“I’m sorry,” he said and tried to let go of the Desolation Engine, but his fingers wouldn’t loosen.

He snarled, feeling the air closing in around his hand, painfully tight. Pleasant was doing it, propped up with his gloved hand outstretched. Guild ran to him, aiming a kick at his head, but Cain hit him from behind and took him to his knees. She wrapped an arm around his throat and wouldn’t let go.

With his free hand, Guild tried loosening the choke. With the other, he smashed the bomb hard against her elbow, her shoulder, but her clothes were made by Bespoke. She probably didn’t even feel it. Out of the corner of his eye, Guild saw Pleasant getting to his feet, his hand still outstretched.

Guild tilted, shunting Cain forward, then swung the bomb and felt it crack against her head. She cried out and the choke was gone. Guild pushed at the air and caught Pleasant full in the chest. Pleasant went flying back, the pressure around Guild’s hand disappearing.

Guild stood, panting with exertion, his heart beating wildly. He opened his hand.

47 CRAZY

47
CRAZY

Guild vanished.

Valkyrie looked around. She’d glimpsed Fletcher running towards the Grand Mage, but now he was gone too and she knew instantly what he’d done. He’d seen Guild about to drop the Desolation Engine and he’d crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Then he’d teleported them both away, somewhere safe, somewhere the bomb couldn’t hurt any innocent people. But was he fast enough to do that and teleport away again before it went off? Guild’s hand was open when he’d disappeared, the bomb already beginning its fall.

She helped Skulduggery up. He took something from the side of his head that looked like a metal spider and dropped it.

“Do you think Fletcher made it?” she asked softly. Skulduggery didn’t answer.

Valkyrie took out her phone and dialled Fletcher’s number. It went straight to voicemail. She nodded then, closing off her mind, struggling to get back to the business at hand, even though there was a part of her, deep down, that was screaming. She hadn’t known how much Fletcher had meant to her. She hadn’t wanted to know. “Scarab’s still sitting there,” she said.

“And Sanguine is holding Guild’s family hostage,” Skulduggery told her. Then he staggered and she reached out to steady him. “I can’t go out there,” he said. “I need a few minutes to recover.”

“I’ll take care of it.” She ran out of the tunnel. An official scowled at her and she ignored him, got to the stairs and went straight for Scarab. He watched her coming. No smiles now.

“Guild is gone,” she said, sitting beside him. “Fletcher teleported him away. Your little plan is over, OK? It’s finished.”