Barney smiled, and it was a smile that glowed with pride. Not, Ghastly noted, the personal kind of pride, where the child had gotten an answer right and the parent was taking the credit for teaching them all they knew. It was very much a sad kind of pride, the kind where the parent was proud of their child for nothing more than being themselves.

It was the kind of pride you only had in someone when you knew they didn't have long. Ghastly didn't mention it out loud - for one thing, God would know better than Barney would - but his heart went out to the pair of them.

On a different note, Ghastly had to wonder whether the story of Noah's Ark was true or not. Maybe some of it was? Gabe had told them 'enough' of the Bible really did happen, but some parts were wildly inaccurate. Ghastly wanted to ask, but once again, he couldn't. Not right now. Not even with the expression on God's face making him burn with curiosity.

"You know," Barney said suddenly, "if you're asking for a pony, you're going to need to ask for somewhere to keep him, too. And you're going to need to ask for riding lessons. What have I told you about never skimping?"

Ghastly hadn't ridden a horse in years, but he had no doubt some sorcerers did. China, he knew, still owned a stable outside the city. She probably wouldn't be overenthusiastic about teaching someone else, though. And that was if Ghastly even wanted to see her ever again, given that Skulduggery... probably wouldn't handle another meeting well.

Instead, Ghastly looked down at the teddy bear in Allie's arms. "Got a name for him yet?"