“High Priest Tenebrae sent a student to tell us this?”

She nodded, and shrugged.

“What’s happened? Is the Death Bringer OK?”

“False alarm,” she said. “Wasn’t the Death Bringer. Just a girl… looking for attention. You’re to go home at once and… sorry for the inconvenience. Naturally, we’ll refund your air fare.”

A female Necromancer frowned at her. “Who instructs you in the Temple?”

“I’m not really in the Temple that much,” Valkyrie said, her breathing under control now. “Solomon Wreath is my mentor.”

“Oh,” the woman said. “Well, that would explain the lack of formality.”

“Even so,” said the lead Necromancer, “Cleric Wreath ought to know better than to send a student with information like this. If the High Priest wishes us to return to London, he can send someone of higher rank to tell us.”

They went to walk by her, but Valkyrie jumped in front of them again. “Actually, no,” she said, “he was quite insistent. Everyone’s busy. Sanctuary agents are everywhere and they’re putting pressure on and all the Clerics have their hands full and—”

The lead Necromancer glared at her. “Step aside, girl.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the airport official she had shoved. He was jogging over, flanked by two cops.

“Fine,” she said to the lead Necromancer. “I’m not a Necromancer. My name’s Valkyrie Cain. I work with Skulduggery Pleasant. And I’m here to tell you that we’re about to drag the Death Bringer into custody and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

The Necromancers stared, and almost as one they reached for her, anger flashing across their faces. Then the cops were there, standing between them.

“That’s her!” the official said. “That’s the girl who hit me!”

“I’m sorry,” Valkyrie said to the cops, looking as frightened as she could. “I lagged behind. They don’t like it when I lag behind.”

The cops frowned at her, then turned to the Necromancers.

“Is she with you?” the first cop asked.

The lead Necromancer scowled. “No. I’ve never seen her before. You can keep her.”

He went to walk on, but the cops blocked his way.

“Just hold on a minute there, until we get this sorted out. She’s dressed the same as you.”

“So?”

“It’s a little odd, isn’t it?”

“Not for us.”

“It’s like a uniform,” Valkyrie said, making her voice shake. “They make us wear black. It’s for the church.”

The second cop looked back at her. “Everyone here is part of a church?”

She nodded. “We call it a church, yes. Other people call it a cult. I shouldn’t be talking to you. They don’t like it when I talk to outsiders. They’re afraid I’ll tell people about their plans.”

The cops turned to the Necromancers, and the airport official backed away.