Skulduggery refrained from pointing out that when Solomon touched the blade, he displaced visible golden light very similar to the kind that resonated between himself and Gabe. If the cane was really as difficult to make do as Solomon was implying, Skulduggery was having a hard time seeing it. Solomon practically caressed the cane.

Instead, the detective shrugged. "I thought the timing of it might have made you feel obligated to help. Good to see you haven't changed that much."

The words themselves may have been a tad sarcastic, but there was none of that in Skulduggery's tone. In fact, there was something almost warm. Teasing, like the way the two of them were before Solomon's Surge. Skulduggery surprised himself with it, but he didn't try to take any of it back. The ex-Necromancer had more than earned it.

"Any chance you'll take me with you?" asked Erskine. "I don't think I'm going to be much help with the wards and the statues, or - " He cut himself off mid-sentence, looking a little startled, and then his face set into a resignation Skulduggery was fairly sure was nothing more than a carefully put-together act. "Never mind. I should oversee the proceedings, seeing as Solomon is physically unable to."