The guilt at the Professor's pointed accusation was familiar, well-worn, and barely even sharp anymore. It was always pulsing just under the anger, after all. Skulduggery barely paid it a second thought, not when so much else had gone wrong in the last hour.
He did have to wonder, however. The logic of Kenspeckle's words made sense. And for someone who didn't want to be thinking seriously about Archangels, it only made sense for the Professor to refer to Gabe as Skul's angel. In was, in fact, the most appropriate way to refer to him, given the circumstances.
So then why was Skulduggery's first instinct to object? Odd. Objecting to logic wasn't something he made a habit of.
While the familiar guilt trip wasn't anything for Skulduggery to be surprised over, what happened next certainly managed it. Even with the number of times Gabe had tried to convince him there wasn't a reason to feel guilty - so many by now that Skulduggery had almost stopped hearing it - this particular time was... different. Because Gabe was saying it to someone else. And not just saying it; acting like the Archangel he was, and falling just short of commanding it.
And then - even more shocking - Professor Grouse actually listened. Softened tone, gentle care - gentle care - and dropping the subject.
There was something here. Something Skulduggery felt he should be realising, or recognising, or working out. But it kept slipping just out of his reach, hidden by the guilt and regret and the fresh wounds left by the Necromancy from minutes ago. He'd have to ask Gabe about it later.
The memory of the Necromancy, and the way the lurid darkness washed against Gabe's light... that was one aspect where Landel's was definitely at fault. Skulduggery might not have reached immediately for that dark death magic, if he hadn't dealt with it so often back at the Institute - relied instead on his Elemental powers for seeking revenge. It might not have changed anything, but the fact remained that Skulduggery had failed in what he spent centuries trying to achieve. Landel might have won after all.
~~
It wasn't until she wordlessly accepted the water that China realised how dry her throat was. How thirsty she'd been, since what happened at the safe house. Being faced with two of your most dreaded nightmares in the same moment didn't leave a lot of processing power for assessing her physical needs - especially since there wasn't much processing power to begin with. The ordeal with Gabriel had drained most of it away.
"Everything." She swallowed some water, tried to think of how to explain, and almost immediately gave up. Thinking was still painful. "Everything. The way he sees it. What he is." She paused, and her expression grew protectively blank. "Him."
no subject
He did have to wonder, however. The logic of Kenspeckle's words made sense. And for someone who didn't want to be thinking seriously about Archangels, it only made sense for the Professor to refer to Gabe as Skul's angel. In was, in fact, the most appropriate way to refer to him, given the circumstances.
So then why was Skulduggery's first instinct to object? Odd. Objecting to logic wasn't something he made a habit of.
While the familiar guilt trip wasn't anything for Skulduggery to be surprised over, what happened next certainly managed it. Even with the number of times Gabe had tried to convince him there wasn't a reason to feel guilty - so many by now that Skulduggery had almost stopped hearing it - this particular time was... different. Because Gabe was saying it to someone else. And not just saying it; acting like the Archangel he was, and falling just short of commanding it.
And then - even more shocking - Professor Grouse actually listened. Softened tone, gentle care - gentle care - and dropping the subject.
There was something here. Something Skulduggery felt he should be realising, or recognising, or working out. But it kept slipping just out of his reach, hidden by the guilt and regret and the fresh wounds left by the Necromancy from minutes ago. He'd have to ask Gabe about it later.
The memory of the Necromancy, and the way the lurid darkness washed against Gabe's light... that was one aspect where Landel's was definitely at fault. Skulduggery might not have reached immediately for that dark death magic, if he hadn't dealt with it so often back at the Institute - relied instead on his Elemental powers for seeking revenge. It might not have changed anything, but the fact remained that Skulduggery had failed in what he spent centuries trying to achieve. Landel might have won after all.
~~
It wasn't until she wordlessly accepted the water that China realised how dry her throat was. How thirsty she'd been, since what happened at the safe house. Being faced with two of your most dreaded nightmares in the same moment didn't leave a lot of processing power for assessing her physical needs - especially since there wasn't much processing power to begin with. The ordeal with Gabriel had drained most of it away.
"Everything." She swallowed some water, tried to think of how to explain, and almost immediately gave up. Thinking was still painful. "Everything. The way he sees it. What he is." She paused, and her expression grew protectively blank. "Him."