Chapter 16

I met up with my brother in Granny's diner for the second time in two days, though this time it was a planned meet up rather than the semi happy accident that it was yesterday. Wisely, neither of us broached the topic of the events of the previous afternoon, and, as the morning sun began to shine brighter and brighter, we were finally able to speak openly with one another about the strange lives we'd led.

Neal told me about his difficult childhood, before our father became the Dark One, losing his mother, Milah, and eventually getting betrayed by our father, and being cast into this world. He talked about the Darling family, meeting and being sold off by Hook of all people (who I was really beginning to regret sleeping with), living on Neverland, otherwise known as the Island of Lost Boys, though he was reluctant to share any real details about that period of his life. He talked about meeting Emma, and August, and the guilt he still felt over leaving her to be arrested. He mentioned the new life he had built in New York, and his fiancée, Tamara, who would be in town shortly, and who he wanted me to meet.

In return, I told him about Haggard, the small seaside town in Ireland that I had grown up in. I told him about losing my favorite uncle, Gordon, and the night I had been attacked and then saved by a skeleton detective named Skulduggery Pleasant. How I learned about the world of Mages, and my own potential powers. About how I bullied him into taking me along with him on cases, becoming a detective myself. I tried to gloss over the true extent of what I had done, and the danger I had been in, but, given Neal's grim face, I suspected that he could read between the lines. Darquesse was something I didn't dare mention in connection to me, not with Neal, so I spoke of her as a separate entity, as someone who appeared from nowhere whenever the whim hit her, and disappeared just as quickly.

A lump grew in my throat as I tried to explain the War of Sanctuaries, and I was rendered silent for a few moments before deciding to skip over the topic entirely. His hand clutched mine for a moment as I struggled, and retracted when I moved on to happier topics, like the recent engagement of my friends, Ghastly and Tanith, and the cases I'd been working on in more recent years, particularly the one that lead me to remembering Regina and Rumpelstiltskin. Neal became tense at the name, and I reached out for my cup of coffee, letting the bitter caffeine wash over my taste buds before daring to open my mouth and speak again.

"I think I have to talk to him at some point you know." I muttered, watching him for any reaction, but seeing none. "He is still my father."

"I know." Neal cut in sharply, sighing when I gave him an unimpressed look, and continuing on in a much softer voice. "I know. I just- I don't want you to get hurt, Val. He's going to disappoint you." He directed a concerned look my way. I shrugged, pushing around a loose packet of sugar that had been left on the table.

"Such is the nature of man." I drawled sarcastically, looking up at my brother. "I know what I'm getting myself into Neal, I just-" I cut myself off, sighing. "I just need to give him a chance, you know? See what kind of man he is for myself. You get that, don't you?" I peered across the table at him, his features drawn tight. He huffed out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah," He huffed out. "Yeah, I get it Val. Just, if anything happens, promise me you'll let me know?" He asked, face relaxing slightly as I nodded yes. A comfortable moment of silence passed, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket, gesturing for him to do the same.

I grabbed his phone from him, plugging my number into it as I grinned across the table at him. "So we can actually stay in touch when you go back to New York." He raised an eyebrow at that, but grinned back and punched his number into my phone, passing it over when he was done.

"So," I began, pushing the phone back into my jacket pocket. "what's your plan for the rest of today? Anything interesting, that is, apart from Tamara coming to town?" Neal grinned widely at my question.

"Emma's actually going to bring Henry by soon so we can walk him to school together." He said happily. "Actually, I think-" Neal was interrupted by the sound of the door to the diner opening, Henry practically skipping in with Emma a few steps behind him. Neal stood, and Henry beamed up at him, running to embrace him. "Hey, buddy!" Neal exclaimed, hugging the young boy back just as tightly.

I scooted out of the booth, taking this as my cue to leave as Neal pulled back slightly. "How are you?" He asked. Henry glanced up at him, eyes darting to me as I moved out from behind Neal.

"I'm good. I brought this." Henry exclaimed, thrusting a large book towards Neal. "I thought you could tell me what it was really like over there." Neal nodded.

"Sounds great."

"And you!" Henry continued, pointing at me as I tried to make a quiet exit. I sighed to myself, turning and giving the young boy a questioning look. He passed me a sheet of paper that was clearly a photocopied page from the book. "Do you understand what this is about?" I glanced down at the paper, surprised to find a poem staring back at me. I read it silently to myself as Henry watched me eagerly. I glanced up as Neal spoke.

"What's it say Val?" I huffed out a breath, glancing towards Emma before reading the poem aloud in a subdued voice.

"Black hair, golden eyes,

The Irish girl surprise.

Lost before but found anew,

Darknesse lurks within her shoe.

Mind her gaze, she's killed love before,

Destined dearest to one who flees the shore.

Deadly beauty, a belladonna in bloom,

If she cares, her light will stop thine doom.

Should she flee, there is no hope for this land,

And all that was once loved will turn to sand."

I finished, the paper crinkling slightly under my furious grip. Not another fucking prophecy. I looked up to meet the concerned eyes of Neal once again, smiling tightly. "Guess I'm staying in town for a while." I said, forcing a laugh out. When his expression remained unchanged, I deflated slightly, eyeing the door. "I'm going to go have that talk I mentioned, Neal. We can talk about this," I waved the paper about. "-later, ok? Ok." I stated, barely giving him a chance to protest before sweeping out the front, and making my way downtown. I thrust the paper into my pocket, determined to ignore the implications of every line for the time being.


Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop was just as magically imbued as I had remembered it being the last time I had been there, and I had to squint against the light that it produced, taking a moment to adjust. The bell jingled happily as I entered, alerting the sole inhabitant of the shop to my presence.

"Just a moment." My father's voice called out from the back, his shuffling footsteps echoing as he approached. I glanced down at the glass countertop, examining one of the delicate necklaces that lay there. His uneven steps came to a halt as he spotted me, but I kept my gaze on the case. "Valkyrie." He sounded surprised.

"I thought we should talk." I said, unable to actually look up at him. "Recently, I realized that I... I'm not holding you and mom to the same standard, which is hardly fair to anyone." I paused for a moment, steeling myself, and turning towards him. He was watching me, a mistiness coming to his eyes as tears gathered there. "I'd like to try to- that is, if you'd like I-" My father came rushing towards me, pulling me into a tight hug, his hands trembling where they sat on my back, and all I could do was hug him just as tightly back.

"I'd like that very much dearie."