she didn’t know how many sides there were in the coming conflict. She wasn’t about to start trusting perfect strangers.
“Thanks for the rock,” she said.
“Not a problem,” Tanith responded. “Us warriors have to look out for one another.”
Stephanie saw movement through the stacks – the man in the bow tie was back. Which meant China had returned.
“I have to go,” she said at once, getting up off the chair.
She found China in the apartment, her back to Stephanie as she approached.
“Have you told the Elders?” Stephanie asked.
“Word has been sent,” China said without turning.
“You sent word? That’s it?”
“Do not presume to question me, child.”
Stephanie glared at her. “I really wish you wouldn’t call me child.”
China turned. “And I really wish you would pick a name, so I wouldn’t have to.”
“Why aren’t we going to the rescue?”
“Going to the rescue?” China said with a laugh. “On our horses, is that right? With bugles sounding and flags flying? You think that’s how it works?”
“Skulduggery has come to my rescue.”
“Well, they don’t make them like him any more, do they?”
“Sending word isn’t good enough. Meritorious has to be told. Tell him that we need Skulduggery to get the Sceptre; tell him that without Skulduggery, Serpine will destroy everything. Tell him whatever you want, but we have to make the Elders act!”
“And then what? They call the Cleavers to action, they call their allies together, and then we all go merrily along to war? Child, you know nothing about war. You think it’s big and it’s loud and it’s good versus evil. It’s not. War is a delicate thing: it requires precision. It requires timing.”
“We don’t have time.”
“Not so. Time is in short supply, but we still have it.”
“So you’re delaying? Why?”
“I cannot have chaos erupting around me until I am prepared for it. I am a collector. I am an observer. I don’t participate. My resources, and my standing, must be secure before I can allow the uncertainty of war to crash down upon us.”
“And what about Skulduggery? While you’re waiting for the right moment to tell everyone Serpine is the bad guy, Skulduggery might be killed!”
The hesitation that flickered across China’s face was barely noticeable. “There are casualties in every conflict.”
Stephanie hated her. She turned and stormed back to the open door.
“Where are you going?” China called after her.
“I’m going to do what you’re too scared to do yourself!”
“No, you’re not.”
The door slammed shut before Stephanie reached it and she spun around. China was walking towards her, her exquisite face perfectly calm.
“You have no right,” China said softly, “to plunge us all into war. Who are you to decide when we fight? Why should you decide when we die?”
“I just want to help my friend,” Stephanie said, taking a step back.
“Skulduggery is not your friend.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“And you don’t know him, child. He has anger in him like you have never seen. He has hatred in him that you would never dream about. There is not one place he would rather be than where he is right now.”
“You’re crazy.”
“He told you how he died then?”
“Yes,” Stephanie said. “He was killed by one of Mevolent’s men.”
“Nefarian Serpine killed him,” China said. “He tortured him first, purely for fun. He ridiculed him and he stripped him of his powers. And then he pointed at him. Did you know that’s all it takes, with that red right hand of his? For him to point and then it’s all over?”
Agonising death, Skulduggery had said. Stephanie hadn’t realised he had felt it himself. She shook her head defiantly. “That doesn’t change anything.”
“When he came back, he fought Mevolent’s forces with a single-minded determination – not to defeat evil, but to have his revenge on Mevolent’s lackey. Mevolent himself fell, but just as Skulduggery was in a position to claim his vengeance…”
“There was the Truce,” Stephanie said slowly.
“And suddenly his enemy was now a protected citizen. Skulduggery has been waiting a long time to get his revenge, and he will risk anyone and anything in order to get it.”
Stephanie stood up straighter. “Even if you’re right, that doesn’t change the fact that he has been the only one investigating my uncle’s murder, or that he seems to be the only one around here who cares about what is really going on, or that he has saved my life.”
“And put it at risk. Every good thing he has done for you has been cancelled out by every bad thing he has done to you. You don’t owe him anything.”
“I’m not going to abandon him.”
“It is hardly your choice.”
“What are you going to do?” Stephanie challenged.
“I am simply going to ask you to do what I say.”
“Then the answer’s no.”
“My dear Stephanie…”
Stephanie froze. China looked at her. “I’ve known your name since before I met you, child. Your uncle spoke of you often.”
Stephanie lunged for the door but it was no use.
“Stephanie,” China said softly. Stephanie’s hands dropped to her sides and she turned. “Tell no one of this.”
Stephanie felt it inside her and knew she would obey, knew no matter how much she raged against it, she would obey. She had no choice. So she nodded as tears stung her eyes and China smiled that beautiful smile of hers.
THE TORTURE ROOM
Serpine descended into the castle’s cold, dank depths and strode through the stone corridors. Already, he was beginning to smile. He came to the heavy wooden door and paused with his hand over the latch, savouring the deliciousness of the moment.
The latch lifted and Serpine stepped in. “Here we are again,” he said.
Skulduggery Pleasant raised his head, practically the only part of his body he could move. Serpine had placed a binding spell on the shackles that secured him to the chair and so, unable to use magic, the detective could only watch as Serpine closed the door behind him.
“Life is a cycle, isn’t it, Skulduggery? We are all destined