Chapter Fifty-Two

Break Up the Party

FLARING…I AM SO STOKED TO BE ABLE TO RAMBLE TO YOU ABOUT SKULDUGGERY. It is truly necessary.

's from the one that runs around in a grass skirt chasing kiwis.

Lythia Harpen

Valkyrie threw another can of beer at Skulduggery and he missed it with one hand then caught it with the other, then tripped and barrel rolled, clutching it to his chest. Valkyrie laughed hysterically and stumbled over to help him up. The Boxing Day party was fun, all right.

He took her outstretched hands and tried to get up with her help, but ended up pulling her over as well. They lay on the ground and laughed. 'Ignorance' by Paramore was playing and Flaring's party was in full swing.

And then things went awfully wrong.

There was the sound of a siren and a number of police cars came around the corner. Immediately people started scattering. Skulduggery laughed but then cursed and regained his footing. Several mortal police officers were already swarming around, cuffing anybody they saw fit. Another Boy in Blue turned the music off and asked to speak with the owner of the house.

"Skulduggery!" Valkyrie was being dragged to her feet by a police officer. She twisted her arms out of the man's grip and sprinted. She grabbed Skulduggery's arm and they ran. She heard the policeman that had tried to cuff her curse and start after them. Skulduggery and Valkyrie jumped over the fence, although not using their powers. Then they ran back to the Bentley, losing their pursuer in the process.

"Well, that was interesting." Valkyrie pushed her hair out of our face, and then had an ugly thought. "Oh, God. Did Flaring or Lythia or anything get arrested?"

"I don't think so. It's kind of a shame the cops had to break up the party." Skulduggery banged his head twice on the steering wheel and fitted the key into the ignition. Frowning, wondering if he was OK to drive, Valkyrie turned as somebody knocked on her window. It was Tanith. Valkyrie's friend was attempting to pull half her hair out and she was shrieking. Valkyrie had never seen her so distraught.

"What's wrong?" Valkyrie asked as Tanith opened the back door and slid into the Bentley. Tanith didn't answer for a while.

"Ghastly got arrested," she finally answered.

"What?" Skulduggery and Valkyrie said in unison, both with eyebrows raised.

"The cops thought he looked intimidating. So they arrested him. Ghastly, being Ghastly, simply allowed it to happen."

"Oh, no." Valkyrie turned to Skulduggery who was sitting there with a look of horror on his face. Lythia mirrored this look as she approached the car as well. The back door opened and Lythia swore.

"I saw what happened," she gasped. "He's just going to be in a cell overnight. It'll be fine, Tanith, really." With that, Lythia put her arms around Tanith and tried to console her. Valkyrie averted her eyes, looked the other way.