The idiotic government agent with the idiotic soap-opera life was currently sitting in the aforementioned cafe, explaining the past three years of his life to a protective father of a young girl who felt his daughter was being led astray. Even if Skulduggery had known about Kelly's labels, he wouldn't have had much cause to object to them.
"Feeling better?" he asked Desmond, taking a sip of his own tea for the first time.
"Oh... marginally." Valkyrie's father, who had finished his, was staring forlornly down at his empty mug. "There isn't a spell for making tea appear out of thin air, is there?"
"Not to my knowledge. But then, I know someone who would welcome the challenge of coming up with one."
"Coming up with one?" Des shook his head in disbelief. "You can do that?"
"Of course. Magic is more like science than you'd think. There's a pattern to everything. Discovering that pattern is what keeps so many sorcerers up at night."
"They should really be coming up with anti-insomnia spells, then." Des glanced up towards the counter. "Do you have any more stories, or can I drink my tea in peace?"
Skulduggery thought about that. "I could tell you about when Croke Park was almost blown up by a magical bomb."
"How long ago was that?"
"Just last week."
Des's face blanched. "Better not. Stephanie was involved, wasn't she? No, don't tell me. Croke Park isn't blown up. You saved the day, right? Of course you did. You saved the day and no one died. It would have been on the news if someone died." He hesitated. "Skulduggery, are you alright?"
"Hm?" Skulduggery forcibly dragged his eyes back over to Des's face, and mentally replayed the parts of the conversation he'd missed. "Ah. She was. But no one died."
"You haven't been listening to a word I've said, have you?"
"Not as such."
"Why not?" Desmond turned in his seat to follow Skulduggery's gaze out the front windows of the cafe before Skulduggery could stop him. When he turned back around a moment later, there was a confused sort of smile on his face. "Was that...?"
"Yes."
"Is that an illusion?"
For lack of a more believable answer, Skulduggery nodded silently.
"Why is he using it?"
"I can't even begin to imagine." A girl was with him, someone who looked remarkably annoyed as the pair crossed the road over to the cafe doors. The only thing Skulduggery could think was that something had gone wrong at the shelter. Knowing Gabe, there was a very good chance something had gone spectacularly wrong. A cover blown sprang to mind. "I don't recognise the girl with him, so she probably isn't a sorcerer. Be careful what you say."
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"Feeling better?" he asked Desmond, taking a sip of his own tea for the first time.
"Oh... marginally." Valkyrie's father, who had finished his, was staring forlornly down at his empty mug. "There isn't a spell for making tea appear out of thin air, is there?"
"Not to my knowledge. But then, I know someone who would welcome the challenge of coming up with one."
"Coming up with one?" Des shook his head in disbelief. "You can do that?"
"Of course. Magic is more like science than you'd think. There's a pattern to everything. Discovering that pattern is what keeps so many sorcerers up at night."
"They should really be coming up with anti-insomnia spells, then." Des glanced up towards the counter. "Do you have any more stories, or can I drink my tea in peace?"
Skulduggery thought about that. "I could tell you about when Croke Park was almost blown up by a magical bomb."
"How long ago was that?"
"Just last week."
Des's face blanched. "Better not. Stephanie was involved, wasn't she? No, don't tell me. Croke Park isn't blown up. You saved the day, right? Of course you did. You saved the day and no one died. It would have been on the news if someone died." He hesitated. "Skulduggery, are you alright?"
"Hm?" Skulduggery forcibly dragged his eyes back over to Des's face, and mentally replayed the parts of the conversation he'd missed. "Ah. She was. But no one died."
"You haven't been listening to a word I've said, have you?"
"Not as such."
"Why not?" Desmond turned in his seat to follow Skulduggery's gaze out the front windows of the cafe before Skulduggery could stop him. When he turned back around a moment later, there was a confused sort of smile on his face. "Was that...?"
"Yes."
"Is that an illusion?"
For lack of a more believable answer, Skulduggery nodded silently.
"Why is he using it?"
"I can't even begin to imagine." A girl was with him, someone who looked remarkably annoyed as the pair crossed the road over to the cafe doors. The only thing Skulduggery could think was that something had gone wrong at the shelter. Knowing Gabe, there was a very good chance something had gone spectacularly wrong. A cover blown sprang to mind. "I don't recognise the girl with him, so she probably isn't a sorcerer. Be careful what you say."
"How do I explain the wig?"
"Christmas present."
"Christmas present?"
Skulduggery shrugged. "It usually works."