A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery or Saracen.
But Skulduggery's answer didn't make any sense to me. Not then and not that night as I lay in my bed. The bed he'd bought me when he'd redone his house for my comfort. Back when I had a huge crush on him. I sighed. I was OK with him still being in love with his wife, I really was, but if that was the answer, why wasn't the game over? "Why indeed?"
The voice of our challenger floated to me out of the darkness. "Your partner is so skilled as a liar that he's fooled even himself this time. But why upgrades if he planned on staying with his wife?"
"He did them after she rejected him?" I ventured.
"He started working the moment he died. Well, the closest moment after. Yes, he went to see his wife and child. It had been four centuries since he'd seen them."
"Did they really reject him? It doesn't make sense. If she loved him, and she had to..." I trailed off. I was so confused. Not twenty four hours ago I'd been willing to sleep with Saracen when I knew I really didn't love him. Just to have someone to be close to. Had it been like that?
"Yes, she loved him. His family will always love him and he will love them. But it has been centuries, my dear. And in those centuries he's been smitten with countless women and countless women have returned the favor. And as much as he won't admit it- Well, I can't give you everything."
"Now I'm really confused. If he's loved her all these centuries, why all the other women?"
"It's not for me to try and understand the human heart. Perhaps he simply felt he'd never see her again. Perhaps he was lonely and didn't know what else to do. Life isn't a romance novel, it isn't all neat and clean."
"No, it isn't." I said, thinking of my own past. I hadn't loved any of the men I'd kissed. I hadn't even loved Saracen, not really. But I'd been willing to act like I did because Skulduggery was never coming back. But then he had and he'd found me with Saracen. "Oh." I said and heard a chuckle.
"Right now he's wondering if he hasn't slipped any further into insanity that he already has. He's fighting the obvious. So are you. Time to let go of the past, yours and his. You accept the human heart can be divided because you've experienced enough confusion in your own life. He didn't steal my ring for his wife. No matter what he's telling himself right now."
"But he'll never believe me. And if Saracen tries to help it will just make things worse."
"Saracen was trying to help. He got a little carried away with his role, and he will never admit it, but he does know things." The voice faded away and I realized the truth. But could I make Skulduggery see it in the time we had left?
So what is the truth? And why is Valkyrie so confused? First she never loved Skulduggery, then she always has. It seems like more than one detective has been lying to themselves. And, since we are asking questions, did Saracen really lure Val way to thier cozy love nest just to force the partners to see the truth?