Valkyrie was losing track of the number of questions she wanted to ask. Rover and Dexter were married? It was their anniversary? Skulduggery could dance? Skulduggery pretended to be inanimate at Halloween once? What did the Pearly Gates look like? Pete?

But this wasn't her reunion and it wasn't her place, so she kept her mouth shut with difficulty and even managed not to jump too much when Fletcher reappeared. Tanith did jump, surprisingly violently, and then stepped backwards with a sheepish expression.

Ghastly glanced back at her before he looked around at the rest of the room.

And looked around again.

Then looked around a third time.

"Rover," Skulduggery acknowledged the other sorcerer with a slight nod. To Valkyrie's annoyance, his face barely registered a hint of surprise - at least, not until he joined Ghastly in looking around. "Where's Descry?"

Valkyrie pointed at Erskine and Saracen. "Under them."

"Ah. Makes sense. Hello, Descry."

Ghastly made some kind of choking noise, and Valkyrie watched with interest as the usually-calm sorcerer's mouth fell open. That was what finally triggered Erskine to sit up properly, and he grinned up at the tailor. "Piece of advice, Ghastly. When an angel says they have a surprise for you, they're really not kidding. You're swallowing flies."

Ghastly's mouth snapped closed.

"No angel said they had a surprise for us, though," Valkyrie pointed out to the Elder.

"No? How come Skulduggery's so unfazed, then?"

Ghastly's mouth opened again. "Fletcher, I've changed my mind. Go get Anton."