The guy in bandages on the table, Valkyrie didn't know. He'd been with them at the Stadium, and he was an old friend of Skulduggery's, that much she remembered. But she'd never heard a name, and then Fletcher Teleported the man away after he found out about Vile. She'd never expected to see him again, especially since Skulduggery didn't expect to and was reluctant to talk about it.
She did know Erskine Ravel; Skulduggery introduced them once before what happened at Aranmore Farm. She remembered him as a charming man - charming in a way even Skulduggery couldn't be, just because he didn't have a face - and genuinely nice. Unlike a lot of sorcerers, he didn't dismiss her immediately. He'd never lost his smile throughout that meeting, handsome with a hint of... mischief, or slyness. Valkyrie never did decide on one or the other.
That smile was gone now. His face was grim, as he exchanged a look with the bandaged man on the table. Neither of them looked particularly surprised or curious, so Valkyrie had to assume they already knew who Gabe was. What the grim look was about... she could guess, but she didn't know for sure.
Kenspeckle was even more crotchety than usual, and Valkyrie knew why that was, too. He was blaming himself. No one else did, but it wouldn't matter, not to him. She frowned, thought about saying something, but then figured it would only delay them further.
"So am I." Ravel stepped closer. "If you can handle Teleporting one more person, that is."
Fletcher nodded, startled. "Sure. Yeah. I mean, as long as we're all connected, I can Teleport however many people we need." He didn't add that Gabriel was the one who told him that, or that technically he was still learning. He didn't have to, though. Valkyrie knew Fletcher was capable of Teleporting ten or twelve people at once without batting an eyelid, even before he'd met the Archangel.
Solomon wanted to come with them too, but Kenspeckle flat-out refused. It took a little arguing, but eventually Solomon relented, and Valkyrie felt a little sorry for him. He'd been prepared to do unspeakably evil things, but no one was ever fond of being cooped up somewhere for days on end with no one but a grumpy Professor for company.
All in all, it was a lot longer than Valkyrie would have liked before Fletcher finally Teleported them to China's library.
"We need China, too," she explained to both Kenspeckle and Ravel before they could ask. "Something about the sigils in the safehouse being her work."
"Safehouse?" Ravel asked.
"Yep. Giant underground palace in the middle of nowhere where Skulduggery arrested Baron Vengeous. China's repurposed it."
Amazingly, Ravel laughed. "And that's where they all are?"
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She did know Erskine Ravel; Skulduggery introduced them once before what happened at Aranmore Farm. She remembered him as a charming man - charming in a way even Skulduggery couldn't be, just because he didn't have a face - and genuinely nice. Unlike a lot of sorcerers, he didn't dismiss her immediately. He'd never lost his smile throughout that meeting, handsome with a hint of... mischief, or slyness. Valkyrie never did decide on one or the other.
That smile was gone now. His face was grim, as he exchanged a look with the bandaged man on the table. Neither of them looked particularly surprised or curious, so Valkyrie had to assume they already knew who Gabe was. What the grim look was about... she could guess, but she didn't know for sure.
Kenspeckle was even more crotchety than usual, and Valkyrie knew why that was, too. He was blaming himself. No one else did, but it wouldn't matter, not to him. She frowned, thought about saying something, but then figured it would only delay them further.
"So am I." Ravel stepped closer. "If you can handle Teleporting one more person, that is."
Fletcher nodded, startled. "Sure. Yeah. I mean, as long as we're all connected, I can Teleport however many people we need." He didn't add that Gabriel was the one who told him that, or that technically he was still learning. He didn't have to, though. Valkyrie knew Fletcher was capable of Teleporting ten or twelve people at once without batting an eyelid, even before he'd met the Archangel.
Solomon wanted to come with them too, but Kenspeckle flat-out refused. It took a little arguing, but eventually Solomon relented, and Valkyrie felt a little sorry for him. He'd been prepared to do unspeakably evil things, but no one was ever fond of being cooped up somewhere for days on end with no one but a grumpy Professor for company.
All in all, it was a lot longer than Valkyrie would have liked before Fletcher finally Teleported them to China's library.
"We need China, too," she explained to both Kenspeckle and Ravel before they could ask. "Something about the sigils in the safehouse being her work."
"Safehouse?" Ravel asked.
"Yep. Giant underground palace in the middle of nowhere where Skulduggery arrested Baron Vengeous. China's repurposed it."
Amazingly, Ravel laughed. "And that's where they all are?"
"Well, everyone except Baron Vengeous."