Skulduggery – Crow

Anton – Bear

Ghastly – Panda

Dexter – Wolf

Saracen – Weasel

Erskine – Snake

Solomon – Raven

Chapter 46

It was some time into the summer that the new 'big thing' occurred. Or at least, that was what Valkyrie was told. She was hiding in her room.

"Raven?" She said quietly, talking into her phone.

"Valkyrie," he said pleasantly. "I have some information I thought you may be interested in."

"I'm sure I will be, but why aren't you calling Skulduggery?" She asked.

"It is because I wish to taunt him by calling you," he said bluntly, then ploughed on with the information. "I've heard Murder Rose and a man whose name I'm still trying to find out is making their way to the Midnight Hotel."

"Ah," she said, thinking quickly. The Midnight Hotel was Anton Shudder's territory. Even Crow didn't so much as ask Bear who came to and from that place, and he'd encouraged Valkyrie not to think of Bear and Anton Shudder as the same people. The person he was at the Hotel was strictly impersonal and doing his job. Valkyrie had only been once, and that had been strictly in the lobby, to a new place and exiting again. She'd been told Crow had tried taking someone down in there before and that was how it got such a good reputation. Bear had thrown Crow out and protected the criminal even though that same criminal had killed their friend in the war. It was policy. And Bear was as unmoveable as his policy. "That might not be enough. Do we know where they're going?"

"I do not. I wanted to know if you'd be able to find out."

"No can do," she said certainly. "I might be all cute and stuff, but he won't bite. He doesn't do mates rates."

"I had a feeling. But I suppose, you could maybe go there and simply… decided to exit at the same time?" Raven suggested.

Valkyrie nodded to herself. "I suppose but I don't really want to start something. I mean, I'll be forgiven, but Skul? Less likely. I can ask though. Is there any other information you have?"

"Only that they've been planning something. A lot of sneaking around together. I think it's a plan, but I couldn't say what for or even when for. I was thinking revenge, but I've heard all the Dead Men are home from their missions?"

"Yeah, several weeks ago. I doubt Rose would take us on directly, even with a team. She never has before. She made sure of it when she came to kill me. Unless she'd hoping to pick us off slowly and plans to start with Anton."

"My thinking exactly. I suggest seeing if she will speak at the Hotel though. Perhaps with a little persuasion she will try to fight you and Shudder can kill her?"

Valkyrie agreed and they hung up. She went to Crow and explained the situation.

"How did he get your number?" He asked neutrally after a moment.

"I gave it to him. We should go soon."

"Get a bag together and I'll start the car. Be quick."

Valkyrie did what he said and they drove to some place in the countryside. It took a while to reach the top of the mountain where the Midnight Hotel was and by the time it had materialised before their eyes, Valkyrie was very glad to step into its warm lobby.

Anton was sitting in his chair writing something but looked up when Skulduggery and Valkyrie came in. He stood to greet them.

"Skulduggery," he said. "Valkyrie. I think I know why you are here."

He led them to the back where his own rooms were behind the desk – his rooms spanned the middle of the building, all ground floor. He had told her when she had come that one time before it was because it gave him access to the whole ground floor without having to disturb guests who might feel uncomfortable in his constant presence moving from room to room.

He had a living room with a tiny kitchenette and table, a small bedroom and bathroom. It was all he needed, he had told her once. Inside, Valkyrie immediately had a look around – it was very, very masculine, certainly a bachelor pad and far from the so-called 'feminine' chores he did all day.

Valkyrie couldn't wait for Fletcher to say something like that around Bear, he would get so mad and force Fletcher to do all the 'women's work' around the house like cleaning and cooking as punishment. It would give the rest of them a nice break from chores.

She sat on the sofa with Crow and Bear pulled up a chair from the table.

"Murder Rose and a man who didn't declare himself arrived this morning at the Hotel. They have not told me how long they are to stay," he said before Crow could question him. "You know the rules at this establishment. I expect you to abide by that. As per policy, you may not stay unless you are paying for a room for the night."

Crow nodded quickly. "We know. We do, we simply want to talk to them. And we will also be taking a room for the night."

Anton stared at them, knowing what they were up to. He nodded regardless after staring them out for a blink. "I suppose I'll check you in then."

They did just that and went to their new room to throw their stuff on the bed and after pocketing the key, they went off to the downstairs large table where they sat and waited. It didn't take long for Rose to walk around the corner and glare at them. Valkyrie saw Anton stand from his desk chair as Rose stalked towards her. She stopped herself at the last moment it seemed.

Slowly, she drew a chair and sat opposite Valkyrie. Her friend was nowhere in sight.

"Hello," she said, an ugly smile on her face. Kindness couldn't show through on such an evil being. She was still stunning. "What brings you here?"

"We heard you were here," Crow answered.

"Oh, I am just so popular. Is China coming too? Or at least those men of yours, Rue or Vex? I wouldn't mind trying them out."

Valkyrie nearly, nearly smirked but held it back. She was going to text them as soon as she could. She glared instead. "Why are you here?"

"That's for me to know," she said with an eviller grin, "and you to die finding out."

She got up and moved away from them to some unknown place after that and Anton was forced to stop them as he knew they were just going to harass and force an answer or fight out of the woman. He had to uphold the policy. They let her move on.

"I just don't get what she'd want here," Valkyrie said. "She's been here for a night already and hasn't left. She wouldn't, what's in Ireland for her?"

Crow hummed to himself and thought about it. "Perhaps another person? I've checked the stops and I can't work out where else she would want to go. There's France, England, Wales, Mexico, Spain, the Atlantic," he said, trailing off. "There's more, but I just can't work out what she'd want in any of these places. Unless she plans to stay for months."

"Maybe it's in who she's with," Valkyrie suggested.

"I expect we'll find out soon," he said, and they settled in to wait for them to turn up.

They waited for hours and even had dinner in the communal dining table and while Rose turned up, the man did not. They didn't see him at all that evening and Rose didn't bring him any food.

Valkyrie went off for a sleep around nine but woke up at three in the morning, showered and dressed and went downstairs to stay with Crow again. She was walking through the lobby to him just as some mages came in.

"I don't think he will," one of them said with exasperation. "What's the point? What would he get out of it?"

"A leopard can't change its spots, boy," the second, older man said. "I'm telling you. They'll be straight to Ireland and I want to be further away than Europe when that happens!"

Valkyrie stopped and waited for Anton to check them in before taking her opportunity.

"Excuse me?" She said. The two men turned to look at her. "I couldn't help but hear you talk about someone – could I ask who that is?"

They frowned. "You haven't heard? Scarab was released from prison just hours ago. You make sure to stay away from him, kid, I know they say he's done his time, but he will turn back to his old ways as soon as he's out of sight."

The other shook his head but didn't refute it. Valkyrie thanked them and they left. She went back to Crow; Anton was already sitting with him.

"Whose Scarab?" She asked.

"He's a man who committed war crimes," Anton said. "He killed an innocent man."

"The man he killed was trying to talk both sides of the war out of fighting. A good man, a stronger man than many to stand up to two armies at a time and convince them to not fight. He stopped a whole battle once. And not long after, he was murdered," Crow explained.

"How long was he in prison for?" Valkyrie asked.

"Two-hundred years exactly," Crow said, rubbing his skull. "He was transported to an American prison some years ago, and their times and days are different to ours. It made me forget."

"You just forgot, no day differences involved," Bear grunted.

Valkyrie hesitated. "You said we were going to Mexico," Valkyrie pointed out. "Maybe he'll come here. Mexico wouldn't be too hard for him to travel to."

"I didn't create this place until the beginning of the twentieth century," Anton said. "He shouldn't know of it."

"Or at least how to find it," Crow corrected.

"I have an idea," she said, sitting down. "What if Rose is working with a larger group? Maybe they're collecting Scarab and bringing him here? We go to Mexico before routing back to Ireland, right?"

Anton nodded.

"So, it's completely possible for them to pick him up in Mexico and do that. He should be here when?"

"We go to Mexico in two trips time, twenty-four hours," he said. "Then we go to Ireland twelve hours later."

"So I bet he'll be here tomorrow at midnight," Crow finished. "The question is, what attack do they have prepared to get away from the Dead Men once they're checked out?"

Oooooh, the next big drama! And we're moving up to book four for those wanting to keep track, though I am sort of mixing up the dates and events as I go now, it's a lot of fun! Can I get some reviews on who you think Rose is with? They're in the books, that's your clue! :)