"It's done."

Satya looked up from her hands, meeting her sister's eyes. She got to her feet immediately, brushing past Mastani's shoulder and she went through the stone entrance of the temple's hidden chambers.

"Get out," She spat at Ansuya, her sister's mother-in-law. Like with Cassandra, there was bad blood between the woman and Satya but unlike with Cassandra, Ansuya had a direct hand in her life while Cassandra was a victim of Satya's hatred by circumstance.

Ansuya had been the mother of the boy that Satya was to marry, her sister being off of the list of suitable girls due to being an acolyte of the temple. Satya had run away, at thirteen years old and got caught up in the gangs that brought her to England which led to her being found by Elijah, Ghastly's father. Satya's absence meant that her sister was dragged from the temple to marry the boy.

Why the woman had taken a vow of silence, Satya didn't know and didn't particularly care.

"Valkyrie?" She whispered, brushing back the girl's hair gently. Ansuya must have dressed her, a simple blouse that covered her chest that Satya knew would have been slick with blood just hours before.

Valkyrie's eyelids flickered open, revealing dreary brown eyes. She was tired, so tired. Satya sympathised but they had to go.

"Valkyrie," Satya whispered, switching to Irish, "We have to go now- It's too dangerous here."

Valkyrie's eyes lost their daziness, like she was realised the gravity of the situation when Satya switched to a language no one but they could understand.

"What's happening?" She asked, sitting up with a slight whimper.

"Mastani will know what your true name is," Satya said urgently, "She'll figure it out- We have to go. Can you get up?"

Valkyrie nodded, letting out a shuddered moan of pain. "She cut out my heart," She whispered, "I saw my heart."

Satya supported her weight easily, helping her get to her feet and led her out of the cave. Mastani was nowhere to be seen.

"I stashed our stuff out by the lake," She told Valkyrie, keeping a normal tone to not attract suspicion. "We're going to have to sneak out. You up for it?"

"If you have some food then yeah."

They were approaching the front doors. The acolytes were at their lessons so the area was empty.

Or so she thought.

"Where are you going?"

They froze.

"Valkyrie wanted some sun," Satya answered, letting go of the girl.

Mastani stood, Ansuya at her side looking down.

"I can't let you go, sister," Mastani said, raising her chin authoritatively. She looked regal in her white and gold.

"Excuse me?" Satya raised an eyebrow, "That sounded like a threat."

"I saw her heart," Mastani's eyes fell on Valkyrie, "I saw the darkness coating it. She may have sealed her name but the darkness in that name will still prevail."

"There was darkness in my heart," Satya said, taking a protective step towards Valkyrie, "You didn't trap me here."

"She saw the end of the world," Mastani said, resting her hand on Ansuya's arm. "Cities burn in fall, smoke filling the air and choking mankind. We will all die at this girl's hand."

Valkyrie flinched.

"She also saw my child in her son's arms," Satya said with a twisted smile, "And if I remember correctly, you slit his throat on yours and his wedding night."

Now it was Ansuya's turn to flinch.

"You will not leave," Mastani repeated and with a wave of her hand, several women appeared from behind the pillars, they stood in defensive stances.

"She saw this temple burn to the ground," She said, "I won't let this happen."

"Lay a finger on her and I'll be the one to burn this temple to the ground, Mastani," Satya warned, her fingers snapping to summon a flame. "Don't try me."

Valkyrie echoed her movements, taking Satya's rear and facing the women that had come through the entrance.

"Get her," Mastani ordered in Hindi.

"Fuck you," Satya swore before snapping up a shield and rushing forward to meet the first woman.

Oooooooooo

Valkyrie ducked under the sword of shadows that swung over her head before kicking out her legs from under her. She quickly threw an elbow at the woman's throat, knocking her out before slamming a shield up and pushing away another woman against the marble wall.

"Oh fuck," She muttered as she saw a black sword made of shadows appear in Mastani's hand. Things were getting desperate.

"Satya!" Valkyrie yelled, "Look out!"

Satya ducked as Mastani attacked, throwing out a stream of flames at her sister.

Mastani's shadows attacked, slashing at Satya like a wall of daggers.

Satya fell to her knees, screaming in pain as the daggers pounded her torso. She was wearing Ghastly's clothes.

Valkyrie threw off the woman who came at her, smashing her knee down onto the woman's head with a grimace before pushing the air hard. Mastani was thrown off, smacking into the pillar. She got to her knees. "Valkyrie- We can help you," She said with gritted teeth, blood soaking into her sari. She got to her feet, the shadows appearing as a dagger in her hand.

"Valkyrie-" Satya managed, clutching her torso while reaching out for Valkyrie, "Grab my hand-"

Valkyrie grabbed her hand and held up a shield as Satya gritted her teeth, meeting her sister's eyes. "Fuck you, Mastani!" She hissed and Valkyrie suddenly felt cold as shadows surrounded them, seeping from the ground up.

Mastani's eyes widened. "NO!" She shouted, throwing her dagger.

Valkyrie watched the dagger shatter into shadows against her shield, a fruitless attempt, she thought.

And they disappeared.

ooooooooooo

"Fuck!" Satya shouted, stumbling away from Valkyrie as she clawed at the necklace around her neck.

"Where the hell are we-?" Valkyrie looked around in confusion.

Satya tugged off the clear stone from her skin, swearing in pain as she pulled the necklace from around her throat.

"Are you okay?" Valkyrie said in alarm.

"I-" Satya let out a shout of pain as the clear jewel burnt her hand, dropping it. It fell to the concrete and cracked in two pieces. They watched in shock as black shadows trailed from the stone like spiders, before dispelling into the hot air.

"What just happened?"

"I just lost the only bit Necromancy power I had," Satya said before sagging. Shadow walking took every bit of power in her body and now she just wanted to curl up and sleep.

"Where are we?"

Satya stepped out of the alley way that they were in, peering out into the busy street. "Still in India," She observed, noting the street smells and the people walking by.

She grabbed the shoulder of one of the passerbys. "What city are we in?"

The woman looked at her strangely before answering. "Delhi."

Satya thanked her before limping back to Valkyrie. "Delhi."

"That's good right? Airport's here."

"Slight problem, we don't have money, clothes, food or a phone," Satya said, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. But Valkyrie had just had her name sealed an hour ago, she had to be way more exhausted. So Satya breathed deeply, clearing her head. "We need Fletcher- We need to call the Sanctuary."

"White people," Valkyrie said, nodding towards a trio by one of the food stalls.

"Good call," Satya said with a nod, "Here take my jacket." Valkyrie was still wearing the blouse from the temple, and it looked strange with her tracksuit bottoms.

Valkyrie took her jacket, zipping it up. Satya looked down at her tank top, hoping the blood was noticeable.

They approached the two women and a man.

"Hey there, do you speak English?" Valkyrie asked with a grin.

"Oh, hiya darling!" One of the woman greeted.

"I'm so sorry but could we trouble you and borrow a phone?" Satya asked politely with an apologetic smile. "We left our stuff back at the hotel and I need to call my husband."

"She's always forgetting things," Valkyrie said with a laugh.

"Oh, of course!" The man said, "Here." Satya took the phone with a smile, stepping away for privacy while Valkyrie kept them busy.

Satya pushed in the Sanctuary's number.

"Welcome to the Irish Sanctuary. If you would like to speak to the Administrator, please press 1. If you would like to contact a member of the staff, please press 2."

Satya pressed two.

"Please state your name and clearance code."

"Satya Eka, one-six-nine-two-dee-em."

"Who would you like to contact?"

"Skulduggery Pleasant."

"Detective Pleasant is unavailable."

Satya blinked. He always picked up the phone.

Ghastly wasn't on the Sanctuary payroll so his number wouldn't be in the syster.

"Saracen Rue."

"Detective Rue is unavailable."

Something wasn't right.

"Hopeless."

"Grand Mage Hopeless is unavailable."

Something was definitely not right.

"Dexter Vex."

There was a moment of silence. "Detective Vex will answer your call momentarily," The robotic woman issued.

Satya held her breath, trying her best to ignore the pain that was rooted where the stone used to hang from her neck. It was like it had left a burn.

"Satya?"

Satya inhaled. "Dex?"

"Thank god-" That wasn't what she was expecting after their last conversation.

"Are you safe?" He asked urgently.

"Relatively- But we're stuck in India. No passports, no money," Satya replied quickly.

"You need to get here quickly," Dexter said, "God- We've been worried since you didn't answer your phone."

"The temple didn't have signal," Satya said before frowning, "Why- Did something happen?"

He hesitated for a second. "Satya…"

oooooooooo

Valkyrie made small talk with the American's. They were nice enough to offer her a plate of food from one of the carts which she took gratefully, realising she hadn't eaten since the night before- It was well into the afternoon now.

"Val-" She turned with a mouthful of food, "Hm?"

Satya looked grave, worried and in shock. She gave the phone back to the man without so much of a thank you.

"What is it?" Valkyrie said, swallowing her food down with a gulp.

Satya let out a shaky breath, opening her mouth before closing it, not sure about what to say.

"Val-" She tried again, swallowing, "Anton's dead."