"What was that last night?" Valkyrie asked, slipping out of the ridiculous nightgown she was given and putting on the white dress that was given to her for day clothes. Her dress had been taken, so had Skulduggery's suit. Neither were happy. Skulduggery was standing shirtless and Valkyrie was trying very hard to ignore the definition of his chest and his stomach and the little trail of hair down his stomach and the slight "V" that disappeared into the ridiculous cotton white trousers. She instead tried to concentrate on the wound he was currently dressing on his shoulder. He grunted as he tightened the bandage and tied it off. He then put on the white cotton t-shirt. Skulduggery frowned down at himself.

"I don't know." He said, looking distressed and not just because of the clothes. There was a knock on the door and Noah walked in. He had the stupid side grin that made Valkyrie's blood boil. "Breakfast time." He said then left and they heard a knock on the next door. Skulduggery and Valkyrie walked out and Saracen and Anton were there too. Saracen was holding his side. Blaise was there, dressed in red. The five of them walked in an uncomfortable silence to the dinner hall. They walked into a white room, with a long white table laid with eggs and toast and fruit and yoghurt and bacon and a very big breakfast. One wall was gone, giving way to a beautiful, lush garden with bright, colourful flowers. Pillars with extravagant designs were evenly spaced, holding the grand ceiling up. Kaden and Holly sat with their heads down as Macon tucked into a plate full of food. Valkyrie sat next to Kaden, and Skulduggery sat next to her. Anton sat beside Holly across from them and Saracen sat beside Anton. No one spoke.

"Uh… Morning." Valkyrie said, not able to stand the horrific silence. Holly looked up and flashed her a smile but didn't say anything. Saracen cleared his throat.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Other than the screaming, yes," Skulduggery said, nodding.

"Comfy beds," Anton said, also nodding. Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery, unsure of what she should do. Blaise chuckled and sat on the at the other end of the table. Noah walked in a short while later, followed by Ghastly, Ezra, Dexter and Erskine. Ezra was smiling, a jump in her step. She seemed to be a daze. Dexter was looking at her with a mixture of concern and curiosity. His arm was protectively around her. Ezra sat down heavily and giggled beside Saracen, Dexter pushing her chair in. He sat down beside her, looking pale. Ghastly sat next to Skulduggery and Erskine next to him. Noah sat at the other end of the table, across from Macon.

"Now that we are all her, good morning. Tuck in!" Macon said cheerfully like they were a family over for a brunch. Not like they were being held there against their will. Valkyrie raised her eyebrow at Skulduggery who shrugged, reaching for the eggs and bacon. Valkyrie followed suit and soon so did everyone. Dexter was leaning into Ezra and speaking in a low voice. Ezra just smiled breezily at him and giggled. Dexter took her plate and put some toast and fruit on it, but Ezra was too busy staring outside to realise. Ezra tapped Dexter's shoulder and gestured him closer.

"Can I go look at the flowers?" She whispered loudly. Dexter snorted and looked to Macon, who nodded. "Sure thing, Ezra," Deter said softly. Ezra untucked her chair and skipped lazily outside.

"Go with her, Holly," Macon demanded. Holly scraped her chair out and followed the golden-haired girl. As soon as Ezra turned the corner, Dexter's smiled vanished, replaced with a sneer.

"What the hell have you done to her?" He growled in a very low voice.

"Miss Cain, Mr Pleasant. I believe you remember Armageddon? I don't know how you'd forget him, really. But do you remember his weakness?" Macon asked, ignoring his fuming son.

"It didn't work, not really," Skulduggery said.

"But what was it?"

"It was the words his mother's killer said to him after her death," Valkyrie said, a forkful of eggs halfway to her lips.

"Precisely. Well, when Miss Bloom was in my… care, shall we say, I repeated a phrase. I didn't mean it at the time, it just seemed fitting if I'm honest. Last night I caused her a great amount of distress and when she was weak, I simply whispered it into her ear. And then it all came tumbling down. I knocked over the first domino and off it went. I'm afraid your sister, friend and fiancé are, well, not in a great place right now." Macon said, grinning and shoving another piece of bacon in his greasy mouth. Dexter was breathing heavily, his hands gripping either side of his chair, his face blank. It was taking his all to not lunge and Valkyrie knew it.

"How did you know that?" Skulduggery asked.

"Know what?" Macon asked.

"That that was Armageddon's weakness,"

"Erskine told me," Macon said. All heads whipped around to Erskine who shied into his seat.

"Of course he did." Ghastly muttered. Ezra skipped in with Holly's hand in one hand, and a bunch of flowers in the other.

Holly was smiling slightly. Ezra gave her a flower, then skipped to Dexter. She grinned and passed him one and his anger melted and he smiled such a dazzling smile that Valkyrie would have been convinced if she hadn't been there a moment ago. "Thanks, Ezzy," He said. Ezra giggled and gave one to Saracen and Anton, then to Kaden. She gave one to Macon then to Valkyrie and Skulduggery, and Ghastly. She passed one to Erskine and even Blaise then Noah. Noah snorted and threw it on the ground and Ezra's grin faded, her eyes widening.

"What the hell, I don't want it." He said, rolling his eyes. Ghastly picked the flower up from the ground and laid it next to his own.

"Good, more for me." He said, smiling at Ezra. Satisfied, Ezra took her seat in between Dexter and Saracen.

"Isn't she so much better?" Macon asked.

"Huh?" Ezra asked, looking up from her toast.

"Nothing, dear, don't you worry," Macon said like he was speaking to a toddler. She stared at him for a moment, her eyes focusing for just a moment. She gasped, winced. Closed her eyes. Opened them and giggled. Dexter patted her back and looked at his father with a rage and fury in his eyes that Valkyrie didn't know he was capable of.

"You're all free to leave once I've picked your minds," Macon said as took a gulp of orange juice.

"What does that mean?" Anton asked.

"Kaden here is a Projector. He reads minds and plays them back."

"I can't do it to the girl, her mental stability is far too unstable – It could kill her." Kaden said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion. You will do as you're told. I want to know everything, so don't leave any details out." Macon said, smirking. The Dead Men exchanged a look. Were they ready for this?

Thanks for reading! Please, please reveiw!