Ahhhh! So for some reason I hadn't received any e-mails notifying me of your reviews or personal messages so I thought my last chapter was rejected by you all! Oh well, new chapter for you, sorry for mistakes, enjoy:

As much as Valkyrie wished that she could be content with having a talk with Skulduggery after they dealt with Alistair but she simply could not shake their conversation in the Bentley from her brain. Everything with Skulduggery lately had been complicated and somewhat strained. Their relationship seemed to be at a standstill as if they'd come to a point where there was nothing left. Valkyrie didn't like it, part of her actually feared the truth. She didn't fear many things so that was saying a lot.

Only to add to her theory, the drive back to the mansion after lunch had been absolutely silent. Valkyrie figured that if she'd have yanked out a stand of her hair and dropped it on the floor of the Bentley that she'd actually hear it land. At the mansion, however, noise was a common practise. In fact, if there were no noise to heard when she arrived, she'd probably worry.

"How was lunch?" Tanith called from down the hallway. She had squinted eyes and a huge grin like she'd just been laughing at a very funny joke.

Valkyrie gave Tanith a look that said 'don't even ask'. Tanith pulled a wary face and craned her neck around her shoulder. "Hey Ghastly I'm just going upstairs with Val for a moment!"

"Why are you telling me?" Ghastly called back.

Tanith shrugged, as if he could see through the walls. "I don't know... just thought you'd like to know!"

"But... why?"

"Oh my God, I don't know, okay?! I'm going upstairs," she concluded.

"You already said that," Ghastly replied, Valkyrie could hear the teasing tone of his voice.

"Shut up," Tanith poked her tongue out in the general direction of Ghastly and yanked Valkyrie upstairs.

Within the confines of the four walls of Valkyrie's bedroom, Tanith spoke freely. "What has been going on between you two?" Tanith asked.

"Nothing," Valkyrie lied. She wasn't into these talks. She hated talking about feelings, she even hated admitting her own feelings to herself.

Tanith's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you," she replied.

Valkyrie shrugged. "I don't what to say to you, Tanith. Nothing is wrong, we've just run out of stuff to talk about."

The truth of that fact hit home within Valkyrie. Had they really run out of stuff to talk about? Since when do they never have something to talk about?

As if to hear her thoughts Tanith said, "Since when are guys ever speechless in each other's company?"

"I don't know."

XxXxX

"How was lunch?" Ghastly asked Skulduggery in the kitchen.

Skulduggery shook his head and joined Ghastly at the table. "We ran into Ann today," Skulduggery rested his chin on his gloved fists.

Realisation and shock crossed Ghastly's face all in one. "As in..." He needn't finish the sentence as Skulduggery nodded.

"My wife's best friend, yes," he mumured. "She felt it necessary to convince me that my wife and child's murder were my fault. As if I didn't already know that," Ghastly wasn't quite sure but he could have sworn he heard Skulduggery's break slightly. "Of course Valkyrie was there, witnessed it all and even had a few words to say to Ann. She stuck up for me Ghastly!"

"What's wrong with that?" Ghastly asked.

"Have I deluded her so much into thinking all of my actions, both past and present, are acceptable? What does that say about me if she ends up just like me?" Skulduggery argued.

"Skulduggery, we've all made mistakes that have cost the lives of many people we love. Look, I know how you feel about Valkyrie and you can't deny it. I also love Valkyrie, she's like my little sister and I want nothing but to protect her and Tanith, and of course you as well," Ghastly said. "If there's one thing I can be confident in, it's that Valkyrie isn't easily influenced. Her mind works so fast that yes, her decisions are similar to yours, but you see her calculating to the point that you know she has thought of every possibility. Her decisions are her own."

Skulduggery said nothing but stared out the window at the wide backyard.

"And if you keep pushing her away like I know you have been because of how you feel then she will become clouded and unfocused. Don't do that to her, don't break her heart," Ghastly finished. He hadn't meant to sound so stern but he was very protective of Valkyrie as well. He had seen first hand the effects Skulduggery has on her whether it be in his presence or not.

Skulduggery took yet another long moment to reply. With a tilt of Skulduggery's head Ghastly knew he had gotten through to him somewhere. "I knew you were good for advice but in relation to women? Since when?" Skulduggery joked.

"Tanith keeps me on my toes, my friend," he said. "That girl is relentless."