Finally, they came to a door, and the childish fun and games were over. Craven opened the door wide and Tenebrae swept by him. Melancholia St Clair lay in a hole in the ground, filled to the brim with mud. Her robes lay beside her. Her eyes opened to watch the two men enter. If she was surprised, it didn’t register on her face. She remained where she was.

“Melancholia,” Cleric Craven admonished. “The High Priest has entered the room.”

“I can see that,” Melancholia said. “Surely you don’t expect me to stand?”

“That will not be necessary,” Tenebrae said.

“Valkyrie Cain is here, isn’t she?” Melancholia asked. “And Skulduggery Pleasant.”

“Yes,” Tenebrae said. “How did you know?”

“I can feel them,” she said. “I can feel their energy. They are not happy, are they? She is angry, and scared, and hurt.”

“I would say that she is, yes.”

Melancholia smiled. “Glorious.”

“How are you feeling, my child?”

She looked at him. “I’m tired.”

“Are you hurt? This is a healing mud you are in, is it not?”

“It’s regenerative,” Craven said quickly. “It fills her with energy and—”

“I know what regenerative means,” Tenebrae interrupted. “And I was asking the girl.”

Melancholia closed her eyes and let her head loll back gently. “The girl has a name.”

Tenebrae paused. “What was that?”

Her eyes were still closed. “I said, the girl has a name. Melancholia. Death Bringer. You can use either one. But you can’t call me ‘the girl’.”

“I am the High Priest of this Temple, young lady. I can call you whatever I choose.”

One eye opened, and she squinted up at him.

“I asked if you were hurt,” Tenebrae continued. “I expect an answer.”

The girl sighed. “Sometimes I burn. It’s not nice. It hurts. The mud makes it feel better.”

“Burn? Why do you burn?”

“Because of my scars.”

“Ah yes, the scars. I’ve been meaning to ask about those.”

Craven stepped forward. “I can explain to you—”

“I want her to do it. Melancholia?”

“He carved symbols on to me,” Melancholia said. “It took months. It was painful. But it needed to be done. I was the Death Bringer, and I needed my power. It’s all worth it now. Every moment I spent screaming. It’s worth it.”

“Then it’s true,” Tenebrae said, turning to Craven. “You carved her up to loop the Surge, didn’t you? That’s why she needs to recharge constantly.”

“I did what had to be done,” Craven said primly.

Tenebrae grabbed him, shoved him back against the wall. “You arrogant fool. That level of power isn’t natural for her. There’s no telling what will happen.”