Chapter Fifty
Drunk, Adolescent, Young
Skulduggery stuck his head out of Gordon Edgley's kitchen and called up the stairs, "Val! We're going somewhere. Get prepared."
Valkyrie's footsteps were light coming down the stairs. "Where to?"
"Lythia just rang. A chick she met at her work asked her to a party. Then Lythia mentioned she knows us, and, we being the celebrities we are, were extended an invitation as well. Tanith and Ghastly are going too, apparently."
"Then I'm going. Who's the chick that invited us all?"
"Lythia said her name was Flaring Rhythm," Skulduggery came out from the kitchen.
Valkyrie nodded and went upstairs to change. Opening the wardrobe, she went to get something out, then frowned.
"What kind of party is it?" Valkyrie called downstairs to Skulduggery.
"Lythia said Flaring sounded like she was carefree and really didn't give a rats arse about anything mundane in the world."
"OK. Casual then." Valkyrie pulled out a pair of black flares, then changed her mind. She pulled on her black leggings and put her bright green short shorts over that. Then she pulled on a Snoopy t-shirt. She pulled a neon orange belt tight around her waist and pulled her hair into a sloppy ponytail. Crossing to the dresser, she jabbed silver hoops in her ears and put on her skull necklace.
"OK, I'm going wack out tonight, Skulduggery." After shoving her feet into some flip-flops, or, 'jandals' as Lythia called them, she descended the stairs and did her best to ignore Skulduggery's raised eyebrows.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing." Skulduggery removed himself from the kitchen. He threw the Bentley keys in the air and caught them again. They jangled as they hit his palm. "Let's go."
The light was fading as they drove into Haggard. Valkyrie looked up as Skulduggery pulled up on the side of a street.
"This isn't where she lives," Skulduggery explained. "We'll walk from here. I don't want any pissed people hijacking the Bentley."
Skulduggery and Valkyrie ambled down the street and around the corner. Immediately they saw Flaring Rhythm's house. There were heaps of people milling around outside, and, silhouetted against the window, there were dozens more. Sorcerers and mages, mostly teenagers, filled the house and the front yard. These mages were performing a variety of recreational activities, from making out to throwing lit fireworks into the road. Valkyrie heard a bottle break, and somewhere else, the loud and deep cheer of drunk, adolescent, young men.
"OK, this party's already off to a good start." Skulduggery said cautiously. Valkyrie nodded. Then she continued to walk, Skulduggery following behind.
"I wonder where Flaring's parents are." Skulduggery swept his gaze up and down the street.
"Maybe they let her throw this party."
"Maybe."
They continued on towards the house. As Valkyrie got closer, she felt the music vibrating the ground at her feet. One giant speaker was wired through a window, blasting out familiar songs by Paramore, Guns 'N Roses, The Pogues, The Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park and Green Day.
"Good music taste," Valkyrie announced. "Of either Flaring herself or her parents, or somebody here."
As they reached the yard, a group of drunken teenage boys noticed Valkyrie. They staggered over.
"Whatsyurname?" one of them asked. His eyes were glazed and he fought to remain upright.
"My name is Valkyrie Cain," Valkyrie replied evenly. She felt Skulduggery tense beside her, but Valkyrie was in control.
"Yur a fine specimen," another said. His words were slurred and ran together. His eyes dropped to her breasts and Valkyrie crossed her arms, hiding her cleavage from view. That was reserved for Skulduggery only.
Then, Valkyrie held up her right hand so they could see the ring on her finger. "Engaged. Sorry."
Two others of the pack looked at each other. Then the original speaker said:
"What does that matter?"
Skulduggery sighed, then stepped into their field of vision. "She's engaged to me."
The whole group laughed. "Oh, whoops." They turned and staggered off elsewhere.
Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, but Skulduggery pointed. There, waving, was Lythia. Beside her was Fletcher, his hand firmly around a can of beer. Valkyrie acknowledged the wave with a nod and made her way over. Skulduggery got her attention and pointed to Ghastly and Tanith, who were standing a way off, and Valkyrie nodded. They separated.
"Hi, guys. You met Flaring yet?" Lythia asked. Valkyrie shook her head no. Lythia was about to say something else when a girl with bright orange hair tapped her on the shoulder. Her excitable demeanour seeped through to Valkyrie at once and Valkyrie smiled.
"Hi, I'm Flaring." The girl glanced at Lythia and asked, "Did Skulduggery arrive?"
"Come with me," Valkyrie said. Flaring high fived Lythia and then followed Valkyrie.
"So, I'm guessing you're Valkyrie Cain, huh?" Flaring pushed her orange hair out of her eyes. "It is such a pleasure to finally meet you."
Valkyrie smiled warmly. "I didn't know Skulduggery and I were that socially desired."
Flaring laughed. "Skulduggery would say it was a burden."
"He would indeed."
The pair approached Ghastly and Tanith and Skulduggery and Flaring grew substantially more excited.
"Hi." Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie, waiting for the introduction.
"Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, this is Flaring Rhythm." Flaring shook hands with all of them, her eyes bright.
"Wow. Skulduggery Pleasant, in the flesh. Literally this time." Flaring shook her head in wonder and then turned her attention to Ghastly and Tanith. "You guys rock. All of you. Cheers for coming. I'll be seeing you around. Cheers from the one with the pet Mexican red-kneed spider." She turned and walked away, dodging the crowds of people.
"Well, this little to-do is interesting," Tanith said. "Is there somewhere I can get a drink?"
Ghastly pointed. "Over there. Come on." He slipped away with Tanith to get drinks and they returned very soon with shots for all. Valkyrie smiled as she tossed her head back, not even flinching as the whiskey went down her throat. She returned her head to normal and saw Skulduggery looking at his empty shot glass. As she observed, he tapped the side of it and muttered, "Hmm…Whiskey is unusually colourless and tasteless."
Valkyrie laughed.
