Ok, so first I owe you guys a major apology. I haven't updated in two or three weeks, which is a long time, and for that I'm really sorry. My excuse (a valid one this time) is that I found this whole chapter really difficult to write. It never sounded good in my head, and the content is a bit boring (for which I also apologise, but I guarantee next chapter will be a) longer and b) more action packed, but I have to add some boring bits to get to the fun bits. So essentially, I found it quite boring and hard to write and I also got SERIOUSLY distracted by other stuff, and it all took ages. So I'm basically sorry for this whole chapter, because I'm personally not too happy on it.

I would really welcome your feedback especially for this chapter because I'm interested to know your thoughts on it (maybe I've just spent so much time on it I'm feeling negative?). I don't know, but basically, please continue to read and review. Thank you for your support, and I'll try and get he next chapter published soon. Thank you!

Chapter 11

Valkyrie woke up with a jolt to the plane shuddering and shaking as it dipped into the clouds. All she could see was white from the window, but she guessed they were coming into land. She stretched and smiled; her full night of sleep had left her feeling better and less achy than she had for days. Although a slight headache pressed against Valkyrie's temples, she ignored it, and turned to Skulduggery.

"Are we nearly there yet?" She took on a whiney, joking tone, smiling as she spoke.

"We'll be over our destination in a few minutes."

Valkyrie sagged. "I guess it would be too much to hope for a nice, easy landing on a runway?"

"You've done this before, you'll be fine. Why bother the pilot with landing when we can just land ourselves? Anyway, it's good for you to practise your magic in more pressurised circumstances." Skulduggery sounded amused at his partners reluctance to jump out of a moving plane.

"Oh gee, thanks Skulduggery," Valkyrie said sarcastically. "Just what I needed, a lovely pressurised situation for me to risk my life in, once again. God, the things you do for me, it's no wonder I've missed having a really major case with you."

Skulduggery nodded. "No one can blame you. I'd miss me too."

Valkyrie glared at him, but Skulduggery ignored her.

"Well, we've arrived! Say goodbye to the lovely pilot, Valkyrie."

Valkyrie sighed, ignoring Skulduggery's nonsense as he pressed a button, opening the back of the plane. Her wind whipped against her face and as she looked down, her stomach dropped. Taking a look at Skulduggery, she saw him sneakily manipulating a bubble of calm air around himself and she laughed at his vanity. Ever the gentleman, he stepped aside to let her jump first.

"Ladies first."

Valkyrie shook her head. "Age before beauty."

"Well that's just lovely, that is." Then Skulduggery launched himself from the plane into the air.

Taking one deep, nervous breath, Valkyrie followed him and jumped into the thin air. She plummeted, twisting and turning as she struggled to gain control. Although she had done this before, it didn't get any easier. As she fell she tried to catch the air with her fingers to control herself, but she couldn't do it. She felt herself picking up speed and she span as she fell towards the foliage below.

Finally she managed to control her fall and she levelled off, forcing the air into a cushion around her. Soon she was zooming fast like a bullet. Wind whipping her hair, she followed Skulduggery's streamlined figure as he arced down towards the rainforest below. Parts of this, she admitted to herself, where fun. But the smile on her face didn't have time to settle.

A few seconds before it happened she realised what Skulduggery was going to do.

He pushed sharply at the air, and it separated the branches in front of him, creating a leafy tunnel into the rainforest. He neatly levelled off, landed, and stood on a tree root, his skull tilted up, waiting for her.

Unfortunately the branches that Skulduggery had managed to restrain with his magic quickly snapped back into place as Valkyrie tried entering the jungle. She cursed, her concentration lost and branches whipped her face as she fell through the canopy, all control gone.

She landed on a thick branch which winded her, knocking all the breath out of her body, before she carried on falling. Leaves slapped her face as she tumbled off tree boughs. Suddenly, the assault of leaves and branches stopped, and before Valkyrie knew it the ground was rushing up to meet her.

She hit the forest floor hard and groaned as she lay there. She felt as if she had been run over. She could already feel bruises blooming all over her and all the air had been knocked out of her.

Skulduggery stalked up to her and shook his head as he peered down at her.

"Only you, Valkyrie. Only you."

Valkyrie glared from her position on the floor and extended her bruised arm out for him to help her up.

Skulduggery contemplated her outstretched hand for a minute.

"Well," Valkyrie was insistent. "Are you going to help me up?"

"Yes," Skulduggery decided.

He then promptly walked away, leaving Valkyrie with her arm hanging and her temper flaring.

Valkyrie scowled at his turned back, before painfully dragging herself up onto her feet. She staggered as she breathed in and pain bit into her chest. Worried, she lifted up her shirt and saw blotchy blue bruises blooming across her chest and stomach. She sighed; she hoped she hadn't broken a rib. If she had, she'd just have to deal with it. She doubted she'd find another Kenspeckle in the Amazon.

At this, she remembered where she was, and for the first time, looked around her. She gasped with wonder. Tall, imposing trees towered over her from all sides, and high above her Valkyrie could hear monkeys screech and birds call. Only the smallest hint of azure sky could be seen amid the foliage.

Valkyrie suddenly felt very insignificant. This feeling, however, only lasted for a moment. Valkyrie's ego could definitely survive the hit.

On the rainforest floor bright flowers bloomed and as Valkyrie gazed around her in wonder, she watched a Venus Fly Trap snap shut on a large blue insect. All around her, bugs crawled and creeped. Valkyrie shuddered. Insects were all well and good...as long as they were far away from her. She turned and followed Skulduggery further into the jungle, screaming as she ran into a large spiders web snaking across two trees.

Skulduggery turned around when he heard her scream, and he sighed as he saw Valkyrie tottering around, desperately trying to get any web out of her hair. Skulduggery couldn't help but laugh. Bad move. Valkyrie looked up at him and glared.

"Get it out. Now."

Skulduggery spent the next half an hour picking spider webs out of Valkyrie's hair.

After that, Valkyrie had calmed down enough to talk to Skulduggery.

"So, where exactly are we going?"

Skulduggery sounded relieved at the lack of hostility in Valkyrie's voice. "Well, according to the map, we have a five mile walk in..." Skulduggery span around with his arm out and his finger pointed. Suddenly he stopped. "That direction."

"Skulduggery, you don't have a map." Valkyrie pointed out.

"Well," Skulduggery conceded, "Maybe not a paper one, but it's all up here." Skulduggery tapped his skull.

Valkyrie still looked doubtful. "Are you seriously saying that you memorised the map?"

"I think so."

"You think so?" Valkyrie's voice grew louder.

"Look Valkyrie, when have I ever gotten us lost before?"

And before Valkyrie could answer Skulduggery strode off in the direction he had pointed to. Valkyrie huffed, standing still for a second before following Skulduggery, cursing his name as she went.