"Indeed." Skulduggery had been away from the war at the time of the incident, but he remembered what it was like to come back into the fold and see the balance of information so completely changed, solely because of Bliss and his mysterious method of discovering things. "The only situation I know of where 'it happened overnight' was not an exaggeration," he added with a nod.
Skulduggery had always suspected China of being involved. She and her brother would both have had a vested interest in taking Stray out of the picture. But since Skulduggery couldn't prove anything, all the Sanctuary was able to do was put Myron Stray under some sort of protection. People left him alone nowadays, fortunately. It was a good thing Myron Stray hadn't been a particularly powerful sorcerer, and - if it had to happen - that someone used his true name before he could seal it. A sorcerer who knew their true name where no one else did would have been... problematic. And Mevolent had been dangerous enough.
Skulduggery made a noise like he was clearing his throat. "Yes, someone in the Sanctuary did. The same person who kept his location secret for a number of years. An impressively powerful person. Noble, with a dash of charm. Fortunately, I do believe he'll help us."
"Really?" Fletcher asked, confused. "I thought the Sanctuary doesn't like us."
"He doesn't particularly like the Sanctuary."
"Okay, but... is he a friend of yours? Because I thought someone who knows their true name is supposed to be really dangerous. He'd just tell us?"
"First of all," said Skulduggery, a touch of a smile in his tone, "they're only dangerous until their true name is used against them. Secondly, he is a friend, yes. A good friend. In fact, I can guarantee you all you'll have to do is ask, and he will feel such a crippling sense of obligation to me that he'll answer right away."
Fletcher's puzzled expression cleared. "You're talking about you, aren't you?"
"Myron lives just off the suburbs outside Dublin. Or at least he did, up until I was fired. But he hasn't moved around much."
~~
Ghastly laughed. He wasn't sure why; he just thought that was funny. "I have a dad," he informed the man with a short smile that was almost becoming genuine. "Pretty sure he was born here in Dublin. What, you don't have a name?"
The part of him that was still able to think noted that if the man was a sorcerer, a reluctance to give his name might mean he hadn't taken one yet. That was, of course, ridiculous; if he'd lived half as long as he implied, he would have taken one ages ago. So was he a sorcerer or not?
What he is, Ghastly told himself sternly, is a drinking partner for the afternoon. Does it really matter beyond that?
"I'm still here, aren't I?" Ghastly took his next drink and downed that too, more quickly now that his reasoning capabilities were diminishing. "Plenty of other things I could be doing, believe me."
no subject
Skulduggery had always suspected China of being involved. She and her brother would both have had a vested interest in taking Stray out of the picture. But since Skulduggery couldn't prove anything, all the Sanctuary was able to do was put Myron Stray under some sort of protection. People left him alone nowadays, fortunately. It was a good thing Myron Stray hadn't been a particularly powerful sorcerer, and - if it had to happen - that someone used his true name before he could seal it. A sorcerer who knew their true name where no one else did would have been... problematic. And Mevolent had been dangerous enough.
Skulduggery made a noise like he was clearing his throat. "Yes, someone in the Sanctuary did. The same person who kept his location secret for a number of years. An impressively powerful person. Noble, with a dash of charm. Fortunately, I do believe he'll help us."
"Really?" Fletcher asked, confused. "I thought the Sanctuary doesn't like us."
"He doesn't particularly like the Sanctuary."
"Okay, but... is he a friend of yours? Because I thought someone who knows their true name is supposed to be really dangerous. He'd just tell us?"
"First of all," said Skulduggery, a touch of a smile in his tone, "they're only dangerous until their true name is used against them. Secondly, he is a friend, yes. A good friend. In fact, I can guarantee you all you'll have to do is ask, and he will feel such a crippling sense of obligation to me that he'll answer right away."
Fletcher's puzzled expression cleared. "You're talking about you, aren't you?"
"Myron lives just off the suburbs outside Dublin. Or at least he did, up until I was fired. But he hasn't moved around much."
~~
Ghastly laughed. He wasn't sure why; he just thought that was funny. "I have a dad," he informed the man with a short smile that was almost becoming genuine. "Pretty sure he was born here in Dublin. What, you don't have a name?"
The part of him that was still able to think noted that if the man was a sorcerer, a reluctance to give his name might mean he hadn't taken one yet. That was, of course, ridiculous; if he'd lived half as long as he implied, he would have taken one ages ago. So was he a sorcerer or not?
What he is, Ghastly told himself sternly, is a drinking partner for the afternoon. Does it really matter beyond that?
"I'm still here, aren't I?" Ghastly took his next drink and downed that too, more quickly now that his reasoning capabilities were diminishing. "Plenty of other things I could be doing, believe me."