ERSKINE'S P.O.V.

The first thing I had learned about Siren was that she was like a cat. She quickly claimed a spot in the room and sat for a while looking uncomfortable with her new surroundings, glaring at everything. I could imagine a tail flicking in irritation.

"Do you have something more comfortable?" Dexter asked. "Just for going around the apartment?" Siren shook her head wordlessly her mouth pressed into a thin line.

"I'll ring Ghastly," Saracen called from the kitchen. It was odd to me that Saracen and Dexter had a flat together. I could never imagine the two nomads having a stable place.

"Is there anything we need to get you?" I asked in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

"There's stuff at the other manor houses," she muttered. She then stood and walked to the window. "Dublin is huge."

She said it to herself but I saw her glance at me, expecting me to say something. To pry. To ask questions. But I didn't. Saracen walked in and threw clothes at Siren. She flinched and watched them fall. Then slowly she picked them up.

"There Val's old clothes. No clue how they got here," Saracen shrugged.

"How did Valkyrie come to be with the dead men anyway?" Siren asked.

"Uncle was murdered when she was smaller, got wrapped up in it since it was Nefarian Serepine who did it. Skulduggery helped her avenge him. They ran into the Baron and that's been the last of the trouble for a few years," Saracen frowned. "I'm forgetting something."

"Remnants," Dexter mumbled. Siren nodded quickly.

"That's how the Sanctuaries became restless and how they lost control of Tanith," she said knowingly.

"We didn't lose control of Tanith," Saracen suddenly snapped. Dexter tossed Siren a look I couldn't read.

"You never had her under your control or the Sanctuaries. But you lost tabs on her," Siren corrected herself. I felt my ears grow hot and I shifted uncomfortably. Saracen opened his mouth, choked on his words then muttered something. Dexter said nothing. But whatever Saracen had said made Siren's eyes go wide and she shrank back. He looked her in the eye and she flinched stepping back.

Wordlessly she turned and ran. I heard a door shut and then lock.

"What did you do?" Dexter asked warily.

"Just showed her something," was all Saracen mumbled before he sat down heavily. "Why would she say that?"

"We're the Dead Men," I sighed. "All responsibilities fall to us it seems."

"I suppose we were Tanith's friends as well," Dexter sighed. Saracen glared.

"It is not our fault," he hissed and stalked out. I walked down to the bathroom and picked the lock. I knocked and I took the muffled sigh as an invitation in. Siren was cradling her hand, her face streaked with tears.

"What-?" I mumbled.

"I got mad," she choked out. "I hit my hand. It really hurts. I'm sorry about what I said. It was just what Aunt Circe always said."

"For now let's look at your hand," I said gently. She glared and I slowly took her hand. She gave a small mewl in protest. "Amazing. Not even an hour here and you've broken your hand. I can set it and then we'll got to Ke-"

"No," she mumbled. "I was stupid and petty. So I'll heal like a mortal."

"It will take a long time," I said, trying to catch Siren's gaze. She looked away stubbornly.

"Then I'll have to be patient."

"You're being difficult," I said and lead her out of the bathroom. Saracen had re appeared and both he and Dexter shot away from their secret conference.

"What happened?" Dexter asked titling his head to one side. Siren gave a small smile, amused by something.

"She broke her hand having a hissy fit," I said waving mine dismissively. Saracen raised an eyebrow slowly.

"Elegant aren't you?"

"There's no room to swing a cat in there," Siren snapped and then glanced at Saracen casually. "I think we should go to the Manor. I have some things I want to look at, accounts wise and I'm sure there's going to be things there that even Saracen wants to know about."

"Like what?" there was a glint in his eye I hadn't seen in quite a while.

"The war maps will be there I think," Siren said, staring glassy eyed at the ceiling. "And the main staff will be there. Dinner will be gorgeous. Thinking of it, Skulduggery will want to have a meander around I suppose."

"Wait a second," Dexter said. "You have war maps. From the War with Melevolent. In your house?"

"Not exactly," Siren shifted. "I've never seen them before. I juts know of them. We were never allowed look at them. Not even Mam."

"And you never saw it in your dad's memory?" Saracen asked. I frowned.

"You're a sensitive?" Dexter asked immediately.

"Not exactly."

"Then what are you?"

"Is it because you don't know Saracen's magic, that it makes you have to know everyone else's in a bid to get by?" Siren asked her eyes piercing straight into Dexter's.

"It's a fun past time," he shrugged. "Do you know what his magic is?"

"I didn't look. And no, I never looked in Father's memory. He could tell when I did. I got some good cracks around the head for it," she smiled ruefully. "I wasn't really allowed to look in Mom's either. She never really knew. Still didn't do it though."

"Must have been hard," Dexter said. There was a weird undertone in his voice.

"Not at all," she said primly. I took out the things to do her hand and started to set it, making her hiss in protest. "I spent a lot of time on my own. I didn't get on with my cousins and their family. I learned to ignore their thoughts and mom just had a lot on her mind. It was hard. I was sent to the hospital for migraines."

My eyes shot up to look at her and I could feel Dexter staring at her. Saracen was watching knowingly.

"Your magic gives you migraines?" Dexter asked, appalled.

"If too many thoughts go through my head at once. Believe it or not, I've already met most of you."

"How?" I asked. I'd remember meeting Siren.

"Just dances and meetings. I never knew why but now I do know. Enough of this, shall we go to the manor?"

"YES!" Saracen nodded earnestly. "But we need to get there somehow."

"I'll have Maxi and Shadow bring cars down," Siren said. I finished off her hand and she gave me a small smile. "Give me five minutes."

"Hurry up," Saracen grinned and walked off. Siren rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen.