Skulduggery – Crow

Anton – Bear

Ghastly – Panda

Dexter – Wolf

Saracen – Weasel

Erskine – Snake

Solomon – Raven

Corrival – Pa

Chapter 99

Seeing the carcass of Signate hadn't been fun for Valkyrie. Wolf had held her when she'd stood there still, just looking at it, and helped her walk again, walk all the way to Pa and be enveloped in another hug from him. She'd snapped out of it when he was halfway through scolding Wolf for letting her see the body but could only smile apologetically. There was no stopping Pa.

Corrival had gone off, seen the carcass and come back with a little sweat on his brow.

"It doesn't get easier," he muttered and sat in his chair. He gave Valkyrie a soft smile and leaned back with his arms crossed. "Don't you worry now. You're a strong girl, strong enough to keep up. You want to run with the big dog, you've got to see the big dog problems. This is our world, see."

She nodded and they waited in silence for Crow to join them. He took off his hat and placed it on the desk. "Signate's been dead for a lot longer than we predicted."

"He was almost a – a hull," she said softly, thinking of the dry, dead thing in their office.

He looked at her. "What does that tell us about the murder?"

"Well, it eliminates him having drowned, I guess. It also indicates he was killed in a dry place for his body to look like that. It's probably from age rather than anything else," she said, her detective head coming back.

"That's true. I expect he was left in a hot place with minimal humidity," Crow said. "Where would that be?"

"I don't know," she thought aloud. "Somewhere they have a fire constantly? It could also be magic, though I don't know what type."

"True. We'll get back to that point. When I examined the body, I found a knife wound, something with a jagged blade that ripped the skin when it was pulled out. It means the killer may still have the knife."

"That makes it easier," she said.

"Exactly. I have some people looking over security footage so we might find something out soon," he said. "But we also have something else to worry about."

"What?" She frowned.

"Solomon isn't picking up his phone. He wasn't meant to go home yet," he said darkly and Valkyrie's eyes widened a little.

"They took Raven?" She whispered. "We need to see that footage."

"The staff will check, lass," Pa said, closing his eyes and putting a hand up. She sat fully back in her chair. Funny how he had trained her without her noticing. All the cakes he made her bake had acted as positive rewards it seemed. "You cannot over exhaust yourself. I will make sure all the fact are as the staff says they are, you, Pleasant and Vex should get some rest. I'll be sending you out as soon as I know what's happened."

They couldn't argue with him, just got themselves together and got going, driving home silently and wondering how they had gone from having a nice morning to having insane prisoners, dead bodies and a missing member of family. At least they had Pa to sort them out.

Tanith was, as usual, home and was just getting a package as they pulled up. She took it from the man with a sweet smile that made the old man smile even as he drove away. Valkyrie smirked at her sister, knowing she loved the attention she got for her looks. "What you get?" She asked, knowing her voice was a little tired but not quite able to stop thinking about Raven to sound more chipper.

"Just some baby clothes," she shrugged and they went into the living room. She asked how their day had been and they told her all about it and at the end, she gave Crow a pat on the shoulder. "I'm sorry they took him, but I'm sure we can get him back."

Crow just nodded.

They had lunch, Crow staying in his chair in the living room instead of joining them, choosing to have whatever Tanith made them. Valkyrie and Wolf gave each other looks of warning, daring the other to not eat the mess of pasta, leaves, nuts and tomato sauce that was their bowls. It didn't sound so bad until the vinaigrette was added on top. Drizzled wasn't the right word for it. It was a healthy serving. The two of them pushed it down their throats and listened to Tanith tell them what her mother had said in her letter.

Valkyrie was washing up when Crow came in the room and said they had a lead.

"Are we leaving now?" She asked, drying her hands.

"Yes. We don't know who the man is that took Solomon, but we know how he did it and what car he used to get away," he said. "We'll go in his direction and hope we come across a clue. We need to leave now."

"Wait, how'd he do it?" Tanith asked in confusion.

"Cloaking shield," she said and kissed Tanith's cheek and ran after Crow. She and Wolf didn't get a chance to even buckle their seatbelts before Crow was racing down the street. She gripped her seatbelt in her hands and stared out ahead, wishing Crow would slow down but knowing there was no chance so long as Raven was gone. This person could have killed Signate and they didn't want the same to happen to another person Skulduggery loved.

.*****.

They drove all afternoon and way into the night, never catching sight of the car or anything that stood out to Crow. Wolf had forced Crow to stop on the side of the road and the two of them had begun arguing, which turned into shouting and Valkyrie's stomach had turned uncomfortably. She felt worse for Nadia now. Listening to her family fight all the time.

"Stop it," she told them without looking in either of their directions. "Let's just find a hotel and start again tomorrow."

"Good idea," Crow had said after a moment and begun driving immediately. Wolf crossed his arms. He had wanted to go home.

The hotel Crow found was a crappy thing but it had a family room which they took. Wolf and Valkyrie shared a look as they travelled up the stairs.

The 'family room' was actually just a room with a double bed and a single so close together in the same space it might as well have been called a large double. Of course, Crow didn't need to sleep which was helpful.

"Alright," she said when they were in the room. "Talk."

Crow tilted his head. "Me?"

"Yes you! Look, I know your upset Solomon is gone and we don't have a lead, and that you're worried about him, but you're taking it out on Dexter. So talk," she glared.

He was silent for a long moment. "I'm afraid there is nothing to talk about. You've quite nicely summed it up."

"You're doing it again," she said coldly. Wolf put a hand on her back. "You're pretending nothing is wrong and avoiding the problem. Remember what happened last time? You didn't talk to me for a month and it really upset me."

His shoulders sagged a little. "I'm not doing that."

"You are. You're doing it right now. You need to talk to us, Crow. We're family. And you just want to throw us, your only help right now, completely aside. What will you do? If you're all alone without us and you need help? Do you expect us to just turn up and help when you don't talk to us, when we won't know where you are? Because don't think I know you're trying to get this over with so you can go find him yourself."

Wolf stood up from his perch on the bed and frowned at Crow angrily. "Skul, you need to rest too."

"I am a skeleton," he said without emotion. "I do not need rest."

"There!" Valkyrie practically shouted. "That! That's you pretending. Talk to us, Crow. Let us help."

He took his hat off and put it on the bed. "I just don't want to stop searching tonight. I want to keep going and give them less time to hurt him."

"Solomon is a capable man, I'm sure he can handle it without us for a few hours rest," Wolf said. "You need to meditate and we need to sleep. In a few hours, we'll be ready to search again. If we're all too tired we can't fight, and then it won't even matter if we find them."

Crow nodded and sat in a chair that faced the window. Valkyrie was about to start talking again but Wolf shook his head and she hesitated and ultimately gave up.

She looked at Crow, tapping his finger on the armrest in an irritated, angry way and she just felt awful. So awful she had to push Wolf away from her and went into the bathroom.

Tears leaked out of her eyes silently and she rushed to the sink before she could start really crying and splashed her face with water. She searched her pockets and found her phone but had barely unlocked it when it died. The fact she couldn't talk to Nadia upset her even more and she splashed her face angrily again, really rubbing at her eyes, trying to keep it back.

The bathroom door opened and Wolf came in, smiling softly. He gently closed the door behind him and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her cheek. "It's alright," he whispered almost silently. "Don't get upset over him. He's just stressed."

"He said he wouldn't do this again," she whispered roughly.

"I know babe," he said, stroking her hair. He picked her phone up from the counter. "No charger?" She shook her head. "We'll get a new one tomorrow. Just don't cry Cub."

She nodded and tried to stifle her tears. "I love you."

"I love you too. You're my second favourite sister after all," he smiled. She glared at him playfully. "Hey, Tanith's giving me a niece or nephew, what have you done?"

She snorted. "I can get pregnant if you want."

He glared. "I will kill anyone that dares do such a despicable act to you."

She laughed softly into his shoulder. "You were all for me and Nadia."

"That's different," he said. "That's Nadia. No boys allowed."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It makes perfect sense," he smiled and looked at her face thoughtfully. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

"I thought you said no boys?" She said cheekily and he swatted her ear.

"You're my sister and that's not an okay joke," he grinned. "I've taught you so well. Come on now. Keep strong. We'll shout at Skul when we get Solomon back."

She nodded and he let her go to the loo and ready for bed as much as she could with literally nothing but what she was wearing and joined him in the bedroom, getting herself in the big bed with him and snuggling into his bare chest. He was warm and he smelt good, just like their home.

She fell asleep with the dim light coming through the window Crow looked out of, wishing he'd act just a little different sometimes.

The mission begins! What do y'all think is going to happen? I bet it isn't quite what I have in store. I've taken your advice on my fighting and cases and stuff so ha, I hope it emotionally hurts you, because it's hurting me to write and I want it to be over soon :( Then again, I love it so mwahaha weep suckers!