It was Skulduggery who answered her. "Bringing the Faceless One back whole proved to be beyond his abilities, so Vengeous combined the remains with parts and organs from other creatures, forming a hybrid-- what he called a Grotesquery. But even then, an ingredient was missing."

China took over. "Two ingredients, actually. First, he needed a Necromancer's power to revive it, and then, once it was alive, he needed something to keep it that way.

"When Lord Vile died, Vengeous thought he could harness Vile's power. Vile was a Necromancer, a practitioner of death magic-- shadow magic. It is the Necromancer way to place most of their power in an object, or a weapon, or, in this case, his armor."

"So if Vengeous wore that armor," Valkyrie said, "he'd have all Vile's power. . . ."

25

"But he couldn't find the armor," Skulduggery said. "Lord Vile died alone, and his armor was lost."

"What about the other missing ingredient? Did he find out what that was?"

China answered. "From what I have heard, yes. He did."

"So what is it?"

"He knows. We don't."

"Ah."

"Fortunately for us, and the world at large, Skulduggery was around to foil this plot before Vengeous could find the armor and retrieve this mysterious missing ingredient. He tracked the Baron to a known enemy hideaway and brought him to justice, in what became one of the most talked-about battles of the entire war. Skulduggery was badly injured in that fight, if I remember correctly."

Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery and he folded his arms.

"This is a history lesson," he said. "Why are we going over this?"

"Because," China said with a smile, "I have heard that this final missing ingredient-- whatever it is-- has at last been recovered, or at least

26

located, by the Baron's associates."

Skulduggery's head tilted. "Who are these associates?"

"I'm afraid not even I know that."

"So if Vengeous now has the missing ingredient," Valkyrie said, uneasily, "can he revive the, uh, the Grow Thing?"

"Grotesquery," China corrected.

"And no," Skulduggery said, "it's impossible. He'd need Vile's armor, which he doesn't have."

"But if he did, and he revived this thing, what would it do? Would we be able to stop it?"

Skulduggery hesitated for a split second. "The threat the Grotesquery would pose is a little bigger than that. Theoretically, it would be able to summon the Faceless Ones back to this world, by opening a portal through realities."

"A portal?" Valkyrie said, a little doubtfully.

"Yes, but the Grotesquery would have to be at full strength to do it, and that's not going to happen."

"Why not?"

"A heart had to be provided for it, but the only one suitable was the heart of a Cu Gealach."

"I'm sorry?"

27

"Cu na Gealai Duibhe," China said, "to give it its full Irish title. They do still teach you Gaeilge in school, yes?"

"Yes, it means . . . it's 'Black Hound of something,' right?"