Drusus Hushed

"Ravel," Clarabelle said, "Do you think they'll-" she turned in his direction but he was gone. She sagged and walked back.

"Well?" Nye asked and placed beakers on some shelves.

"They're on the case. So, what do I do now?"

"Go clean something."

"Alright." she replaced most of the beds' sheets and got bored. Clarabelle sighed and moved on to something else, perhaps inventory. She counted unknown liquids, chemicals, and plants, taking her a good three hours.

Nye found her in a closet stacking mops, "It's late," it said, "go home."

Clarabelle nodded, "OK, uh, bye." she grabbed her bag, slipped on her coat, and headed out.

Clarabelle's breath clouded as she walked down the alleys, hearing a familiar sound, "Leave me alone." she warned. Caelan blurred in front of her, making her hair dangle in her face. "What?"

"Nice to see you too."

"Dude, go." Clarabelle shoved passed, but Caelan joined her side. "I'm serious, go."

"About last night-"

"You know I have a vile of saltwater in my bag." she stopped walking and stared, Caelan followed.

"I know." he coolly said, "And I'm sorry."

"Look, Caelan, lets just forget, OK? It's bad enough I'm dealing with something else, let alone last night."

"I'm sorry?"

She shook her head, "Never mind." and started walking forward.

"No," he tried, "tell me."

"Bye now." Clarabelle pushed him away and hailed a taxi, leaving Caelan in the alleyway.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Downtown Dublin."

He chuckled, "Anywhere specific?"

"No, just in front of that truck depot."

"Oh, OK then." he didn't talk until their destination, "That'll be…" Clarabelle handed him a crumpled fifty dollar bill. "Bye." she smiled and walked home.

"Where should we start first?" Valkyrie Cain asked and walked to the Bentley.

"Find that arrow?" he suggested and the doors clicked open.

"Right, where's the scene?" she stepped in and buckled up.

"Actually, it was over by the forest here." he opened the door for her and she stepped out.

"Alright then." Valkyrie got out and zipped up her too-tight coat. "OK, from what I've heard the arrow shot right through him."

"That's right."

"Look in the trees." she started running.

"For what?" Valkyrie stopped and stared "Oh." Skulduggery jogged behind her to the trees.

She clicked her fingers and a flame grew in the dim evening. She scanned over trees' bark. "Look." he walked over, the tree was sharply pierced with a wooden arrow, carved with charms and symbols.

"Can you read it?" Valkyrie asked.

"It's a death trap for whoever touches it." Skulduggery mumbled.

"Can't you touch it?" she asked, "With you being dead an' all?"

He stared at her with empty eye sockets, "How about we get China on this?"

She nodded, "Good idea-" something grazed her hair and hit a tree nearby. "Skulduggery?"

He would've frowned, "Yes?"

"Did you not just see that?"

"No…" again, another flew past, they could spot the target. "… Yes."

"Who are you?" Valkyrie demanded, a figure moved from the trees and onto the ground.

The man was toned with shoulder length hair and amber eyes, keeping a scabbard loaded with arrows. He quenched his bow tight. "Drusus," in a split second he loaded his bow and an arrow lodged in Valkyrie's chest. "Drusus Hushed."

I deeply apologize for my fanfic's neglecting… if that makes sense. Anyways if I did or didn't mention but a friend of mine tried to get Fanfiction but parents found out and so on and so forth. So they PM'd that I use their OC, Drusus Hushed, as an enemy. I needed one, so, yeah!

If curios about the difference between the series and mine here you go. China's alive, Vendetta will only make minor visits, Tanith was never a remnant- yet, Valkyrie is aged at 15 (different now, right?), perspective is placed with Clarabelle mostly; Valkyrie and Skulduggery are only friends and secondary characters. Get it? Got it?…good. Any questions? Ask me, because I'm lonely.