Ghastly hadn't noticed a change in the Archangel during Skulduggery's words, so Anton's sharply pointed question came as a surprise. It surprised Skulduggery, too - Skulduggery, who noticed everything. But his skull had jerked towards Gabe with what was unmistakably surprise, and Ghastly couldn't help sharing that surprise. Gabe knew everything about Vile before any of the rest of them did. Anton had a point - what could possibly have made the Archangel react like that?
The difference was, Ghastly would have dropped the subject the moment Gabe made it clear he didn't want to discuss it - not because Gabe was an Archangel, but because, as Gabe said, it was unrelated. Ghastly had reached a point where he wanted to know more about Vile. About Skulduggery. He had questions about this past year, about what exactly the danger was, and he was ready to hear the answers to those questions. Anton, understandably, wasn't. Anton needed something else to focus on. He just... mistakenly chose the Archangel.
The Archangel and his relationship with Skulduggery.
Part of Ghastly wanted to know what was discussed during that 'personal conversation.' If anything was decided. Hell, half of him wished he'd been the one to overhear it, just to see Skulduggery's reaction. Possibly to take pictures. The rest of him was vehemently grateful he didn't know what was discussed, and was perfectly happy to remain in ignorance, and was mildly disgusted Ghastly had even taken the time to think about it when so much else was going on.
Gabe's transformation surprised Ghastly only in the speed of it. He'd been about to try and stop Anton himself, so it stood to reason Gabriel would as well. Ghastly just hadn't quite been expecting a wing to suddenly be in the way. It was just as large, awe-inspiring, and glorious as before, the feathers outstretched in a way that made it abundantly clear how very deep the longest ones were. Taller than the height of a man, from the looks of it. The wing blocked not only the door, but the entire wall, radiating a soft rainbow light that Ghastly knew from experience would be drawing out the beauty in the rest of the room.
The knowledge stopped him from even glancing towards Skulduggery - at least, not until he noticed how Gabe was holding his other wing. Curled and hunched, looking for all the world like it was about half the size of the other one, and - most importantly - curled around Skulduggery. So close it might even have been carefully draped over the detective's shoulders.
It made something catch in Ghastly's throat. One thing to know an Archangel was in love with someone who'd once murdered millions - very much another to see it. To feel it, even from where he was sitting. The sight gave Ghastly some idea of what was decided in that personal conversation, especially when Skulduggery made absolutely no move to shrug it off.
Silence permeated the room after Anton's disappearance and Gabe's final words. Ghastly didn't move for several seconds either; just looked at the door and wished they could spare someone to keep an eye on the Adept. Ghastly knew very well the need for distance to think, but the tailor could afford that. Anton might not be able to.
When he realised Gabe's words were at least partly directed towards him, Ghastly stood up and moved over to close the door behind Anton. "If that's what you call raising your voice," he murmured, "remind me never to get on your bad side."
It was different with China. There, Gabe really had raised his voice, which was worrying enough without the idea that China might ignorantly do or say something to make it even worse. But now... his voice had grown stern, yes. Stern beyond a level humans had ever managed. But Ghastly knew that Gabriel wouldn't hurt Anton, and that tempered any potential fear he might have felt. Might have felt, but didn't. After all, Gabe didn't react in any way Ghastly wouldn't have under the same circumstances.
He briefly wondered how Corrival was handling this. The thought, and Corrival's utter silence for the last few minutes, nearly made Ghastly laugh.
"What about me?" Skulduggery asked. "Do I have the right to ask? What made you flinch?"
no subject
The difference was, Ghastly would have dropped the subject the moment Gabe made it clear he didn't want to discuss it - not because Gabe was an Archangel, but because, as Gabe said, it was unrelated. Ghastly had reached a point where he wanted to know more about Vile. About Skulduggery. He had questions about this past year, about what exactly the danger was, and he was ready to hear the answers to those questions. Anton, understandably, wasn't. Anton needed something else to focus on. He just... mistakenly chose the Archangel.
The Archangel and his relationship with Skulduggery.
Part of Ghastly wanted to know what was discussed during that 'personal conversation.' If anything was decided. Hell, half of him wished he'd been the one to overhear it, just to see Skulduggery's reaction. Possibly to take pictures. The rest of him was vehemently grateful he didn't know what was discussed, and was perfectly happy to remain in ignorance, and was mildly disgusted Ghastly had even taken the time to think about it when so much else was going on.
Gabe's transformation surprised Ghastly only in the speed of it. He'd been about to try and stop Anton himself, so it stood to reason Gabriel would as well. Ghastly just hadn't quite been expecting a wing to suddenly be in the way. It was just as large, awe-inspiring, and glorious as before, the feathers outstretched in a way that made it abundantly clear how very deep the longest ones were. Taller than the height of a man, from the looks of it. The wing blocked not only the door, but the entire wall, radiating a soft rainbow light that Ghastly knew from experience would be drawing out the beauty in the rest of the room.
The knowledge stopped him from even glancing towards Skulduggery - at least, not until he noticed how Gabe was holding his other wing. Curled and hunched, looking for all the world like it was about half the size of the other one, and - most importantly - curled around Skulduggery. So close it might even have been carefully draped over the detective's shoulders.
It made something catch in Ghastly's throat. One thing to know an Archangel was in love with someone who'd once murdered millions - very much another to see it. To feel it, even from where he was sitting. The sight gave Ghastly some idea of what was decided in that personal conversation, especially when Skulduggery made absolutely no move to shrug it off.
Silence permeated the room after Anton's disappearance and Gabe's final words. Ghastly didn't move for several seconds either; just looked at the door and wished they could spare someone to keep an eye on the Adept. Ghastly knew very well the need for distance to think, but the tailor could afford that. Anton might not be able to.
When he realised Gabe's words were at least partly directed towards him, Ghastly stood up and moved over to close the door behind Anton. "If that's what you call raising your voice," he murmured, "remind me never to get on your bad side."
It was different with China. There, Gabe really had raised his voice, which was worrying enough without the idea that China might ignorantly do or say something to make it even worse. But now... his voice had grown stern, yes. Stern beyond a level humans had ever managed. But Ghastly knew that Gabriel wouldn't hurt Anton, and that tempered any potential fear he might have felt. Might have felt, but didn't. After all, Gabe didn't react in any way Ghastly wouldn't have under the same circumstances.
He briefly wondered how Corrival was handling this. The thought, and Corrival's utter silence for the last few minutes, nearly made Ghastly laugh.
"What about me?" Skulduggery asked. "Do I have the right to ask? What made you flinch?"