It didn't occur to Ghastly what sort of effect the church might have on Solomon's new sight until the ex-Necromancer hesitated just inside the entrance. The relief that originally crossed his face at getting to move inside the church, away from the crowd, was completely vanished now, to be replaced by a sort of wary apprehension.
Ghastly wouldn't have thought that the church held anything bad, exactly, but perhaps Solomon just wasn't used to it. Maybe it was a little too overwhelming. Maybe it was a similar effect to when China saw God, only several times removed. Ghastly himself didn't feel any different when he passed over the threshold, but he'd never been religious. Skulduggery used to be, before he discovered magic. Maybe he, like so many others, could feel some of the peace that was supposed to radiate from places like this.
Then again, maybe he couldn't. He certainly didn't act like anything was different when he walked into this church. It was just another building to him.
Solomon's words were a very transparent request to get out of the chapel. Ghastly couldn't pretend to understand why, but he felt sympathetic nonetheless. "Sure," he nodded, steering Solomon gently over in that direction. "I was hoping for something to drink, myself."
"Ah, yes." Skulduggery followed them out into the smaller hallway. "A cup of tea would be splendid."
"I'm sure it would." There was a note of something in Skulduggery's voice Ghastly didn't dare give a name to. Something close to wistfulness? Maybe a mixture of that and some gratitude. Either way, it made the tailor grin.
True to his word, Paddy didn't take too much longer. Five minutes later, he'd walked into the kitchen to find six mugs of piping hot tea on the table - all brewed by Skulduggery, who insisted they each get one whether they wanted it or not. Paddy stopped in the doorway and blinked.
"I hope you don't mind my using your kettle," Skulduggery said by way of a belated request.
"No." Paddy, to his credit, recovered quickly and smiled. "Not at all."
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Ghastly wouldn't have thought that the church held anything bad, exactly, but perhaps Solomon just wasn't used to it. Maybe it was a little too overwhelming. Maybe it was a similar effect to when China saw God, only several times removed. Ghastly himself didn't feel any different when he passed over the threshold, but he'd never been religious. Skulduggery used to be, before he discovered magic. Maybe he, like so many others, could feel some of the peace that was supposed to radiate from places like this.
Then again, maybe he couldn't. He certainly didn't act like anything was different when he walked into this church. It was just another building to him.
Solomon's words were a very transparent request to get out of the chapel. Ghastly couldn't pretend to understand why, but he felt sympathetic nonetheless. "Sure," he nodded, steering Solomon gently over in that direction. "I was hoping for something to drink, myself."
"Ah, yes." Skulduggery followed them out into the smaller hallway. "A cup of tea would be splendid."
"I'm sure it would." There was a note of something in Skulduggery's voice Ghastly didn't dare give a name to. Something close to wistfulness? Maybe a mixture of that and some gratitude. Either way, it made the tailor grin.
True to his word, Paddy didn't take too much longer. Five minutes later, he'd walked into the kitchen to find six mugs of piping hot tea on the table - all brewed by Skulduggery, who insisted they each get one whether they wanted it or not. Paddy stopped in the doorway and blinked.
"I hope you don't mind my using your kettle," Skulduggery said by way of a belated request.
"No." Paddy, to his credit, recovered quickly and smiled. "Not at all."
"Oh, good. Your tea is right there."