“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not,” Tenebrae said. “Melancholia is the Death Bringer. She is the only Necromancer to ever reach that level of power. You left before you reached it, and the Lord Vile that’s walking around right now isn’t even you. It’s an echo of you, not fully charged. If you were in the armour, yes, I’d be worried. But you’re not. So if Vile attacks Melancholia, she will destroy it. Or him. What are we calling Vile – an it or a him? Ah, I suppose it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you two stay locked up here until all this is over. I hope I’ve given you enough to talk about. I do hate those awkward silences.”

Tenebrae turned, and the door closed as he walked away. Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. “You have a right to be upset,” he said.

“Oh do I?”

“I should have told you. I know you understand why I didn’t, but I should have.”

“You let me go through this Darquesse thing, with all the guilt and the fear and knowing the things that I’m going to do, and you didn’t say anything.”

“What did you want me to say? Look at me. I was Lord Vile, but now I’m OK? It would have made things worse. You would have looked at the things I did in that armour and you’d have assumed that in order to pass through and emerge on the other side, you’d have to do the same. But you don’t. That’s the thing. Violence and hatred and bloodshed became my reasons for existing. I stopped caring about anything else. I didn’t care who my enemy was, as long as I had an enemy. I was falling, and I didn’t know how to stop.”

Valkyrie put her back to the wall, slid down to a sitting position. Her legs wouldn’t take her weight. “You murdered all those people. How many? Do you even know?”

“I don’t. I lost count. Everyone lost count. I was like you. Necromancy came far too easily to me.”

“You’re one of those sorcerers you told me about. The Elementals who can switch to being an Adept.”

“It’s rare, but it’s possible.”

“But… Skulduggery, you’re the good guy.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry you found out this way.”

“What do we do now?”

“Well, we escape. I’m not sure how yet, but—”

“No,” said Valkyrie. “What do we do now? We’re partners. You’re my best friend. I love you. You were my… I looked up to you. What am I supposed to do now?”

He trned away. “You need to find yourself a new hero.”

Chapter 30 - Tenebrae

Chapter 30
Tenebrae

e had to admit, that had been fun.