“Isn’t this wonderful?” Militsa asked. “Mementos of significant people and significant times in history all laid out for us, like knowledge waiting to be absorbed. Fair enough, it’s not as impressive as the Repository at the High Sanctuary and all the powerful artefacts that contains, but it’s still pretty mind-blowing, is it not?”

Valkyrie passed an old pair of eyeglasses that once belonged to Jorge Desesperación (1781 to 1918).

Militsa stopped suddenly, and turned. “Am I being awful? I’m being too chirpy, aren’t I?”

Valkyrie took a moment to answer. “No,” she said.

“It’s just, I don’t know what to say in situations like this. Not that I’ve been in many situations exactly like this. But you know what I mean? When I’m around people who are sad, I feel a ridiculous need to cheer them up, but I always make it worse. I think I’m just too obvious about it, and also I tend to tell people what it is I’m trying to do, like I did just there. The moment I do that it’s game over, you know? Oh, God. I just did it, didn’t I?”

“You’re doing a good job,” Valkyrie lied. “You’re distracting me from my worries.”

“I am?”

“Yes. Especially now at this moment.”

“Oh, that’s a major relief, I don’t mind telling you. I was getting worried because you’ve barely said anything.”

Valkyrie gave a small smile. “That’s just me being me. I take a while to loosen up around new people.”

“And are you loosened up yet?”

There was so much hope in Militsa’s voice that Valkyrie just had to say, “Yes. Totally.”

Militsa beamed again. “Then do you have any questions for me?”

Valkyrie nodded stiffly.

“Go ahead. Ask me anything.”

“OK,” said Valkyrie. “Right. I will. How, uh … How did a Necromancer end up as a teacher?”

“I went to university and got my degree.”

Valkyrie nodded again. “I was actually expecting a more involved story.”

Militsa made a face. “I know. It’s pretty boring. I taught English at mortal schools and that was fine and all, but then I heard that there was an actual school for sorcerers being built at Roarhaven and I moved here immediately, started teaching Magic Theory. I suppose I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. Probably the same way you always wanted to be a detective.”

“I, uh, I never wanted to be a detective.”

“Really? Never?”

“Well, I didn’t grow up wanting this. When I was a kid, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I wanted to ride horses, then for a whole summer I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer … Then Skulduggery came along and … ta-da.”

“I keep forgetting you grew up mortal.”

“You didn’t?”