“I hated myself too much. I needed to suffer. Ending my life would have ended my pain, and I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

“I hate you, too.”

“I can see that. But I need your help.”

Never laughed. “You really are as arrogant as my mum said.”

“I’m trying to help people. I’m trying to save lives. I don’t know if Omen has told you anything about what’s going on, but Skulduggery Pleasant is no longer on our side.”

“I heard.”

“Then you know what’s at stake.”

“If you need a Teleporter, go to the High Sanctuary.”

“I don’t trust them.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Do you trust me, Never?” asked Omen. She looked at him and he saw the anger in her eyes. “I don’t know what it’s like to lose a brother. If I lost Auger, I don’t know what I’d do. So I don’t know what you’ve been through, or what you’re going through now. But this isn’t about Valkyrie. This is about saving people. If the anti-Sanctuary succeed here, they’ll be one step closer to war with the mortals.”

“You want me to help her?”

“I want you to help me help her.”

“So you’re going, even if I don’t?”

“If Valkyrie will let me … yes.”

“You can come,” Valkyrie said, “and help me search. But, if anything goes wrong, you’re out of there. No arguments.”

Omen nodded, and looked at Never.

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll come. But only because she’ll probably get you killed without me.”

“Do you know San Francisco?” Valkyrie asked.

“Mr Renn has taken us to all the major American cities,” she said. “I’ve been there before so I can get there again.”

“We’ll leave in ten minutes, if you want to change out of your uniforms.”

Never shrugged, and walked out. When the door was swinging closed again, Omen spoke.

“She’s a really good person,” he said. “She’s just angry.”

Valkyrie gave a sad smile. “Thanks, Omen, but you don’t have to explain. She’s entitled to how she feels. Go on now, grab a change of clothes and I’ll meet you back here.”

Omen nodded, and left the room. He hurried to the dorms, got changed into jeans and a hoody, then swapped that for a shirt and pulled on a heavy jacket, and ran back.

He didn’t get far before Jenan stepped out ahead of him.

“Where are you skipping off to?” he said, stepping closer.

Omen backed off. “Just … Just down there.”

“Just down there? What’s just down there? Eh? Why are you out of uniform? Where are you going, Darkly?”

Omen stopped backing away, and puffed his chest out. “None of your business, Ispolin.”

Jenan charged, got a hand round Omen’s throat and slammed him back against the wall.