door.
He frowned, not expecting anyone at this time. He walked into the hall and opened the door, eyes widening at the sight of Satya.
"Look, I'm sorry," She blurted out, looking tired and as drained as he felt, "I'm sorry for what I said and I didn't mean any of it- I just-" She closed her eyes, "I just really need my big brother right now."
Ghastly observed her for a moment, honestly a bit stunned for words, "You're older than me."
"I said bigger, not older," She said with a sigh, "Can I come in?"
"Of course," He said, stepping aside, expecting her to walk in towards the booze. Instead, she walked in and burrowed her head in his shoulder. "Okay," He said softly into her hair, wrapping his arms around her, "Tell me what's going on."
Ooooooooooooooo
"Now what?" Ghastly murmured. Satya sat facing him, their knees touching, her hands grasping a mug of hot chocolate with a little something extra added.
"I-" She rubbed her eyes tiredly, "I don't know."
"Will you kill her?"
She threw her hand up in exasperation, "Why do you all keep asking me that?!" She exclaimed. At his look she sighed, "No," She answered, "She'd deserve it but she's…"
Ghastly finished it off, "I get it."
"No, you don't," She replied, "She's useful. Kill her, then we basically kill off all chances of getting inside secrets and making connections that only she has. Besides, it'd cause too much attention."
"And you're in love with her."
"It's complicated," She said sharply, "It's not just hate and love. It's-"
He reached, grabbing her hands, "I know," He said softly, "You forget, I've known you the longest. I understand."
Satya met his gaze, her shoulders slumping. After a moment of silence, "When Skulduggery comes back, I-" She swallowed, "I don't want to tell him."
"Satya."
"He'll kill her," She hissed, "Ghastly, when he comes back he's not going to be the same. You realise that, right? A few months with those monsters- He won't come back whole. And the fact that he was never whole to begin with won't help."
Ghastly's jaw tightened as he gritted his teeth. She was right. He hated that she was right. He hated keeping secrets from the two of them, especially.
"But there's something else." She was looking back down at her mug. "In Crux's ledger, it said the Tenebrae is the reason why Skulduggery came back to life."
Ghastly blinked, "As in High Cleric Tenebrae of the Necromancy Temple?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I was talking about Tenebrae from accounting."
"How did Crux find out?"
"His source was Solomon Wreath."
Ghastly tensed and she noticed. "What?" She asked with a frown.
All his thoughts about secrets and the poison they were and here was one he was keeping from her, a small one albeit, but a secret nonetheless.
"After your… episode-" She didn't move. "I may have approached Wreath." Still no reaction, "Nothing really came out of it. I don't know why I even bothered meeting with him."
After a moment, she just shrugged, finishing the drink, "Not sure why you bothered mentioning it. I met with him last year and the year before that. If Skulduggery does find out about China and kills her, Wreath would be the next best thing."
Her callous tone sent a shiver down Ghastly's spine, not the good time. He stood, getting to his feet and grabbing her empty mug.
"Hey, do me a favour?" He waited expectantly. "Can I borrow your phone?" He frowned but passed her his phone before taking the dishes into the kitchen.
"There," Satya said with an air of finality, "Done."
Ghastly frowned, popping his head out to look at her, "What?"
"I just texted Tanith and asked if she was free for dinner this weekend."
He stared at her with a wide open mouth, "Satya!"
Oooooooooo
The grimy looking man hooked his arms through the bars of his cell, shooting the guard what he hoped was an inviting smirk as he passed by with a clipboard, checking to make sure the prisoners were in their cells.
"Aw, come on, Derek," the man drawled with a Texan accent, earning a look in disgust in return. He let out a chuckle and turned towards the rest of his cell, pulling a face at the feeling of sigils that pulsed with green light, restricting his magic.
"Lights out in five!"
The man lay down on the hard mattress, crossing his legs and placing his hands under his head as he looked up at the ceiling. Well, sensed being a better word for it.
Suddenly, he could feel a strange warmth coming from the wall. He frowned, not being able to see the sigil since he didn't actually have eyes. The heat seemed to retract, before returning. He shuffled, pressing his bearded cheek to the wall, tracing his fingers against the brick.
Suddenly, he let out a yell, throwing himself off the bed and towards the other wall with a thud, just seconds before the sounds of a blast echoed through the prison. What had previously been his bed and wall was now blown to bits. Concrete and brick being hitting him.
He swore, wincing as he got to his feet as the alarms began to ring, loud and deafening.
"Hello, son."
Billy-Ray Sanguine's stance stiffened at the voice, his face raising instinctively as he tried to discern the gravelly voice and sort through his memories. Finally, a smile rose to his lips, "Heya, Dad," He said, "Fancy seeing you here."
Dreylan Scarab's lips lifted in a smirk, not so different to his son's, "We have work to do."