Skulduggery leaned in. “If you draw attention to your predicament, it will be most unfortunate. Not for us, but definitely for you. For you, there will be a lot of pain involved, and crying and squawking and horrible sounds like breaking bones. You’re not a fan of pain, are you, Bison? Of course you’re not. You’re a reasonable fellow, after all. Let’s take a little walk, shall we? Away from the nice people.”

Still gripping each arm, they walked him from the crowd, looking like an exceedingly odd family during a really awkward reunion.

“You’ll regret this,” Dragonclaw snarled. “You’ll regret standing against us. I’ll make you regret it.”

“You’re in a bad mood,” Skulduggery said. “I understand. I do. You’re saying things you don’t really mean. It’s OK.”

“I’ll kill you both.”

“Hurtful things said in the heat of the moment. We’re not going to hold it against you, Bison. We’re all friends here.”

Valkyrie nodded. “We love you, Bison.”

“We do,” Skulduggery agreed. “You’re our favourite Necromancer. You’re the cuddly one.”

“Shut up,” Dragonclaw said. “Both of you just shut up.”

They paused to allow a large group of large people to pass by, and then, from nowhere, there was a flash of yellow jacket.

“Excuse me,” Dragonclaw said loudly, and the cop stopped, and looked at them.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

Valkyrie turned Dragonclaw’s wrist painfully, and she felt Skulduggery apply pressure on his side. Dragonclaw yelped in pain and the cop’s eyes widened.

“We’re looking for the toilets,” Skulduggery said quickly. “Our friend here isn’t the best at holding it in, and sometimes he needs a little assistance.”

The cop nodded in understanding. “Of course, yes. The toilets are right over there. See them?”

“There they are!” Valkyrie said brightly. “Thank you so much! It would have been a mess!”

Dragonclaw hissed in pain as they hurried him away.

“Try anything like that again,” Skulduggery told him, “and you’ll be talking to us with two broken arms. Whimper if you understand.”

Dragonclaw whimpered.

They got to the toilets. Valkyrie grabbed an Out of Order sign from a nearby cart and propped it up at the entrance. Skulduggery threw Dragonclaw against the wall and searched him while Valkyrie checked that each of the stalls was empty. Skulduggery pulled Dragonclaw’s knife from his belt, then took a scrap of paper from Dragonclaw’s pocket and passed it to Valkyrie. On it was a time and a number.

“The flight he’s waiting on has already landed,” he said. They both looked at Dragonclaw. “How many are coming?”

Dragonclaw rubbed his arm, and sneered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Skulduggery shook his head. “I would love to have a battle of wits with you, Bison, but I doubt it’d be a fair fight.”

“Shut your face.”