So, I had started writing this yesterday, but I had no flow. I continued it today and now it's 1:30am here in Australia and fatigue is upon me. I had considered saving it and continuing tomorrow night after work, but I figured I had better upload though the chapter is rather small. However, fear not! I have a good idea of the next chapter, so it should be with you sooner than this one was and longer than this one as well.

Thanks for all the kind reviews!

It would be safe to conclude that the sanctuary wasn't so forthcoming with information surrounding Valkyrie and her attacks. Or maybe it was just that they weren't at all please with Skulduggery's information to them about Valkyrie. After all, he had appointed her as his new partner and let him further into their world without permission from the sanctuary. One thing Skulduggery did notice was that Erskine and Madame Mist were completely surprised by the news. This suggested Ghastly hadn't told them beforehand and for that, Skulduggery was grateful for his friend.

"You let someone we identify as a potential threat into our world like this?!" Madame Mist screeched. "And a little girl of all things."

"With all due respect Madame Mist, I think Valkyrie Cain could very well be a significant asset to our cause. She is already so advanced in her fighting skills. She is wise beyond her years and her strategizing is phenomenal," Skulduggery explained.

Ghastly leaned forward. "I had the liberty of meeting Miss Cain at the ball you two so graciously refused to attend. While I know not to trust first impressions, I must say she was rather poised and mature."

"And what does poise and maturity mean in regard to threatening nature?" Madame Mist replied.

"I wasn't finished," Ghastly replied. Madame Mist rolled her eyes when Ghastly gave Skulduggery a knowing sideways glance. "Upon meeting her, I am under the impression she does what she does to protect her family. She mentioned in passing that she had stumbled into this blind. She had no prior knowledge of magic and when she discovered it within herself she had to train alone. So, upon practicing and teaching herself, she had also stumbled into threats of her own. I guess she realised she needed to protect her family from these powerful people," he shrugged, "I can't blame her."

Skulduggery thought his respect for Ghastly had already reached its maximum until that moment. Ghastly Bespoke was truly an honourable man. Skulduggery also thought Madame Mist's face couldn't get any redder, but it seemed like steam was almost flowing out of her ears. "Erskine," she shrieked, "what say you about this?!"

Erskine had been leaning back in his chair throughout the entire discussion, remaining quiet all the while. "We don't know this girl, that much is true. However, some of my oldest friends, these two men right here, see good things in Miss Cain. We are stupid to turn away someone who could be an asset to our team here. She has already done a lot of fighting, so much so that we haven't had nearly as many reports of crime as we used to. I mean, there's a reason why we considered her as a threat. If anything were to happen, we have more than enough firepower to deal with one girl."

"Are you joking?" Mist's hands shook.

"Calm down," Erskine replied, staring into her eyes. "I sign off and accept this partnership. Here are my terms. If her behaviour becomes unreliable, unpredictable or chaotic, she will be apprehended. Otherwise, Skulduggery, I expect her to meet us at some point in the near future. In the meantime, to answer your first question, I have not heard any news regarding Miss Cain. I believe China Sorrows has told you all there is to tell as far as I am concerned."

Eventually, Skulduggery left the sanctuary no better off as he was before entering it. The only feat of the morning had been their acceptance of Valkyrie. He'd have Ghastly to thank for it. However, the real issue remained, who was trying to hurt Valkyrie?