“Val!” he exclaimed, and enveloped her in a hug. “Any friend of Skulduggery’s, providing she’s pretty enough, is a friend of mine!” He let go of her and stepped back. “You are now my friend.”

“Valkyrie,” Skulduggery said, “allow me to introduce the one and only Dexter Vex, obviously taking a short break from his life of adventuring and derring-do.”

“A very short break,” Vex said, stepping back and flashing her a grin. Oh, she liked him.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said. “You were one of the Dead Men.”

“Indeed I was,” Vex nodded, “cursed to follow this bumbling fool from misadventure to misadventure in the days of our youth. Is he treating you well? He doesn’t boast too much, does he?”

“Sometimes it’s like that’s all he ever does.”

He held her hand in both of his. “I feel your pain,” he said sadly.

Skulduggery pulled their hands apart. “Yes, well, quite enough of that. If you feel the need to gang up on me, at least have the decency to wait until my back is turned. When did you get into town?”

“This morning,” Vex said. “Ghastly sent me an invitation a few weeks ago, and even though I was kind of busy, when someone like His Holy Eminence sends you an invite, you really can’t say no.”

“Oh, great,” Ghastly said, “now you’ve got him at it.”

Valkyrie laughed, hooking her arm through Ghastly’s. “We’re only messing,” she said. “And by the way, you look amazing in that tuxedo.”

Ghastly smiled. “Why thank you, Valkyrie.”

Vex chuckled. “See that? He hasn’t changed a bit. No matter how bad a mood he pretends to be in, all it takes is a nice word from a pretty girl and he’s putty in her hands. Skulduggery, remember that French girl we met in Saipan? What was her name?”

“Oh,” Skulduggery said. “Françoise.”

“That’s it,” said Vex. “Françoise. Remember her, Ghastly? Remember that weekend we couldn’t find you? We thought Mevolent had snatched you away and was torturing you to within an inch of your life. Valkyrie, would you like to know what he was really doing that weekend?”

“Yes I would,” said Valkyrie.

“No she wouldn’t,” said Ghastly.

“I think she would,” Skulduggery said.

“If you tell her,” said Ghastly, “I will have the both of you arrested. And possibly flogged.”

Vex sighed. “Sorry, Val. What happens in wartime, apparently stays in wartime.”

“Aw,” Valkyrie said, her shoulders drooping.

A woman stopped beside Ghastly, whispered something into his ear. He nodded.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, “I have people to talk to. Important people, people of influence and stature, and hopefully people who won’t laugh at me.”

He walked away, and immediately Vex leaned in.