Magic was capable of incredible things. Valkyrie had seen visions of the future, she'd shared conversations with her own reflection, and just minutes earlier she'd soared amongst the constellations. She could throw fire, move the air, manipulate shadows and give a skeleton a face with the brush of a finger over bone. But nothing was more magical than the moment that Skulduggery reached a hand under his ribcage and produced a new bag of cookies. Her eyes widened to a comical degree and her breath caught.

"Are those - triple chocolate?"

"I do my best to serve."

"No you don't. You do your best to annoy me to death. Now pass me a cookie."

"Say please."

Valkyrie turned imploring eyes on her partner. "Skulduggery, dearest of skeletons, already the bringer of the most divine biscuits -"

"I didn't ask for the puppy eyes. You don't have to beg, either."

"- indulge your generosity and give me another cookie, or so help me I won't talk to you for a week."

"A more luxurious promise I cannot imagine."

"Skulduggery, please pass me a cookie."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

She glared, and he remained impassive, and she glared more, and he chuckled. A gloved hand fished in the bag and withdrew a chocolaty treat. Skulduggery tossed the cookie towards Valkyrie, and she jammed it in her mouth and sank her teeth into it.

The biscuit was as divine as she's said earlier. It was a chewy cookie, not crunchy, and the sugary goodness filled her mouth. Before she knew it, Valkyrie had devoured the whole thing, and she craved more. She looked hopefully towards Skulduggery. He was watching her with his head cocked slightly. When he spoke, his voice was slightly wistful.

"I've never tried one of those."

Valkyrie's jaw dropped. "You've never tried a chocolate chip cookie? Oh my God! You haven't lived yet!"

His head tilted sharply towards her, and she instantly regretted her words, although she couldn't put her finger on why exactly. She kept babbling. "I mean, it's a choc chip cookie! Everyone's tried a choc chip cookie!"

Skulduggery nodded sagely. "I haven't. I remember when they became popular, but I was long dead by then."

Valkyrie was mute in her horror. Everyone deserved to try a chocolate chip cookie. She was honestly upset now, but still she was stunned at the tears that clouded her vision.

He ignored her, a skill that he found quite useful at times. "There are lots of foods I've never eaten that I would like to, and many more I'm rather glad I haven't. Of everything, though, I think that the one I'm missing out on most is the triple chocolate cookie." He regarded her for a moment. "Tell me, was it good?"

"Mouth-watering," she replied fervently. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do to taste? It doesn't work on your teeth, does it?"

A glum head shake was her response. Valkyrie quietened for a moment, blinking back the traitorous tears. She still wasn't sure why she was reacting this way.

"That's..." she faltered. This was not something they discussed. "That's really sad, actually."

Skulduggery shrugged. "In exchange for chocolate chip cookies, I get to be the world's only living skeleton. It's quite a gratifying position."

"Gratifying how?"

"Well, my enemies quiver before me."

"I think that's because of me, actually."

"Well, they quiver before us then."

"Very true," Valkyrie nodded. "Very true."

She finished off her second bag of cookies that night. Skulduggery watched her, shaking his head.

"What would your mother say?" he mused. "Would she be pleased that I am stuffing her daughter full of calories at all hours of the night?"

"All hours?" Valkyrie perked up. "You have more cookies?"

He ignored her. Again. "I think she would not. And that is why I do not have more cookies for you."

She grumbled, and he laughed at her, stretching out to watch the sky again.

Watch check. 11:46pm. Valkyrie covered a yawn with the back of her hand. Skulduggery appeared to be meditating, but it was hard to tell. He lay very still, facing the stars. Flopping back onto the spongy grass, Valkyrie yawned again. Her sugar rush had run out, leaving her suddenly exhausted. It was getting kind of chilly, too. Lucky thing the ground wasn't damp, or she'd be freezing. Valkyrie ignited a small flame in the palm of her hand, and that warmed her.

In only moments, she was asleep.

...

Dawn unfurled in the east, billows of gold and rose and every shade in between reaching out across the sky. Birds chirruped and sang, and Valkyrie woke drowsily as Skulduggery argued with a man who had appeared on the hill.

Valkyrie sat bolt upright.

This wasn't good.

Now that she was awake and alert, she could hear what they were saying.

"-get in here, anyway?" shouted the unknown man. He had a ruddy face and thick, messy hair. He looked angry, and there was something about him that screamed mortal. Valkyrie doubted he had magic.

"We didn't realise it was private property," Skulduggery replied smoothly.

"Why are you even here?"

"We got lost," Valkyrie supplied. Skulduggery looked at her but said nothing.

"Lost," the man said doubtfully. "Here."

"Over that way, actually," Skulduggery pointed behind them. "Or was it that way?"

"No, no, that way," argued Valkyrie, pointing to the right. "Or maybe over there?"

The man watched in bewilderment as they pointed in four different directions.

"Quite lost, as you can see," Skulduggery told the man apologetically. He snapped out of it, shaking his head.

"I've had enough of you lunatics for one day. I'm calling the police." He turned away, whipped out a mobile phone, and did just that.

Valkyrie blinked. Now they were in trouble.