It would have bothered him. It wouldn't have pained him, but it would have bothered him a lot. But this was the exact reason why the Archangel had been keeping this to himself, and even though he was an honest person Gabe regretted his honesty the moment he saw the expression on Skul's illusory face and the deeper ripple of it in his soul.
"Don't," he whispered, putting a hand on Skulduggery's arm and squeezing. "Don't do that to yourself, Skul."
The Archangel wasn't expecting the detective to answer back, but he left his hand there anyway--as a reminder and to ground himself both. Even from here, the sound of the medical ward was audible; when they rounded the corner it was almost a cacophony. Yet, at the same time, it was ... not soothing, but better than the rest of the Sanctuary. At least here, the pain was underscored with healing, with life.
People here would suffer, but they would recover. It made a difference to the tenor of the emotions.
That didn't mean Gabriel's head still wasn't throbbing by the time they reached the door, but it seemed duller now, and it didn't stop him from zeroing in on where Guild was sitting on an examination bed, looking exhausted and pained and missing several fingers. Davina Marr was with him.
"Grand Mage, this is completely unnecessary," said Ms Marr. Her voice was tight and so was her face, set in a mask of not-quite composure. It was her eyes that said the rest. Her eyes that burned with fury. "Skulduggery Pleasant has proven himself incapable of following the slightest law, and the people who follow him lack the same respect. There's no reason to bring him back into the investigation, and every reason not to."
no subject
"Don't," he whispered, putting a hand on Skulduggery's arm and squeezing. "Don't do that to yourself, Skul."
The Archangel wasn't expecting the detective to answer back, but he left his hand there anyway--as a reminder and to ground himself both. Even from here, the sound of the medical ward was audible; when they rounded the corner it was almost a cacophony. Yet, at the same time, it was ... not soothing, but better than the rest of the Sanctuary. At least here, the pain was underscored with healing, with life.
People here would suffer, but they would recover. It made a difference to the tenor of the emotions.
That didn't mean Gabriel's head still wasn't throbbing by the time they reached the door, but it seemed duller now, and it didn't stop him from zeroing in on where Guild was sitting on an examination bed, looking exhausted and pained and missing several fingers. Davina Marr was with him.
"Grand Mage, this is completely unnecessary," said Ms Marr. Her voice was tight and so was her face, set in a mask of not-quite composure. It was her eyes that said the rest. Her eyes that burned with fury. "Skulduggery Pleasant has proven himself incapable of following the slightest law, and the people who follow him lack the same respect. There's no reason to bring him back into the investigation, and every reason not to."