Ezra and Dexter got a cab to the night club, barren in the sunlight. The Harley was where they had left it, and they rode it to the Sanctuary to meet Valkyrie and Skulduggery. They parked it beside the gleaming Bentley and went in. They had a meeting with the Elders first thing, and Dexter had to explain what he'd said last night. So this should be fun. Mist was outraged. They heard her yelling before they even entered. "-She is unskilled and unprofessional-"
"She hasn't done this is over 400 years." Skulduggery's calm velvety voice explained. She ignored him.
"-And that brute of a man, Dexter Vex," she spat his name out, like it was a bad word, "Has no right. No right!"
Ezra tapped on Dexter's side. You're a brute, Dexter. She heard him exhale through his nose as a quiet laugh.
"Yes, but he got the information you needed. That you wouldn't have if it weren't for him."
Valkyrie said, attitude up and rearing to go. Mist ignored her too. "They're fired!"
"You don't pay them, Mist! I said it was too soon. Far too soon! You took advantage of them and you know it! Dexter wants everyone to know he's fine, when he's not! He pretends we can't see how much pain he is in all the time. We can! And as for Ezra? You don't know her like that. She'd give you the clothes off her back, no questions asked, because she wants to help everyone! We threw her in the deep end, bringing her to France. Her neck won't ever heal, and I will blame myself for that because I was the one who asked. She's not ready. She needs time. 400 years ago she would have seen that drug, switched it, and the put the man in a taxi home. She needs time." All of this came from Ghastly Bespoke.
"We are at war, Elder Bespoke, we don't have time." Mist replied.
"Consider what you're saying, Mist. Ezra Bloom is the most powerful Sorcerer we have at our disposal. So is Dexter Vex, for that matter. Both smart, strong mages that we need. If you let them go while they're trying to get their legs back under them, then we could lose the war. Not to mention the connections they have. Ezra Bloom has willingly saved the lives of Dangerous Glass, Clarisse Willow, Shia Tiwon and China Sorrows. Strong connections that we can greatly benefit from."
"China is a traitor. She sold your family out to Serpine." Ezra didn't hear anything else after that. China killed her sister-in-law and nephew. She turned to Dexter. "Keys." She said, holding her hand out. "Ezra..."
"Keys." He looked at her. The doors opened and the Elders, Skulduggery and Valkyrie were looking at them. Dexter gave her the keys. She turned and left. "Ezra." Skulduggery said. He caught up with her outside. She was crying. Not over something stupid, but because she was so lost. She felt dizzy, so she sat down on the ground, her head between her legs. The sun felt too hot, too warm. Skulduggery silently sat down beside her. "I know you're not crying over China Sorrow's betrayal. We all saw that coming. Of course it is probably part of the reason, but not the full one." He said.
"Everything has changed."
"It's been 400 years, of course th-"
"That's the problem, Skulduggery! Don't you see? When I left, China was redeeming herself. We were fighting a war. You were alive! Dexter didn't look at me like he was afraid I'd disappear again. I had a beautiful nephew you named after our father, I had a sister. Now you're dead, they're gone, China is the one who sold them out. I heard stories of Lord Vile and I couldn't go to you and The Dead Men, I couldn't help. I can't help now. Mist was right, I'm useless! I don't know anything anymore and it feels like I'm drowning, it feels like there's too much and I- what other secrets are there? Tell me. I need to know."
Skulduggery looked at her for the longest of times.
"I was Lord Vile." Ezra stared at him.
"And Valkyrie is Darquess."
Ezra nodded, stood up. She threw her leg over the bike and drove away.

She had no idea where she was going, not really. She stopped at a pier, taking her phone out. She scrolled through the contacts. She bit her lip, then pressed a contact and pressed call. They answered in a few rings.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Fletcher? It's Ezra."
"Where are you?"
"At a pier."
"You can hang up now." Said the voice on the phone and behind her. She hung up and turned around.
"I'm sorry, were you busy? Oh god I shouldn't have called, I'm sorry-"
"Ez, it's okay. You look like you need ice cream. Let's go get ice cream." His hand touched her arm and then they were in Italy, Ezra thought. She wasn't sure, she'd never been to Italy. But it looked like how she imagined Italy would look. "What were you doing?" She asked, feeling guilty. "Not much. Mya was at work so I was just moping about, really. You want to tell me why you were on a beach with a motor bike, alone, just after you cried?" He asked.
"No... oh god, the motor bike! Dexter loves that bike!"
"One sec. Where is Dexter?"
"Um, Sanctuary." Fletcher nodded, disappeared for five seconds, then reappeared. He offered his arm and she linked her own through. "There's an ice cream parlour here somewhere..." He said, furrowing his brow and looking through all the people and small shop fronts. "Ah! Here we are!" He said. They were standing outside of a small hole-in-the wall building, with flowers growing all out front in various pots. They went in, and Fletcher asked the man behind the desk for his order. Ezra wasn't sure what that was because it was in Italian, but Fletcher turned around with two massive ice cream cones. "It's bigger than my face." She said, laughing. He passed it to her grinning. "You look like a chocolate-peanut butter kind of girl."
"It's my favourite."
"Ha, knew it!" He said. Ezra was completely at ease with him. He touched her arm again and then a beautiful beach was in front of her, the water crystal clear, huge palm trees keeping them in the shade, the sun reflecting off the water, the sand golden. They both sat down, looking out at the water, eating their huge ice creams. "It's nice to finally meet you properly." Fletcher said.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've heard so much about you." She laughed sadly.
"I feel like I'm a bitter disappointment. I don't know anything anymore, the world has completely changed. Everyone spoke of a great and powerful Ezra Bloom but instead they get me." Her gut twisted when she thought of Lord Vile and Darquess. What happens... She didn't want to think about it. Just for the day, she was running away.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to upset you." She shook her head, "It's okay, you didn't."
They sat on that beautiful beach and watched the sun set, Fletcher leaving then coming back with food or a blanket or drinks. "I feel so multi-cultural today." Ezra said and laughed, eyeing Fletcher's hair. "How do you do that?"
"With great skill and a big ego."
"Ah, yes, of course." They both chuckled and then the sun had set. Fletcher's phone dinged. He looked at it. "That's Mya, sor-"
"Don't you dare apologise. This had been one of the best day I've ever had. Thank you, Fletcher." He smiled at her, and then touched her arm and they were outside of the Sanctuary. "Thanks again." She said. He smiled then was gone. It was dark, but the Bentley was still there. Ezra took a deep breath and went inside. "There you are!" Tipstaff cried. "You need to control your brother!" He said, grabbing Ezra's hand and guiding her to the library. He opened the door and pushed her inside. The Dead Men, Madame Mist and China Sorrows were in there. "This is ridiculous!" Skulduggery was yelling. "What is happening?!" Ezra yelled over him. "The Demons and Supreme Council have joined forces."
Ezra's stomach dropped. "Oh... What do we do?"
"We?" Mist said.
"You're off. You are getting time off. Now get out!" Erskine hissed, pointing to the door.
"You need me."
"Maybe, but not as much as we need Ezra, now leave."
Mist gracefully walked out of the room. She stopped next to Ezra. "I'd watch your drinks. Wouldn't it be a pity if that drug was in all of them? Or if that drug was more dangerous than you previously anticipated?" She clicked her fingers, and Ezra doubled over, screaming. She heard Mist laugh. She heard shouts all around her. But she was burning up. Burning. She concentrated. Yes, that's it, burn the poison out of her. She closed her eyes, felt the heat rise. Someone put a hand on her, hissed, but then she felt cold air on her burning flesh. Everything was hot, almost unbearable. But this was her heat. Her magic. She controlled it, damn it, it was the one thing she had control over. Then she opened her eyes. It was raining, sheets of rain drops falling in quick succession. Fletcher was looking at her, mouth open. "I thought you went back?" She asked, standing up. She was strong. She was powerful.
"I did, but Valkyrie called." Ezra nodded. "Are you okay?"
"Yes... I'm okay."

Thanks for reading!