"Speaking of which," Skulduggery interrupted with a glance towards Guild, "if you do want my help, I'd like a guarantee that you won't start arresting my friends behind my back."

Guild's face, which had until that moment been impressively free of active dislike, trembled perilously close to the edge again. "I'm offering you the chance to join the investigation. And you're handing me an ultimatum?"

"Oh, Grand Mage," Skulduggery said sadly with a slow shake of his head. "The only reason you're not begging me to help right now is because you're lying in a hospital bed. Let's skip all the pretenses, shall we? Why won't you withdraw the apparent arrest warrants on Tanith Low and Ghastly Bespoke? In fact, why do they exist in the first place?"

"Your friends," Guild replied with the air of someone showing remarkable restraint, "were planning to endanger the entire world just to find and rescue you."

"Planning. We arrest people for thoughts, now?"

"The very fact that you're standing there, Pleasant - "

" - doesn't prove anything. Was a portal actually opened?"

Guild angrily opened his mouth, and then angrily slammed it shut again. Whatever he may have caught a glimpse of in his office, Skulduggery knew he hadn't seen any evidence of a portal, because there hadn't been one. "Alright," he relented with a scowl. "The arrest warrants will be withdrawn."

Not being able to help a smile was a strange new sensation that Skulduggery didn't particularly mind at the moment. "Fletcher Renn and Valkyrie Cain as well."

"Of course."