Quick update: When I first started writing stories for the Skulduggery Pleasant Series I was a child. I liked the idea of a Valduggery pairing so much that in any of my series I chose to reach the 'romance' too fast and obvious. Now I'm back to it and much older I think, like any novel, the relationships should evolve naturally in order for it to seem realistic. Valkyrie is mature even beyond her age, while Skulduggery is older but not at a mental age that is too old for Valkyrie to keep up with. Reading Derek's books show the immediate chemistry between their personalities so, with thanks to such a positive connection between the two, it wouldn't seem too unrealistic to have them reach an attachment toward each other faster than your average mortal relationship. So, with that, hints of romance or an attachment will present themselves within each chapter, however, the ultimate revelation of the connection between the two won't occur for a few chapters yet.

So, in case anyone is seriously waiting for the obvious romance, I suggest waiting a few updates for it to really happen. I appreciate the readers I have and reviews I have received (though few), but I also want to progress the story in the way I am feeling it flowing.

To the reviewer requesting I update more often, or write longer chapters, I promise to try my best and I thank you greatly for your feedback! :) I remember reading a great story and mentally begging the author to update, so I do promise to try my best. Thanks to everyone who reads these, I really appreciate it!

It was the morning after the ball and Valkyrie's head still felt fuzzy and disoriented from the alcohol. Regrets, she thought. It suddenly struck her that maybe her head was also fuzzy after having her airways constricted in a head lock. It also struck her that maybe alcohol consumption was a stupid idea after being knocked out. Skulduggery had been the exact type of gentleman Valkyrie assumed he would be. He drove her home, let her sit in silence on the ride home, opened doors for her and helped her inside. She didn't forget how he had discreetly surveyed each room – undoubtedly for potential intruders – and kept his gloved hand by his revolver. Once he had been sure the house was free of unwelcome visitors he had said goodnight and left. Well, she had assumed he'd left until she noticed the bright moon reflecting off a shiny black Bentley concealed in the trees down Gordon's lengthy driveway. Skulduggery had stayed all night watching over the house… and her.

She knew the day ahead was going to be relatively interesting for her. She wasn't used to mysteries like this, especially ones that involved her being the victim. She'd have been happy to let this go until the attacker showed themselves again, but something told her that Skulduggery wasn't going to let it slide.

XxXxX

Skulduggery found himself at Ghastly's store without quite knowing exactly why. It wasn't unusual to randomly turn up there without reason, he did confide in Ghastly often after all.

"Ah," Ghastly greeted Skulduggery with a nod, "is this for the fitting?"

"Valkyrie isn't with me, we will come later," Skulduggery replied. "She was attacked last night before the ball."

Once they sat on the lounges, Ghastly's expression turned grim. "Attacked?"

"So, Tanith didn't tell you then. My respect and trust for her just raised a little," Skulduggery nodded in approval at his newfound respect for Tanith Low. "Valkyrie had only just told Tanith towards the end of the night. Someone had trespassed into Gordon's mansion and hidden in her bedroom until she came in. Once she realised someone was behind her she was in a headlock and passed out."

"Headlock? That's interesting," Ghastly's brows furrowed as he pondered the information. "Two things: One, if the attacker wanted to really harm her you'd assume they'd use magic to do the damage; two, why do a headlock when you have powers to hurt people… unless they aren't magical?"

"I considered the same thing," Skulduggery replied. "Headlocks can be risky when you know your opponent is in the field of fighting. They might know how to counter the lock and free themselves."

"Any chance this could be a mortal conflict?"

Skulduggery shrugged. "Possible, though unlikely. As I had said, my purpose of meeting Valkyrie was to keep an eye on her motives as she has become a popular name around here. I find it oddly coincidental if her attacker has nothing to do with either Sanguine or some other sorcerer with cruel intent towards her."

"Why Sanguine specifically?"

Skulduggery sighed. "Valkyrie and I paid him a visit when I was notified that he'd been out and about causing some trouble recently. We went to the bar, he ran off and she chased him into the alleyway, he got close to her and taunted her a bit…"

"He likes her," Ghastly concluded.

Skulduggery nodded and sighed in frustration. "Precisely."

"A headlock isn't really his style," Ghastly countered. "Unless he's working with someone or hired a hitman?"

"I thought so too, but I can't imagine him messing with us so soon after that visit." Skulduggery's phone buzzed, and Valkyrie's name flashed on the screen, "Excuse me," he said to Ghastly. "Valkyrie, everything alright?"

"Yeah," her sleepy voice replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, I don't know. You were only attacked in your own home last night and this is the first time you've ever called me," sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"Right," she yawned. "Well, I thought I better check in and see if anything is happening today. I'm just getting ready now and I might go into town and see if anything suspicious is going on."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to be exposing yourself like that?"

"How else will I stop the bad guys?" She retorted.

"You just go looking for trouble, don't you?"

He could almost hear her shrug through the phone. "I like to think trouble finds me," she replied.

"If you insist," Skulduggery sighed, "wait ten minutes, I'll come pick you up and we will both go."

"See you at the pier," she replied, and the phone went dead.

Skulduggery turned around to Ghastly with his eyebrows raised. "That girl is the trouble," he remarked. "But I must say, you two are annoyingly perfect for each other. I see this partnership lasting a long time and infuriating a lot of people."

"Infuriating people is my favourite thing to do," Skulduggery replied, putting his hat on and tilting it at the perfect angle.

Ghastly handed him a package from behind the lounge they had sat on. "I saw her last night and memorised the measurements," he said with a shrug. "I was going to wait and see if she turned out to be a threat before giving her the advantage of protective attire, but you seem so sure of her, so I went ahead and made the clothes."

"Thank you," Skulduggery replied sincerely. "I worry this partnership will end badly, but not in the way you think."

Skulduggery knew Ghastly was thinking the partnership would end badly because Valkyrie would turn out to be bad. Skulduggery, on the other hand, had a different reason in mind. Valkyrie seemed like a person Skulduggery could see himself getting close to, like Ghastly or China or the Dead Men, and that could end in hurt if anything were to ever happen.

XxXxX

Valkyrie rushed to get ready so that she could get to the pier early. She loved that she was a simple girl that could sit in peace and enjoy nature amidst the crazy world she lived in. Even the mortal world was so full of drama and chaos. Out on the pier, however, that chaos washed away with the waves and disappeared into the endless sky. Though she knew the earth was round, she liked to imagine all the complications in her life bobbing in the water all the way to the edge of the horizon and just drop off a sharp edge into space. The dilemma then was that she didn't want that negative energy to poison the beauty of space, so where was it all to go?

At that thought, Skulduggery pulled up somewhere behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know it was him, his car had a familiar purr. "You know," came a familiar velvet voice, "I could be anyone here to kill you and you wouldn't even know."

Valkyrie shrugged. "I knew it was you or should I say I knew it was the Bentley. In any case, though, the thought of dying isn't so horrible if it's with this view."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "You're far too young to think such things."

"I've seen far too much to truly cherish my time on this earth. I also know too much to be in denial about a possible premature death."

"Wise beyond your years, Miss Cain," he noted.

Valkyrie couldn't pin what it was about Skulduggery that she warmed up to immediately. Was it the back-and-forth banter or the comforting voice? Maybe the way he seemed to want to protect her? Valkyrie can handle herself, but she couldn't shake the good feeling of having someone to potentially share this world with that may actually care.

"Ready to hit the town?" She asked.

"In case you can't tell, I'd be rolling my eyes at you right now."