Skulduggery did not start to laugh, although there was a smile on his new/old face - the smile of someone who'd grown very used to their feelings and expressions being invisible to other people. Maybe not so much invisible to Gabriel either way, but Skulduggery wasn't exactly used to that either. He kept control of his car because that was just common sense, but his hands were lax on the wheel and the speed of the Bentley slowed ever so slightly.
"Do I have to clean that up?" he asked, referring not just to the physical act but to the cover story someone was going to have to concoct. Mortals were surprisingly good at explaining away things themselves, but something of this magnitude...
Scrutinous and Random would have their work cut out for them. So would whoever became the new Grand Mage, and whoever that person's Elders would be - the whole Sanctuary would be suffering through this. Sanctuaries around the world would be terrified of something unexplainable even to sorcerers, and they would be demanding answers.
But, in lieu of any official candidates for the Council of Elders, and knowing Skulduggery's luck, the job of explaining and cleaning up would fall to him. "Because I really don't want to. I shouldn't have to. My job is to find and decide whether to arrest the perpetrators, and that's all. My work here is done."
As if on cue, Skulduggery's phone rang. He didn't even look at the caller ID before answering. He disliked having to listen to recorded messages, and in-person intimidation worked so much better. "Unless you're someone I know personally and would want to speak to right now, you might as well hang up."
There was a short hesitation. "Well, you know me," came Erskine's voice. "I'm not so sure about that second part. Skulduggery, what's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
Erskine made a noise of disbelief. "Have you even been outside yet?"
"Ah, you mean why are all the skyscrapers red? I have no idea."
Another short silence, followed by a long sigh. "And unofficially?"
"Unofficially," Skulduggery replied with no small hint of amusement he couldn't quite hide, "you know about as much as I do, Erskine. What do you think?"
There was a low curse hidden within a chuckle. "Which one?"
Skulduggery glanced towards Gabe. "Well, I can vouch for the alibi and the common integrity of one of them. Take a guess."
"Just... tell me no one was hurt, and no one's going to do anything like that ever again."
"I sincerely don't know. One would imagine no one was hurt. Yet." A short beep sounded over the line. "Damn. Erskine, I think I have another call coming in. Unless there was anything else...?"
"No. No, not really. The whole of Dublin being painted red in one night just about covered it."
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"Do I have to clean that up?" he asked, referring not just to the physical act but to the cover story someone was going to have to concoct. Mortals were surprisingly good at explaining away things themselves, but something of this magnitude...
Scrutinous and Random would have their work cut out for them. So would whoever became the new Grand Mage, and whoever that person's Elders would be - the whole Sanctuary would be suffering through this. Sanctuaries around the world would be terrified of something unexplainable even to sorcerers, and they would be demanding answers.
But, in lieu of any official candidates for the Council of Elders, and knowing Skulduggery's luck, the job of explaining and cleaning up would fall to him. "Because I really don't want to. I shouldn't have to. My job is to find and decide whether to arrest the perpetrators, and that's all. My work here is done."
As if on cue, Skulduggery's phone rang. He didn't even look at the caller ID before answering. He disliked having to listen to recorded messages, and in-person intimidation worked so much better. "Unless you're someone I know personally and would want to speak to right now, you might as well hang up."
There was a short hesitation. "Well, you know me," came Erskine's voice. "I'm not so sure about that second part. Skulduggery, what's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
Erskine made a noise of disbelief. "Have you even been outside yet?"
"Ah, you mean why are all the skyscrapers red? I have no idea."
Another short silence, followed by a long sigh. "And unofficially?"
"Unofficially," Skulduggery replied with no small hint of amusement he couldn't quite hide, "you know about as much as I do, Erskine. What do you think?"
There was a low curse hidden within a chuckle. "Which one?"
Skulduggery glanced towards Gabe. "Well, I can vouch for the alibi and the common integrity of one of them. Take a guess."
"Just... tell me no one was hurt, and no one's going to do anything like that ever again."
"I sincerely don't know. One would imagine no one was hurt. Yet." A short beep sounded over the line. "Damn. Erskine, I think I have another call coming in. Unless there was anything else...?"
"No. No, not really. The whole of Dublin being painted red in one night just about covered it."