"Ezra, NO!" Skulduggery yelled, just as Tanith cursed. Skulduggery lurched forward, reaching out to grab her, but a hand was on him, then two, pulling him back, pulling him away from the edge. Tanith cursed again and lunged, driving her sword into a stone slab, breaking the magic bond. Her and Billy-Ray seeped into the stone, and Ghastly ran past Skulduggery, Soul-Catcher in hand, and he threw it over the edge, the remnant being sucked into it. Valkyrie didn't let go of Skulduggery.
It had been four months. Four months since Ezra jumped, since Tanith and Billy-Ray went under, since everything happened all at once. Since then it had felt like everything was under water, or it had all just... stopped. Ezra had been so broken, her body twisted in grotesque, inhumane ways. Bodies weren't meant to bend and break like that. Ezra wasn't meant to bend and break that way. She had been in the medical bay for the full four months, Dr. Nye and Reverie Synecdoche worked day and night, trying to fix the shattered pieces. Dexter had barely slept or ate, no one had. Everything was muffled and groggy and felt surreal. No one could imagine a world without Ezra.
Reverie sat down heavily next to Valkyrie, her eyes wide with dark circles beneath them.
"How is she- How are things?" Valkyrie asked. It was difficult to know exactly what to ask.
"She's whole again. She's still in a coma though." Reverie replied. Everything about the woman screamed exhaustion. She massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, sighing. She smiled bitterly.
"It had to be Ezra." She said sadly. Valkyrie frowned.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"The world is awful, and dark, and unjust. It takes anything nice and pure and light and just chews it up then spits it out."
"She can never, ever know what she did. If she knew about the mortals she hurt, or what she did to Saracen... To Dexter. We all know it was remnant, but look at Dexter. He still isn't over it. And Anton still doesn't even know."
"I know. This will be the whole world's little secret."
Dr. Nye called for Reverie and she smiled tiredly and quickly walked away. Valkyrie was by herself once again. She opened a book and just stared at the pages. She was alone. Which, in fairness, she didn't mind. It was good to be alone these days. When she was with other people she had to put on a brave face, pretend everything was alright. All she wanted to do was talk to someone... No, talk to Skulduggery. But that seemed like an awful idea. Valkyrie was worried about him, like, really worried about him. He had been so tense and silent, no banter, no pep talks, no complaints... No nothing, just an empty silence that filled the Bentley like tar. Dexter had been off the grid since Ezra was admitted, Ghastly and Erskine just seemed to be working because it was something to do, Anton had gone back to the Midnight Hotel and was god-knows-where and Saracen was just pacing the sanctuary. Even China had been quiet. And what happened if Ezra did die? The best shot they had was a front line of the Dead Men against Darquesse... All the Dead Men. They worked best as a team. That was the way it had always been and now seemed like an awful time to change it. Valkyrie had seen Ezra on the ground. The image of her just laying was there every single time she closed her eyes. Ezra's legs had been twisted, bent in ways that were just so inherently wrong. An arm was folded beneath her, the other arm out stretched but mangled. And there was blood, so much blood. Bones were sticking out, and her hair was damp and sticky, the red staining it. Valkyrie missed her. She hadn't realized how close she had grown to the girl until she was gone. Valkyrie kept expecting her to send her a stupid text, or hear her nervous, involuntary laughs in awkward situations. Valkyrie knew that if she needed anything, little or big, she could just call Ezra and she would be there but now Valkyrie wasn't sure if she would ever be there again.
I didn't want her to die.
Valkyrie's eyes widened a fraction as the faint, unwanted voice infiltrated her thoughts.
I honestly didn't. I just needed her out of the way, that's all.
'If she dies, it's your fault. She will be out of the way then.' Valkyrie thought back. It was strange having a conversation in her own head, yet here she was.
I just wanted her out of the way, on my side. I knew a remnant was the only way to do it. It was a particularly nasty remnant, I'll admit. But i had no part in that. Of course it had to be a remnant with a god complex. Just my luck, isn't it?
'She might die and you're angry that an arrogant, sadistic Bastard of a remnant was inside her?'
In hindsight it wasn't my best plan. I never meant for her to get hurt. I thought this was the best plan of action, the least harmful.
'Well, you were wrong.'
I see that now.