China dimly wondered, when Merlin accepted the phone, if this was what her life would be now. Quiet, peaceful, normal, almost boring - until a divine being inevitably dragged her back into exciting events she wanted no part of? Skulduggery knew. She should be spending these days using her unique abilities to fortify herself in an isolated corner of the world where the skeleton detective would never find her, not...

Not entertaining Merlin himself in her library. Talking to Archangels on the phone. Being genuinely concerned over the capture and possible torture of a man she hadn't liked mere days ago.

Her instinctive response was to call Skulduggery and let him know. She abandoned that idea immediately. He would already know, of course, but that wasn't why she stopped considering it. She stopped considering it because her next idea was to offer to help.

No. That wasn't China. China didn't help people. People helped her. With Archangels on the case, Solomon Wreath was as good as rescued already. There wasn't anything China could contribute, or, she told herself sternly, wanted to contribute.

"Please," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Merlin. You're completely forgiven. Wish them all luck from me, would you?"