"You'd only just told me you were an Archangel," Skulduggery countered. "If I'd known we needed to establish rules at all, let alone one as specific as 'no turning into a lion,' things would have been very different."

Valkyrie had been so sick with worry all year that this playful banter almost annoyed her. Sure, they'd both been trapped and in trouble and probably going through horrific things - and even this was apparently an argument over who would sacrifice themselves for the other - but it was hard to remember all of that when she pictured a lion beating Skulduggery in a foot race.

And then, of course, she was feeling a little bit jealous. Ghastly and Skulduggery she had no problem with because they'd known each other since before Skulduggery died. But Gabriel and Skulduggery could only have met a year ago at the most, and they were already acting like long-time best friends. They called each other by nicknames, for God's sake. She supposed it had something to do with the whole war-buddy thing, but still.

She glanced forlornly down at the ring on her finger. With Gabriel's real appearance hidden again, it was back to normal, but she couldn't shake the image of its twisted and dark heart. It was one thing to be told Necromancy was death magic; it was very much another thing to see it for yourself. Valkyrie didn't know what it was, but ever since Skulduggery had seen it, she felt like there was a slight rift between them. A disconnect that hadn't been there before, like he was disappointed in her. And Gabriel knew now, too, and he didn't want it anywhere near him, but... how much were they exchanging in silence? If Gabriel was telepathic, couldn't they be having entire conversations in secret?

Valkyrie shook all the useless thoughts away with an impatient shake of her head, and focused on what they came here to do. "How did China sound when you called her?" she asked Skulduggery.

"Hm? Oh, over the moon. Absolutely delighted. She should be expecting us."