“The proprietor will not stand for violence in his hotel,” Sanguine reminded them happily. “I checked with him and he is a stickler about this. If you go after me, he’ll go after you. Ain’t that great? Ain’t that just the greatest rule you ever heard?”

“I’m sure my friend will make an exception in this case,” Skulduggery said.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Where’s Tanith?” Valkyrie asked.

“She’s safe,” Sanguine answered. “Relatively unharmed – though I feel I must state for the record, I voted to have her killed immediately. Good thing for her our little Revengers’ Club is a democracy. By the people, for the people.”

“That’s what you’re calling yourselves?” Skulduggery asked. “The Revengers’ Club?”

“It has a ring to it, don’t you think? It’s not as sinister as the Diablerie, but heck, we don’t want to bring back gods or destroy the world. We just want a little payback.”

Valkyrie sat forward. “What do you want? Scarab is doing this because he thinks he was framed. Crux is doing this because he’s insane. Dusk is holding a grudge against me because of his scar. Why are you doing this?”

Sanguine inspected his fingernails. “I got my reasons.”

“Oh,” Skulduggery murmured. “Of course.”

Valkyrie looked at him, but his attention was focused on Sanguine.

“A few weeks ago, you burrowed in and out of the Necromancer Temple,” he said, “but later, when you broke Dusk out of prison, you only burrowed in. You had to fight your way out. You could have snatched Professor Grouse without a fuss, but you didn’t. You bundled him into a car and you drove. What’s wrong with you, Billy-Ray?”

Sanguine grinned. “You can’t expect me to reveal all my secrets before the—”

“You’re hurt,” Skulduggery interrupted and Sanguine’s jaw clenched. “My guess is the wound Valkyrie inflicted on you at Aranmore Farm last year is causing you more trouble than you’d anticipated. You hurt yourself when you stole the Soul Catcher, didn’t you? Maybe you tore something up inside. Is that what happened? You tried breaking Dusk out quietly, but you just couldn’t face using your power for the return journey. That’s why you’re looking for revenge – because Valkyrie stole your magic from you.”

Sanguine lunged at Valkyrie, but Skulduggery caught his wrist and kicked the chair from under him. Sanguine went sprawling and Shudder walked into the room.

“Is everything all right here?” he asked in his quiet voice.

“Billy-Ray fell off his chair,” Skulduggery said. “Billy-Ray, are you OK down there?”

Sanguine stood, his face tight. He brought his chair back to the table. “I’m good,” he said. “Just clumsy, is all.”

Shudder looked at them all for a moment then came forward and sat. “You may continue your conversation,” he said.