"No." Damn it, Valkyrie was going to start crying again. "That's the whole point of telling you the truth now. So I won't ever have to make the choice, and I won't ever make the wrong one."
Because she would have. Skulduggery would never have stopped her. Tanith liked to remind Valkyrie of the life she was missing out on, but even Tanith never actively forced her to change anything. Valkyrie would never have stopped loving her parents, and she certainly wouldn't ever have loved them less, but - what was it Skulduggery said? Worse, by then the choice will seem obvious. All done in the name of protection, of course.
She would have given her parents away to keep them safe. Her parents, and her unborn little sister. Or brother. Right then, entrenched in her mother's arms as she was and feeling the heat of her dad's eyes on her back, Valkyrie couldn't imagine ever leaving them again.
"We'll take my car, if no one has any objections." Skulduggery passed them on the walk and led the way down to the Bentley. Valkyrie was about to object that they wouldn't have enough room, but the complaint died on her lips when she realised what Skulduggery was doing. Not having enough room was precisely the point. She'd either be squeezed in between her parents in the back, or sitting on her mother's lap. Or some combination of the two.
"Gabe." Her father caught up with them just as they reached the car. "I'd like to take the front, if you don't mind. I still have questions. And you." He jabbed a finger at Skulduggery. "We're in public, and you tip the scale for disconcerting. Put your skin back on."
After a beat, Skulduggery did so, and the face that rippled quickly into view had a measure of confusion on it. "You want me to answer your questions?"
"Yes. It's the very least you owe us, don't you think? How are we supposed to make informed decisions as parents if we don't know everything?"
"Like most parents do, I'd imagine." Skulduggery unlocked the Bentley. "But, you have a valid point. I'll answer what I can."
no subject
Because she would have. Skulduggery would never have stopped her. Tanith liked to remind Valkyrie of the life she was missing out on, but even Tanith never actively forced her to change anything. Valkyrie would never have stopped loving her parents, and she certainly wouldn't ever have loved them less, but - what was it Skulduggery said? Worse, by then the choice will seem obvious. All done in the name of protection, of course.
She would have given her parents away to keep them safe. Her parents, and her unborn little sister. Or brother. Right then, entrenched in her mother's arms as she was and feeling the heat of her dad's eyes on her back, Valkyrie couldn't imagine ever leaving them again.
"We'll take my car, if no one has any objections." Skulduggery passed them on the walk and led the way down to the Bentley. Valkyrie was about to object that they wouldn't have enough room, but the complaint died on her lips when she realised what Skulduggery was doing. Not having enough room was precisely the point. She'd either be squeezed in between her parents in the back, or sitting on her mother's lap. Or some combination of the two.
"Gabe." Her father caught up with them just as they reached the car. "I'd like to take the front, if you don't mind. I still have questions. And you." He jabbed a finger at Skulduggery. "We're in public, and you tip the scale for disconcerting. Put your skin back on."
After a beat, Skulduggery did so, and the face that rippled quickly into view had a measure of confusion on it. "You want me to answer your questions?"
"Yes. It's the very least you owe us, don't you think? How are we supposed to make informed decisions as parents if we don't know everything?"
"Like most parents do, I'd imagine." Skulduggery unlocked the Bentley. "But, you have a valid point. I'll answer what I can."
"Thank you. Nice car, by the way."
"Thank you."