Hi guys, so this is the next update. Sorry it's a bit late, but I spent a long while trying to make it perfect. Also, rather than just typing it up as I went along like I usually do, I wrote it out on paper first. I don't know, I find that helps make the writing better. But then I had to find time to type it up on my iPad, and that took a while. But anyway, this fanfiction should get more exciting and fast paced from here on in as everything comes to a head, so I hope you stick with it and enjoy it. I currently have a rough idea of how I want everything to go but to be honest this book is controlling me, not the other way round, so everything could change and I haven't mapped out any details. If you have an opinion or a suggestion please, please review and let me know, because I'm writing this for you, and I would love your input.

Also, a quick question: you've probably guessed that yes, this book will feature The Unnamed at some point. I have an idea of what he (or she? Or even it?) is like, but if you have opinions or ideas on what it looks like, sounds likes and how it acts please let me know.

Anyway, enough from me. Back to the brilliant (and in this chapter, very protective!) Skeleton Detective and his combat accessory...

Chapter 15

Skulduggery sighed. Valkyrie was still unconscious and she was now convulsing and shaking on the floor, blood running freely from her cheek and dribbling down from her nose. He had put her in the recovery position and tried to cool her down, but, being a skeleton, he had very little experience with ill people.

The only two things that Skulduggery did know for certain as he eyed Valkyrie tossing and turning, was that she was most definitely seriously ill, and he had absolutely no idea what to do about it. He was worried, and decided to call in an expert.

He took out his mobile and sighed once more. Skulduggery hated asking anyone for help, especially China Sorrows.

China picked up after the second ring. Her voice sounded strained.

"Please tell me you have good news for me Skulduggery. How is the case going? Unless this is you telling me you've solved it and you're coming home I really don't want to know."

"Well, China, an hour ago we were chased by some crazed bloodthirsty bats, who then proceeded to rip a chunk out of Valkyrie's face. Valkyrie has had headaches for the last few days, and this morning she was severely ill, with headaches and vomiting. She's now unconscious. I crumbled down the tunnel ceiling so the bats couldn't get us-they seem to be resistant to magic. We're now completely trapped."

Skulduggery paused.

"I'm aware that wasn't really what you wanted to hear. But with all due respect and without meaning to be rude, China, I don't really care. Right now, the only thing I care about is Valkyrie, so I would really appreciate it if you got off your throne, toddled over to the Hibernian and passed me over to Kenspeckle."

Skulduggery's voice hardened.

"Now."

He heard China sigh and snap an order. Someone left the room and China continued speaking.

"I think the Dead Men want to talk to you. I've sent for Fletcher-he's going to teleport us all over to the Hibernian."

China actually sounded worried now, and Skulduggery stayed silent as he was handed over to Ghastly.

"Skulduggery, what's happening? Is Valkyrie ok?"

"Honestly, Ghastly, I don't know." Skulduggery's voice was tight, and back in the cave he glanced at Valkyrie, She was shaking and shuddering. A few minutes ago she had been burning up, but now her lips were blue and when Skulduggery put his hand to her forehead again he realised she was icy cold. Her body was wracked with shivers.

"Ghastly, call me back when you get the Hibernian. I'm sorry but I need to look after Valkyrie, she's actually really ill."

Skulduggery's velvet voice shook just once before reverting to its normal calm smoothness.

"And get Dexter, Saracen and Anton to come. Depending on what Kenspeckle says, I might need some back up out here."

"Skulduggery, calm down." Ghastly could tell that his friend was trying to hide his panic.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, and in any case, they're already here and ready to leave. Even Shudder is happy to come-he won't complain when it's Valkyrie, you know he treats her like his daughter. Hell, Skulduggery, we all care. Whatever you need doing, we'll do it. Fletcher will be here in five minutes and we'll be at Kenspeckle's as soon as we can.

"Thanks Ghastly, it means a lot. Call me back when you get there."

Skulduggery hung up.

Back in Ireland, Ghastly turned to face the other Dead Men.

"She's bad, I can hear it in his voice. I think we should get ready to leave."

Meanwhile Skulduggery had tucked his beautiful tailored jacket around Valkyrie. Any piece of clothing made by Ghastly regulated body temperature, but Valkyrie's jacket was clearly not working. He knelt down beside her, brushing her now lank hair out of her face tenderly. Her lips were dry and her breathing ragged, so he splayed out his palm, conjuring moisture from the already damp air and letting it drop slowly into Valkyrie's open mouth. She was still shivering, so he clicked his fingers, generating a spark that grew brighter and brighter, giving out heat which eased Valkyrie's shudders.

Skulduggery slid to the floor and waited, keeping Valkyrie warm whilst watching his mobile like a hawk.

The sharp loud ring made Valkyrie jolt in her unconscious state, and she muttered feverishly.

"Hello?"

"Skulduggery it's Ghastly. We're at the Hibernian, I'll pass you over to Kenspeckle now."

The phone crackled and Skulduggery almost sighed in relief when her heard the voice of Kenspeckle, the cantankerous old doctor who was the only person he really wanted to talk to.

"Right skeleton, I'll save the lecture for later, and I can assure you, it will come. It amazes me that you cannot keep her out of danger for more than a few days. But for know, I think, there are more important things to worry about. Miss Sorrows has told me the basic story, but I need details. When did Valkyrie's headaches start?"

"She always gets them, you know that. But they started really badly a few days ago, on the plane to the Amazon. She's been trying to hide it, but I can always tell when she's hurting. It got much worse yesterday as we were walking to the caves."

"How much has she drunken whilst she has been in the Amazon?"

"I was making her drink every hour. She's definitely had enough."

Kenspeckle continued in this way, asking probing questions in his calm, cool, slightly cranky manner. After ten minutes, as Skulduggery started to lose his patience, Kenspeckle fell silent.

"There's only one real possibility, and you're not going to like it. I give her magical immunisations every time I see her, and it's just not possible that this is the result of an illness or poisinous insect bite. My tests must have been wrong though, because the only possibility is that this is Valkyrie's purge."

Skulduggery was silent for a moment. Ghastly, who had been listening to the conversation on loudspeaker, couldn't tell if Skulduggery was relieved or upset.

"What does this mean?"

"Right now Valkyrie's body is incredibly unstable. Magic is coursing through every fibre of her being-it's surging through her veins, rushing into her brain, and, of course, causing her a huge amount of pain. Her state of unconsciousness could continue for up to ten days, but the surge is unpredictable and we know very little about it. It's impossible to guess what she's going through, and we have no way of knowing how much pain she's feeling right now. What we do know is that Valkyrie has a huge amount of magic-this is clear from her prowess from when she was young, and the fact that she's descended from the Last of the Ancients. I don't know what she'll be like when she comes out the other end of this tunnel, but we can guess the next few days will be pretty painful."

"There must be something we can do to alleviate the pain?"

"No, Skulduggery."Kenspeckle's voice held traces of pity. "Other than regulate her body temperature, there's nothing we can do. The purge is a natural process, we've all been through it. It isn't designed to kill her. But one thing you can't do is move her, it could disrupt the magic. Wherever you are, you may as well get comfortable. Call me if she gets really bad, but there's very little even I can do. You're pretty much on your own."

"Thanks Kenspeckle. I'll give you an update in a few days. Could you pass me over to Ghastly?"

"You're on loudspeaker, he's been listening through the whole thing."

"Oh, ok. Ghastly, can you hear me? Gather the Dead Men and get here as soon as possible. I don't know if China mentioned, but we're trapped in the caves. I'm not sure if I can shift all this rock on my own-you know earth is the hardest power, even for someone of my talent."

Skulduggery's inflated ego was trickling through now that he knew Valkyrie wasn't in immediate danger.

"Even if I could do it, Valkyrie can't be moved and I'm not leaving her down here. I don't like this. Kenspeckle's tests are usually reliable, and we're pretty vulnerable right now."

"We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Thanks Ghastly. See you soon."

Skulduggery hung up, and Ghastly turned to the Dead Men.

"Get your stuff together, and Saracen, remember your hair gel, because we can't buy any where we'll be. We're going to the rainforest."

Hope you enjoyed that, and please review with feedback, and let me know about your ideas on The Unnamed.