Three cars left the Hollow Hotel just as the suns first rays began to seep through the wet tree branches. Two of the cars were driving left at the intersection, while the other was driving right. The two cars that went left followed suit all the way to Roarhaven where they parked in the Sanctuary's garage.

From the car that had been tailing the first one, a young woman stepped out who, a few hours ago, had found out that the person she had been friends with for several years was a serial killer and that one of her victims had been the young woman's wife, who had been a sorcerer. Her former friend was in the tailgate of the car she had tailed, and now the young woman who had been betrayed was going to meet the person who ruled over all the sorcerers here in Ireland to find out what they were going to do with her and if she would be allowed to leave here as a free woman.

Out of the other car stepped a young, tall, muscular woman with long, black hair and dark brown eyes along with a living skeleton who was the owner of the car. The skeleton walked up to the tailgate and picked up the serial killer while the woman opened the back door to a middle-aged man and woman who were guilty of murdering two people who had been present at the Hollow Hotel.

All three were wearing handcuffs. The man and woman in the backseat looked miserable, while the serial killer showed no emotion whatsoever.

It wasn't long before some police arrived and escorted the killers away and only then could Lucy breathe a sigh of relief. She turned to the skeleton and the young woman. "So… What will happen to me now?"

"Someone will come and get you soon," replied the skeleton named Skulduggery Pleasant. "Before Valkyrie and I head off, I just want to say that you were very brave tonight, Lucy. Many would not have been able to keep as calm as you did."

"Skulduggery is right," said Valkyrie Cain. "You did a good job, and I understand that there are a lot of emotions that must be going through your head right now Lucy, but it will get better. Believe me, because I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing."

"I imagine so," Lucy replied, smiling a little.

Just then a policeman came and motioned for Lucy to come with him. Lucy held out her hand to Valkyrie, who shook it. "Thank you so much for helping me find out the truth about my wife's killer."

"Take care now," Valkyrie said, giving Lucy a hug before getting into the Bentley.

Skulduggery drove out of the Sanctuary. He turned to Valkyrie and asked, "So I take it you still want that ice cream?"

Valkyrie gave him a smile and nodded. She guided him to the place where they sold ice cream early in the morning on a normal weekday and as soon as they had parked, she jumped out of the car and ran inside. Skulduggery activated his facade before accompanying her inside. When he walked through the door Valkyrie was already standing at the counter ordering.

After receiving her order, Valkyrie sat down at a table near one of the windows and Skulduggery sat across from her. He watched Valkyrie while she ate her ice cream for so long and with such an intense gaze that Valkyrie felt compelled to stop her ice cream eating for a moment.

"Do I have something on my face?" she asked.

"What makes you think that?" Skulduggery asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You've been staring at me for quite a while now and it's honestly getting a little uncomfortable."

"Have I?"

Valkyrie nodded and Skulduggery tilted his head to the side. "I apologize if it made you feel uncomfortable."

"I forget that you still haven't learned to control your facial expressions when you have the facade on."

"It's not so easy when I can neither see myself nor be aware of my facial movements."

"I told you to practice in front of all the mirrors you have at home."

"I don't need to practice."

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. Skulduggery continued to look at her with his head tilted and said nothing. When he hadn't blinked in over a minute, Valkyrie started to feel that discomfort again.

"Could you at least blink a little once in a while?"

"Why should I do that? I don't need to."

"Because it makes you look crazy!"

Skulduggery blinked slowly with one eye before blinking just as slowly with the other. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and took a scoop of her ice cream. Skulduggery continued to blink one eye at a time and after a moment Valkyrie felt she should probably assist him.

"Look at me. Do as I do." She first blinked once slowly and then once more at a normal pace.

Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie and then managed to blink both eyes at the same time. He did it a few more times and Valkyrie nodded while smiling. Skulduggery also tried to smile, but it was more of a grin.

"Don't exaggerate. You look like the big bad wolf the second before he's going to eat both Grandma and Little Red Riding Hood."

"I wouldn't be the first to try to eat you."

Valkyrie sighed. "Haha, very funny. Try to smile like a normal person now. Without jokes."

Skulduggery relaxed his face a bit, causing his dimples to drop a bit and give him a more normal smile. Valkyrie nodded and smiled.

"Much better."

Skulduggery continued to smile while blinking, causing Valkyrie to laugh. She took a bite of her ice cream and smeared it on Skulduggery's nose, causing Skulduggery to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I thought you deserved a reward for succeeding. And because I have wanted to smear ice cream on you ever since we first met."

"You are a strange woman, Valkyrie Cain."

"I know. That's one of the reasons you love me."

Skulduggery laughed and wiped the ice cream from his nose before popping it into his mouth. Valkyrie looked at him in surprise, which only made Skulduggery laugh again. "What, can't I taste what you offer me?"

Valkyrie laughed as well before eating the last of her ice cream. "How did it taste?"

"Cold."

Valkyrie laughed again and stood up. "It's been a long night, and my bed is calling."

Skulduggery followed Valkyrie out and they both got into the Bentley. The engine hummed and they rolled out onto the road. On the way back to Valkyrie's house, she fell asleep with her head leaning against the window. When they arrived, Skulduggery lifted her out of the car and carried her up to her bedroom where he laid her down in her bed. He pulled the covers over her sleeping form before watching her for a little while.

"Good job today, Valkyrie. Sleep well," Skulduggery whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek before sneaking out.