“Well, technically, the Soul Catcher is his and he asked for it back. He just wants to study it for a while, now that it actually contains something. He’ll bring the Remnant back to the Midnight Hotel when he’s done.”

“I don’t know how you can trust that guy, Val.”

“He’s helped me a lot over the last year. He’s helped all of us.”

Tanith looked like she was about to argue and then there was a beep from somewhere overhead, and she groaned. “Just when you get comfortable.”

Tanith gripped the edges of the tub and rose out of it, moving stiffly. The mud covered her completely as she reached her arm out. Valkyrie grabbed her elbow with both hands to make sure she didn’t slip and helped her into a white bathrobe. Tanith wiped her face clean with a towel.

There was a knock on the door. Valkyrie looked over her shoulder to find Skulduggery standing in the doorway.

“Tanith,” he said. “You’re looking great.”

“And I’m ready to go,” Tanith said.

“Is that so?”

“You give me my sword back and I’m right behind you.”

Before Skulduggery could answer, Tanith’s left leg buckled and Valkyrie grabbed her as she fell, guiding her to the chair.

“Bloody hell,” Tanith growled. “That hurts.”

“Tanith…” Skulduggery began.

“You want to know if I learned anything, right?” she said, pain lending her words an edge. “You want to know if Sanguine or any of them let something slip in all their gloating? They didn’t. They kept me shackled in a room and then they gave me to the Professor. Forgive me, but there are patches of the last twelve hours that are a little fuzzy.”

“They didn’t mention any names? Places? Times?”

“The Remnant in the Professor talked about a lot of stuff. Mainly about how happy he was to have finally found a friend.”

Skulduggery nodded slowly. “OK. All right, thank you.”

“But what does it matter? We have the Desolation Engine, right?”

“We do, but I’d have liked to have known their target. If they can’t take it down with the bomb, they might try some other way.”

“Or they’re all running,” Tanith said. “Let’s face it – none of these guys are great team players. They’re all in it for their own reasons, so the moment the big plan goes wrong, I think they’re going to split.”

“That is possible. It’s also very likely.”

“If you want my opinion, it’s over. Now all we have to do is track each one of them down. And I want in on that action, Skulduggery. Springheeled Jack threw me off a moving car. I owe him a few slaps.”

“The moment you’re fighting fit, we’ll call you.”

“I’m ready now.”

“You can’t even walk, Tanith.”

“An hour or two is all I need.”