How quickly things could change in the space of twenty-four hours.
This time yesterday, China and her students had been warding Haggard against Crux's reappearance. She'd been focused on that, waiting for Valkyrie's inevitable call - either that they had found the real Murder Skull, or that it was once again a fake. Twenty-four hours ago, China had nothing more to worry about than Skulduggery's rescue, and it had seemed such a terrible burden at the time.
How amusing that thought was now.
Of course, China was mildly surprised she was able to think at all. She hadn't been able to silence Crux, and her world had stopped as the words left his mouth. Not just in motion, or thought; truly stopped. The world of someone who was already dead wasn't much of a world at all.
And then she'd turned to see Lord Vile walking towards her, the only man to ever make her seriously reconsider her decision to switch sides, and the disconnect still splitting her mind didn't allow for disbelief. China simply accepted it. It made sense to her. She'd always thought Vile was a creature born of rage and hatred, she just... hadn't known quite how literal that conclusion would turn out to be. She'd tried to run, realised what she was running from, and given up.
Everything that happened afterwards was certainly impressive. But China was mostly in shock that she was still breathing to witness it.
The relationship Gabriel and Skulduggery shared, China noted numbly, was a unique and strong one. It was, of course, fitting for an Archangel to become so interested in someone who'd managed to lock Vile away, but there were very few people Skulduggery trusted deeply enough to let them do what Gabe had just managed. Ghastly was one of them, and even he'd failed here. China was still breathing. Archangel or no, it would take someone who meant an extraordinary amount to Skulduggery to convince him not to hunt down someone who'd had a hand in murdering his family.
She'd laughed at Guild's assumption - and it was still fairly ridiculous - but now... China would have wondered if there was some element of truth to it, had Gabe been a regular sorcerer. Maybe the only person who could really replace a desire to avenge Skulduggery's wife was...
Gabriel's sudden question startled her. She glanced up at him, blinking in surprise. Indeed, so many strange things had happened over the past twenty-four hours that all China wanted to do in the world was sleep. It was an honest and simple impulse that didn't come with any hidden agendas, and it was, quite frankly, refreshing.
"If it's all the same to you," she murmured, her own voice sounding hollow and strange to her, "I'd rather not have anything to do with any of you for a while."
Watching Crux die didn't feel anything like China imagined it would. At this point, it didn't really feel like anything. Her mind had broken so badly back at the safe house that in order to regain some semblance of control, she'd latched onto the panic and the plan that sprung from it. Now, she was empty; rolling along on the aftershock of pure adrenaline. China had no idea what she would be like when she woke up. Maybe she would truly be insane.
As it was, observations and facts were rolling into her like little marbles, collected for further study later, but holding no meaning for her now. Like the way Gabriel had touched Crux's chest, killing him instantly. The exact same way he'd touched Vile's chest, right before slamming him into the altar. Right before Vile melted away. If only China had the mental capabilities to determine exactly what that meant. It felt important. Something to do with... something important.
God, she needed to sleep before she really began making a fool of herself.
no subject
This time yesterday, China and her students had been warding Haggard against Crux's reappearance. She'd been focused on that, waiting for Valkyrie's inevitable call - either that they had found the real Murder Skull, or that it was once again a fake. Twenty-four hours ago, China had nothing more to worry about than Skulduggery's rescue, and it had seemed such a terrible burden at the time.
How amusing that thought was now.
Of course, China was mildly surprised she was able to think at all. She hadn't been able to silence Crux, and her world had stopped as the words left his mouth. Not just in motion, or thought; truly stopped. The world of someone who was already dead wasn't much of a world at all.
And then she'd turned to see Lord Vile walking towards her, the only man to ever make her seriously reconsider her decision to switch sides, and the disconnect still splitting her mind didn't allow for disbelief. China simply accepted it. It made sense to her. She'd always thought Vile was a creature born of rage and hatred, she just... hadn't known quite how literal that conclusion would turn out to be. She'd tried to run, realised what she was running from, and given up.
Everything that happened afterwards was certainly impressive. But China was mostly in shock that she was still breathing to witness it.
The relationship Gabriel and Skulduggery shared, China noted numbly, was a unique and strong one. It was, of course, fitting for an Archangel to become so interested in someone who'd managed to lock Vile away, but there were very few people Skulduggery trusted deeply enough to let them do what Gabe had just managed. Ghastly was one of them, and even he'd failed here. China was still breathing. Archangel or no, it would take someone who meant an extraordinary amount to Skulduggery to convince him not to hunt down someone who'd had a hand in murdering his family.
She'd laughed at Guild's assumption - and it was still fairly ridiculous - but now... China would have wondered if there was some element of truth to it, had Gabe been a regular sorcerer. Maybe the only person who could really replace a desire to avenge Skulduggery's wife was...
Gabriel's sudden question startled her. She glanced up at him, blinking in surprise. Indeed, so many strange things had happened over the past twenty-four hours that all China wanted to do in the world was sleep. It was an honest and simple impulse that didn't come with any hidden agendas, and it was, quite frankly, refreshing.
"If it's all the same to you," she murmured, her own voice sounding hollow and strange to her, "I'd rather not have anything to do with any of you for a while."
Watching Crux die didn't feel anything like China imagined it would. At this point, it didn't really feel like anything. Her mind had broken so badly back at the safe house that in order to regain some semblance of control, she'd latched onto the panic and the plan that sprung from it. Now, she was empty; rolling along on the aftershock of pure adrenaline. China had no idea what she would be like when she woke up. Maybe she would truly be insane.
As it was, observations and facts were rolling into her like little marbles, collected for further study later, but holding no meaning for her now. Like the way Gabriel had touched Crux's chest, killing him instantly. The exact same way he'd touched Vile's chest, right before slamming him into the altar. Right before Vile melted away. If only China had the mental capabilities to determine exactly what that meant. It felt important. Something to do with... something important.
God, she needed to sleep before she really began making a fool of herself.